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- Title
A design methodology using signal-to-noise ratio for plastic scintillation detectors design and performance optimization.
- Authors
Lacroix, Frédéric; Beddar, A. Sam; Guillot, Mathieu; Beaulieu, Luc; Gingras, Luc
- Abstract
Purpose: The design of novel plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) is impeded by the lack of a suitable framework to simulate and predict their performance. The authors propose to use the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to model the performance of PSDs that use charge-coupled devices (CCDs) as photodetectors. Methods: In PSDs using CCDs, the SNR is inversely related to the normalized standard deviation of the dose measurement. Thus, optimizing the SNR directly optimizes the system’s precision. In this work, a model of SNR as a function of the system parameters is derived for optical fiber-based PSD systems. Furthermore, this proposed model is validated using experimental results. A formula for the efficiency of fiber coupling to CCDs is derived and used to simulate the performance of a PSD under varying magnifications. Results: The proposed model is shown to simulate the experimental performance of an actual PSD to a suitable degree of accuracy under various conditions. Conclusions: The SNR constitutes a useful tool to simulate the dosimetric precision of PSDs. Using the SNR model, recommendations for the design and optimization of PSDs are provided. Using the same framework, recommendations for non-fiber-based PSDs are also provided.
- Subjects
DETECTORS; OPTOELECTRONIC devices; RADIOTHERAPY; MEDICAL imaging systems; MEDICAL technology
- Publication
Medical Physics, 2009, Vol 36, Issue 11, p5214
- ISSN
0094-2405
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1118/1.3231947