A novel model-based PET detector block simulation approach

In this paper we present the development of a modelling convention and a modelling environment, called PetDetSim, able to describe different PET detector block geometries. Using the developed simulation environment, the PET detector block designer can easily define different detector block configurations and test their optical behaviour regarding the characteristic features that determine the imaging quality of the device. In addition to the common optical behaviour of the detector block the developed modelling environment is also able to model gamma photon penetration. The PetDetSim environment is designed to use on a computer cluster and in a grid computing environment in order to reduce the computation time of the simulation. The validation of PetDetSim has been successfully done in the case of basic detector models, i.e. consisting of a single crystal needle.