Separation of geometric system response matrix for three-dimensional image reconstruction
AssigneePhotoDetection Systems, Inc.
InventorWilliam Worstell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image-reconstruction method in which interactions with particular crystal pairs are detected and a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix is retrieved from a storage medium. This component provides an estimate of an axial component of the geometric system response matrix. At least in part on the basis of the axial component and the trans-axial component, an annihilation site distribution of annihilations most likely to have resulted in the interaction with the particular crystal pair is estimated.
Claims13
In a PET scanner, an image-reconstruction method comprising:
- detecting interactions with particular crystal pairs;
- retrieving a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix from a storage medium;
- estimating an axial component of the geometric system response matrix;
- and
- at least in part on the basis of the axial component and the trans-axial component, estimating an annihilation site distribution most likely to have resulted in the detected crystal pair interactions.
In a PET scanner, a method for enabling three-dimensional image reconstruction, the method comprising:
- storing unconditional data indicating a likelihood that an annihilation occurring at a particular annihilation site will cause illumination of a crystal pair having a crystal from a first crystal column and a crystal from a second crystal column.
A system comprising:
- an annular structure defining an axial direction and a trans-axial direction
- a plurality of scintillation crystal columns extending along the axial direction and disposed along a circumference of the annular structure, the crystal columns each having a plurality of crystals;
- a data acquisition subsystem configured to detect an illumination signal indicative of illumination of a set of crystal pairs, each crystal pair being defined by a pair of crystals from different crystal columns;
- a storage subsystem on which is stored a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix;
- a processing subsystem in data communication with the storage subsystem and the data acquisition subsystem, the processing subsystem being configured
- to estimate an axial component of the geometric system response matrix;
- to retrieve the trans-axial component from the storage subsystem;
- and
- to at least in part on the basis of the axial and trans-axial components, estimate an annihilation site distribution, within the annular structure, that is most likely to have resulted in illumination of the set of crystal pairs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.