Imaging apparatus and method with event sensitive photon detection

A system for examining an object, comprising:

• means for externally generating a radiation beam and directing the radiation beam towards an object to generate a positron-electron annihilation process to produce photons in the object;
• means for detecting the photons;
• means for generating a signal in response to the detected photons;
• and
• means for determining a characteristic of the object based at least on the signal.

A method for examining an object, comprising:

• generating a particle in an object;
• detecting the particle;
• generating a signal using a detector in response to the detected particle;
• accessing the generated signal using an accessing circuit that has an accessing rate equal to or greater than a signal generating rate associated with the detector;
• and
• analyzing the signal to generate data regarding the object.

A system for examining an object, comprising:

• means for generating a particle in an object;
• means for detecting the particle;
• means for generating a signal in response to the detected particle;
• an accessing circuit for accessing the generated signal the accessing circuit having an accessing rate ectual to or greater than a signal generating rate associated with the means for generating;
• and
• means for analyzing the signal to generate data regarding the object.

An imaging apparatus, comprising:

• a conversion panel configured to generate a light photon in response to a radiation;
• a photo detector array aligned with the conversion panel and configured to generate a signal in response to the light photon received from the conversion panel;
• an access circuit coupled to the photo detector array, the accessing circuit having accessing rate equal to or greater than a signal generating rate associated with the photo detector;
• and
• a signal processing circuit coupled to the access circuit and configured to generate image data in response to the signal received by the access circuit.