Main Physical Characteristics of an Intraoperative γ-Probe for Radioguided Surgery
| Parameter | Definition | Related to | Critical for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity (cps/kBq) | Fraction of emitted radiation detected by the probe | Geometry, thickness, effective Z, and density of the detector | Detecting low-activity sources |
| Spatial resolution (FWHM of PSF, mm) | Ability to accurately define location of a source | Material, size, and lateral shielding of the detector | Localizing sources very close one to each other |
| Energy Resolution (100 × ΔE/Eγ) | FWHM of the bell-shaped photopeak in the energy spectrum | Material of the detector (number of electrons produced by a radiation in the detector) | Reducing spatial blurring and background due to scattered radiation |
FWHM = full width at half maximum height; PSF = point spread function; Eγ = energy photopeak; ΔE = relative energy.