Method for Signal Processing of a Photosensor

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This patent describes a method for processing signals from photosensors, especially in radiation detectors like those used in positron emission tomography (PET). The method allows determination of not only the x- and y-position but also the depth (z-position) where a photon interaction occurs in a scintillation crystal, thereby correcting parallax errors and improving image quality. It achieves this by implementing linear coding in one or more directions on the sensor outputs and mathematically combining signal channels (multiplications of linearly increasing and decreasing channels) to approximate the interaction depth without requiring additional hardware complexity or extra sensor surfaces.

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• Medical imaging systems, specifically PET scanners and PET/MRI hybrid scanners, for improved spatial resolution and sensitivity
• Small animal preclinical PET scanners where high spatial resolution and sensitivity are critical
• Upgrade kits or software updates for existing PET and PET/MR imaging systems to enhance their performance without hardware changes
• Radiation detectors in nuclear physics experiments where precise interaction localization in crystals is important
• Material analysis and non-destructive testing systems with scintillation-based detection

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Reduces parallax errors and improves accuracy in the localization of photon interactions within scintillation detectors
• Enables use of longer monolithic crystals, increasing sensitivity without compromising image quality
• Works with various types of photosensors (SiPM, APD, PMT) and is compatible with different detector geometries
• Requires only one sensor surface per crystal, reducing cost and system complexity
• Can be implemented in software on many existing systems, allowing easy upgrades
• Saves space inside constrained environments (e.g., PET rings within MRI bores) by limiting additional electronics
• Allows for high-resolution depth information (DOI) with minimal hardware modification
• Supports cost-effective and compact PET scanner designs, particularly beneficial for high-field MRI compatibility and small-bore systems

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the signal processing of a photosensor, by means of which method the LOR problem can be solved or minimized. According to the invention, linear coding is performed for the e-direction, which linear coding contains linearly rising and linearly falling signals for each of these directions, wherein for each direction the signals of the linearly rising signals are multiplied by the linearly falling signals.