System and method of determining timing triggers for detecting gamma events for nuclear imaging

US8969814B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. · US
• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Debora Henseler · Erlangen, DE
• Peter Hansen · Canaan, US
• Meinrad Schienle · Ottobrunn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 20, 2012
• Grant date: Mar 3, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 19, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K3/033
• WIPO field: Environmental technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Systems and methods of generating timing triggers to determine timing resolutions of gamma events for nuclear imaging includes receiving a pulse signature representing a succession of triggers associated with a photomultiplier. When a number of triggers occurring within a predetermined time interval matches a predetermined number, an event trigger can be initiated. A delayed version of the pulse signature can be generated and compared to a predetermined timing trigger level. When the delayed version matches the predetermined timing trigger level, a timing trigger can be generated. Based on the timing trigger level, the timing trigger can be generated at the pulse of the delayed version that corresponds to the first photoelectron of a gamma event. The timing trigger can correspond to a timestamp for the first photoelectron so that a data acquisition system can identify the pulse from which to acquire energy information to generate a nuclear image.