System and method for three-dimensional imaging using scattering from annihilation coincidence photons

A system for creating an image of a target, the system comprising:

• a positron source and an approximately co-located electron source for facilitating collisions between positrons and electrons in a first location, wherein each collision produces a first photon and a second photon;
• a photon detector for intercepting at least a portion of the emitted first photons and measuring a first trajectory and a first time associated with each of the intercepted first photons based on at least the first location;
• an imaging software module installed on a computer, the imaging software module calculating a second trajectory and a second time associated with each second photon in accordance with the measured first trajectory and first time associated with each of the intercepted first photons;
• an imaging detector receiving multiple photons therein, wherein a least a portion of the multiple photons are single-scatter photons resulting from a single collision between a second photon and the target, and measuring a scatter energy and a scatter time associated with each of the multiple photons;
• and
• wherein the imaging software module:
• filters the multiple photons using the scatter energies and scatter times to identify and retain for target imaging the single-scatter photons;
• calculates a scatter trajectory and a scatter time associated with each of the retained single-scatter photons;
• calculates multiple positions within the target based on the second times, the second trajectories, the scatter times and the scattered trajectories;
• and
• creates a three-dimensional image of the target using at least the calculated multiple positions.

A computer program product comprising an imaging software module stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the imaging software module comprising:

• instructions for receiving from a photon detector measured pairs of first trajectories and first times associated with individual intercepted first photons, each of the first photons being part of a photon pair generated from a collision between a positron and an electron;
• instructions for calculating pairs of second times and a second trajectories associated with each of second photons resulting from collisions in accordance with the measured pairs of first trajectories and a first times associated with each of the intercepted first photons;
• instructions for receiving from an imaging detector pairs of scatter energies and scatter times associated with each of multiple photons received thereby, at least a portion of the multiple photons being single-scatter photons resulting from collisions between each of the second photons and a target;
• instructions for filtering the multiple photons using the scatter energies and scatter times to identify and retain for target imaging the single-scatter photons;
• instructions for calculating a scatter trajectory and a scatter time associated with each of the retained single-scatter photons;
• instructions for calculating multiple positions within the target based on the second times, the second trajectories, the scatter times and the scatter trajectories;
• and
• instructions for creating a three-dimensional image of the target using at least the calculated multiple positions.