Pet imaging system including detector elements of different design and performance

A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, comprising:

• a first detector portion arranged circumferentially around a patient pallet, the first detector portion having a predetermined axial extent and transaxially subtending less than 360 degrees with respect to a central axis of the scanner defined by the first detector portion, wherein the first detector portion includes a plurality of first detector elements;
• and
• a second detector portion arranged separately from and opposing the first detector section, the second detector portion including a plurality of second detector elements,
• wherein the second detector portion is configured to having different imaging properties than the first detector portion.

A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, comprising:

• a first detector portion arranged circumferentially around a patient pallet, the first detector portion having a predetermined axial extent and transaxially subtending less than 360 degrees with respect to a central axis of the scanner defined by the first detector portion, wherein the first detector portion includes a plurality of first detector elements;
• and
• a second detector portion arranged separately from and opposing the first detector section, the second detector portion including a plurality of second detector elements, the second detector elements being of a different type than the first detector elements,
• wherein an event acceptance window for the first detector portion is different than an event acceptance window for the second detector portion.