Virtual PET detector and quasi-pixelated readout scheme for PET

US9423511B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 29, 2008
• Grant date: Aug 23, 2016
• Expiry date: Aug 5, 2033

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 (10, 20, 40) with photodetectors (12) 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 (10, 20, 40) 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 (54) can be associated with each of a plurality of photodetectors (52). A gamma ray hit on a specific crystal is then determined by a table lookup of adjacent photodetectors (52) that register equal light intensities, and the crystal (54) common to such photodetectors (52) is identified as the location of the hit.