Multiple Timing Measurements for Positron Emission Tomography
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorRoger E. Arseneau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Timing is determined in positron emission tomography (PET). Two or more different types of timing detection are used for each event. The difference in time from the different types of timing detection may indicate whether or not an error has occurred. An average difference or other typical offset difference may be used to correct the error. During pile up, the difference information may be used to create a missing time, such as using an average difference between second derivative and constant fraction discrimination as an offset to determine constant fraction timing from second derivative timing.
Claims21
A method for positron emission tomography (PET) coincidence processing, the method comprising:
- detecting, with a timing circuit, a first time of a first PET event with a first type of timing measurement;
- detecting, with the timing circuit, a second time of the first PET event with a second type of timing measurement, the second type different than the first type;
- determining a difference between the first and second times;
- comparing the difference with an offset difference;
- correcting the first time, the second time, or both the first and second times when the difference is greater than the offset difference by at least a threshold amount;
- and
- using the corrected first time, second time, or both for the PET coincidence processing.
In a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for positron emission tomography (PET) timing determination, the storage medium comprising instructions for:
- determining a difference in time between detection of a non-piled event with first and second timing detectors;
- detecting a piled up event associated with a positron emission;
- determining a first time of occurrence of the piled up event with the first timing detector;
- and
- generating a second time of occurrence of the piled up event, the second time of occurrence being a function of the first time and the difference.
A positron emission tomography (PET) system comprising:
- a detector operable to detect positron emission;
- a processor configured to determine an error in timing of the positron emission and set the timing as a function of a relationship between two or more different ways of detecting the timing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.