A technical analysis of an intraoperative radiation detection probe.

A technical evaluation was made of a commercial intraoperative radiation probe. This device utilizes a CsI (T1) scintillation detector and light pipe arrangement to count gamma radiation in vivo. After determining the optimal window and threshold setting, additional evaluations included linearity, distance response function, detector dead time, counter reproducibility, detector sensitivity, angular resolution, and energy resolution. Detector dead time (21.2 microseconds) was found to be characteristic of a nonparalysable system. Activity response for each radionuclide was linear (R = 0.99) both with and without collimation. Energy resolution, 25% at 210 keV, was not sufficient to separate the two photons (172 and 247 keV) emitted by 111In. Detector sensitivity was 1136 and 626 counts per s per microcurie of 111In and 99mTc, respectively. The mean effective distance from the face of the uncollimated probe to the crystal was determined to be 2.03 cm in air.