Positron emission tomography systems having dual-ended readout detectors and methods for enhancing timing resolution

A method for generating enhanced images using a positron emission tomography system, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a processor connected to a first dual-ended readout detector and a second dual-ended readout detector, wherein a point source is positioned between the first dual ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector, wherein each of the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector comprise:
• a scintillation crystal, a first photodetector coupled to an end of the scintillation crystal, and a second photodetector coupled to an opposing end of the scintillation crystal, and wherein the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector are configured to detect a coincidence event pair resulting from the annihilation of positrons from the point source, timing information corresponding to an arrival time of a photon at each of the first photodetector and the second photodetector and energy signal information indicative of an energy of the photon at each of the first photodetector and the second photodetector;
• generating corrected timing information for association with each energy signal received from the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector by modifying the timing information based on the energy signal information and a time difference between the timing information from each of the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector;
• and
• generating an image of an object using the corrected timing information.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for generating enhanced images using a positron emission tomography system, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a processor connected to a first dual-ended readout detector and a second dual-ended readout detector, wherein a point source is positioned between the first dual ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector, wherein each of the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector comprise:
• a scintillation crystal, a first photodetector coupled to an end of the scintillation crystal, and a second photodetector coupled to an opposing end of the scintillation crystal, and wherein the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector are configured to detect a coincidence event pair resulting from the annihilation of positrons from the point source, timing information corresponding to an arrival time of a photon at each of the first photodetector and the second photodetector and energy signal information indicative of an energy of the photon at each of the first photodetector and the second photodetector;
• generating corrected timing information for association with each energy signal received from the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector by modifying the timing information based on the energy signal information and a time difference between the timing information from each of the first dual-ended readout detector and the second dual-ended readout detector;
• and
• generating an image of an object using the corrected timing information.