Virtual pet detector and quasi-pixelated readout scheme for pet

US11119227B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Thomas Frach · Aachen, DE
• Andreas Thon · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 14, 2016
• Grant date: Sep 14, 2021
• Expiry date: Sep 22, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01T1/2985
• WIPO field: Environmental technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

When designing detector arrays for diagnostic imaging devices, such as PET or SPECT devices, a virtual detector, or pixel, combines scintillator crystals with photodetectors in ratios that deviate from the conventional 1:1 ratio. For instance, multiple photodetectors can be glued to a single crystal to create a virtual pixel which can be software-based or hardware-based. Light energy and time stamp information for a gamma ray hit on the crystal can be calculated using a virtualizer processor or using a trigger line network and time-to-digital converter logic. Additionally or alternatively, multiple crystals can be associated with each of a plurality of photodetectors. A gamma ray hit on a specific crystal is then determined by a table lookup of adjacent photodetectors that register equal light intensities, and the crystal common to such photodetectors is identified as the location of the hit.