Timer-based amplitude correction method for photon counting computed tomography

A method of deconvolving overlapping first and second pulses in a photon-counting CT scanning system, the method comprising:

• detecting a first pulse event having a first detected level;
• detecting a second pulse event having a second detected level;
• determining an amount of time that elapses between the detected first pulse event and the detected second pulse event;
• and
• reconstructing the first pulse and the second pulse using the first and second detected levels, the duration of time between the first and second pulse events, and a known basis pulse shape.

A method for amplitude correction in a photon counting computed tomography (PCCT) scanning system, the method including:

• detecting a pulse at a pixel of the PCCT scanning system;
• for each change of voltage level detected in connection with the pulse, incrementing a counter;
• for each voltage level detected in connection with the pulse, determining whether an amount of time the pulse remains at the voltage level exceeds a threshold amount of time corresponding to a time-over-threshold (TOT) event;
• tracking the number of voltage level changes encountered between detection of the first pulse and detection of a second pulse;
• in response to a (TOT) event in connection with a voltage level, approximating the voltage level as a T ns time elapse;
• otherwise, approximating the voltage level change as a T/2 ns time elapse, where T is a threshold amount of time;
• and
• upon detection of the second pulse, using the approximated time elapse from the first pulse to compensate for contributions to the second pulse from the first pulse and resetting the counter to zero.