CMOS SPAD Array with Mixed Timing Pick-Off for Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography

摘要

Timing pick-off is provided in time-of-flight positron emission using digital output photo sensors (e.g., SPAD or dSiPM). The timing-to-digital converter (TDC) is replaced for timing detection with a mixed analog and digital timing pick-off (MTP) where a processor determines the timing from an output of the MTP. The digital SPAD or dSiPM output is summed into an analog waveform, allowing for triggering based on signal statistics or other than at a particular number of discrete detections. The trigger is used by the processor to extrapolate the time of occurrence without an integrated TDC.