Gamma counter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions are available. (December 2009)

A Gamma Counter is a machine to measure gamma radiation emitted by a radionuclide. Up to 300 samples are placed in sealed vials or test tubes, and move along a serpentine track on a horizontal plane. One at a time, they move down inside a shielded detector, set to measure specific energy windows characteristic of the particular isotope. Depending on the half life and concentration of the sample, measurement times vary from 0.02 minute to one minute. Gamma counters are standard tools used in the research and development of new radioactive compounds used for diagnosing and treating disease, (as in PET scanning). A representative unit is the "Gamma 8000", (produced by Beckman) which can be programmed for measuring up to ten different radionuclides.

The Multi-Well Gamma Counter design, such as the "Genesys Series Multi-Well Gamma Counters" (manufactured by Laboratory Technologies, Inc.) allows for up to 60 samples to be counted simultaneously. This design gives a high throughput and no moving parts, making this type of gamma counter more reliable. Units can be programmed to measure many different isotopes and perform over 30 different assay tests.