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A radiation detector, in particular a gamma camera, is constructed and operated in such a fashion that only a predetermined number of light sensors (such as PMT's) adjoining each other in a cluster are used to generate a signal with amplitude and event position information. The camera may also use a

A radiation detector, in particular a gamma camera, is constructed and operated in such a fashion that only a predetermined number of light sensors (such as PMT's) adjoining each other in a cluster are used to generate a signal with amplitude and event position information. The camera may also use an array of individual scintillation elements (crystals) in place of a single crystal, with certain advantages obtained thereby. According to another aspect of the invention, there is a reflector sheet that defines an array of apertures through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillation crystal to a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to an optical window in an array corresponding to the array of apertures in the reflector.

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1. A scintillation device comprising a scintillator, a reflector disposed at a surface of the scintillator for reflecting scintillation light, and an optical window through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillator to the optical window for sensing by a plurality of light sensors opti

1. A scintillation device comprising a scintillator, a reflector disposed at a surface of the scintillator for reflecting scintillation light, and an optical window through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillator to the optical window for sensing by a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window, the reflector having portions thereof sandwiched between the optical window and the scintillator and being made from a white polyester reflective material, wherein the scintillator is optically coupled to the optical window by an optical coupling compound to which the reflective material is exposed, and the reflectivity of the reflective material when exposed to the optical coupling compound is reduced by less than 20%.2. A scintillation detector comprising a scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window of the scintillation device for producing light sensor signals upon occurrence of a scintillation event in the scintillator that produces light sensed by the light sensors, and a processor for selecting a group of three mutually-adjoining light sensors having the highest amplitude light sensor signals amongst the plurality of light sensors for a particular radiation event, and for determining the relative position of the radiation event from the light sensor signals of the selected group of light sensors, wherein the plurality of light sensors are each equally spaced from mutually-adjoining light sensors, and wherein the scintillator comprises an array of triangular scintillator segments partially or completely optically isolated from one another.3. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein each light sensor views more than one scintillator segment.4. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein each light sensor views three mutually contiguous scintillator segments.5. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein each scintillator segment is viewed by a respective group of three mutually contiguous light sensors dedicated to the respective scintillator segment.6. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein each segment is formed by a respective discrete scintillation crystal.7. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 6, wherein a reflective bonding material is interposed between contiguous sides of the scintillator segments to join the discrete segments to one another.8. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 6, wherein each segment has tapered sides for positioning in a nonplanar arrangement.9. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 8, wherein the discrete scintillation crystals are mounted on a flexible substrate.10. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein a scintillation crystal has formed in a surface thereof a plurality of slits separating adjacent portions of the crystal, each portion forming a respective one of the scintillation segments.11. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 2, wherein a reflector is interposed between contiguous sides of the scintillator segments.12. A scintillator and detector assembly, comprising a scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, and a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window of the scintillation device for producing light sensor signals upon occurrence of a scintillation event in the scintillator that produces light sensed by the light sensors, wherein the scintillator comprises an array of triangular scintillator segments partially or completely optically isolated from one another, and each light sensor views more than one scintillator segment.13. A scintillator and detector assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein each light sensor views three mutually contiguous scintillator segments.14. A scintillator and sensor assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein each scintillator segment is viewed by a respective group of three mutually contiguous light sensors dedicated to the respective scintillator segment.15. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical coupling compound is a potting compound.16. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical coupling compound is an oil.17. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical coupling compound is a silicone rubber.18. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reflective material is wetted by the optical coupling compound.19. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reflective material is a white polyester reflective film.20. A scintillation detector comprising a scintillator, a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the scintillator for producing light sensor signals upon occurrence of a scintillation event in the scintillator that produces light sensed by the light sensors, and a processor for selecting a group of three mutually-adjoining light sensors having the highest amplitude light sensor signals amongst the plurality of light sensors for a particular radiation event, and for determining the relative position of the radiation event from the light sensor signals of the selected group of light sensors, wherein the plurality of light sensors are each equally spaced from mutually-adjoining light sensors, and wherein the scintillator comprises an array of triangular scintillator segments partially or completely optically isolated from one another, wherein the scintillator includes a scintillation crystal contained within a housing, and an optical window closes an open end of the housing, and wherein a reflector is sandwiched between the optical window and the scintillation crystal, and the reflector defines an array of apertures through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillation crystal to and through the optical window for sensing by the plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window in an array corresponding to the array of apertures in the reflector.21. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 20, wherein each light sensor has a light sensitive region and the respective aperture defined by the reflector has an area no greater than the area of the light sensitive region of the respective light sensor.22. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 20, wherein each light sensor has a light sensitive region and the respective aperture defined by the reflector has an area less than the area of the light sensitive region of the respective light sensor.23. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 20, wherein the scintillation crystal is optically coupled to the optical window by an optical coupling compound that wets the surface of the scintillation crystal or optical window.24. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 23, wherein the optical coupling compound is a transparent optical adhesive.25. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 24, wherein the optical window is made of glass.26. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 24, wherein the reflector includes a white polyester film.27. A scintillation detector as set forth in claim 20, wherein the reflector includes a white polyester film.28. A scintillation device comprising a housing, a scintillation crystal contained within the housing, and an optical window closing an open end of the housing, wherein a reflector is sandwiched between the optical window and the scintillation crystal, and the reflector defines an array of apertures through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillation crystal to and through the optical window for sensing by a plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window in an array corresponding to the array of apertures in the reflector.29. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 28, further comprising the plurality of light sensors optically coupled to the optical window in an array corresponding to the array of apertures in the reflector.30. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 29, wherein each light sensor has a light sensitive region and the respective aperture defined by the reflector has an area no greater than the area of the light sensitive region of the respective light sensor.31. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 29, wherein each light sensor has a light sensitive region and the respective aperture defined by the reflector has an area less than the area of the light sensitive region of the respective light sensor.32. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 28, wherein the scintillation crystal is optically coupled to the optical window by an optical coupling compound that wets the surface of the scintillation crystal or optical window.33. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 32, wherein the optical coupling compound is a transparent optical adhesive.34. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 33, wherein the optical window is made of glass.35. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 28, wherein the reflector includes a white polyester film.36. A scintillation device comprising a housing, a scintillation crystal contained within the housing, an array of light sensors optically coupled to the scintillation crystal, each light sensor having a light sensitive region, and a reflective film is sandwiched between the scintillation crystal and the light sensors and surrounds the light sensitive regions of the light sensors, wherein the reflective film defines an array of apertures through which scintillation light can pass from the scintillation crystal to the light sensitive region of the light sensors while reflecting light at the regions disposed between the light sensitive regions of the light sensors.37. A scintillation device as set forth in claim 36, wherein the reflector includes a white polyester film.