Scatter and Random Coincidence Rejection

A method for collecting coincidence data in a nuclear medical diagnostic apparatus having a first and second gamma ray detector for detecting first and second annihilation gamma rays, respectively, comprising:

• identifying a possible coincidence event between the first gamma ray detector and the second gamma ray detector;
• and
• estimating a range of possible flight directions for the first annihilation gamma ray detected in the first gamma ray detector based on a Compton scatter event which is detected by the first gamma ray detector, wherein the possible coincidence event includes the Compton scatter event detected by the first gamma ray detector.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to sort data by performing a method comprising:

• identifying a possible coincidence event between a first gamma ray detector for detecting a first annihilation gamma ray and a second gamma ray detector for detecting a second annihilation gamma ray;
• and
• estimating a range of possible flight directions for the first annihilation gamma ray detected in the first gamma ray detector based on a Compton scatter event which is detected by the first gamma ray detector, wherein the possible coincidence event includes the Compton scatter event detected by the first gamma ray detector.