Rapidly tracking the position of a radiation source using multiple radiation spectroscopy detectors with maximum likelihood position estimation

The location of a radiation source can be tracked by deriving the location from the number of measured radiation counts using multiple radiation spectroscopy detectors. However, this method we previously developed was found to produce errors as the area of radiation incident on the source and the radiation spectroscopy detector changed. In this study, a location tracking system using a radiation spectroscopy detector and maximum likelihood position estimation (MLPE) was developed to derive the exact location. The lookup table (LUT) of the MLPE was created through Geant4 Application of Tomographic Emission (GATE) simulation, and the experimental data were applied to the LUT created through simulation to estimate the location of the radiation source. As a result, the estimation was confirmed to be exceptionally accurate (97.07 ± 2.96 %). By applying the LUT created through simulation to the experiment, the LUT creation time was shortened and the convenience was improved. In addition, the measurement time could be shortened by using a radiation spectroscopy detector with excellent sensitivity as well as the ability to determine the location with excellent accuracy.