Compton scattering imaging based on time-of-flight of photons

A method of reconstructing a medical diagnostic image of a human patient, the method comprising:

• receiving time-dependent X-photon detection data that comprises temporal point spread function (TPSF) distributions of detected ballistic photons and scattered photons as a function of a corresponding time-of-flight for each detection location;
• using said TPSF distribution for each of said detection locations to determine both a scatter coefficient and an absorption coefficient of X-photons for each voxel of a region of interest;
• and
• generating an image of said region of interest using said scatter coefficient and said absorption coefficient of X-photons for each voxel of the region of interest.

A system comprising:

• an X-ray imaging device comprising a pulsed X-ray source having a control signal;
• a time-sensitive X-ray detector having a time-dependent X-ray photon detection signal output;
• and circuitry, connected to said control signal and said time-dependent X-ray photon detection signal output, for collecting said data representing the measured TPSF dataset from a time-dependent X-ray photon detection signal of said time-sensitive X-ray detector;
• a computing program product for generating an image of a region of interest from time-dependent X-photon detection data comprising temporal point spread function (TPSF) distributions of detected ballistic photons and scattered photons as a function of a corresponding time-of-flight for each detection location, the computing program product comprising non-transitory memory storing executable program code that, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to:
• 1) receive said time-dependent X-photon detection data;
• 2) process said TPSF distribution for each of said detection locations and measured energies to determine both a scatter coefficient and an absorption coefficient of X-photons for each voxel of a region of interest;
• and
• 3) generate an image of said region of interest using said scatter coefficient and said absorption coefficient of X-photons for each voxel of the region of interest;
• a processor for receiving from the X-ray imaging device the collected time-dependent X-photon detection data, the processor being functionally connected to the memory of the computing program product for executing the program code to output the generated image of the region of interest;
• and
• a workstation for receiving from the processor the outputted image of the region of interest.