The long term goal of this work is to derive and test new, improved approaches to coincidnc timing especially for the case of scinitillation signals obtained from positron annihiliation events. Improved timing measurement will reduce the random coincidence rate with slower scintillators such as BGO. This in turn will permit design of PET instruments capable of more accurate imaging of larger doses of short half-life agents such as 15O or 17F. In the case of fast scintillators such as BaF2, improved timing reduces the uncertainty in the location of the positron annihilation along the ray. This is equivalent to increasing the sensitivity of a Time-of-Flight positron tomography since the signal-to-noise ratio in the reconstructed image is improved for a given number of detected events. Estimation theory based o a detailed model of the detection system will be used to derive efficient, robust, and accurate estimates of the photon arrival time. These etimates will be theoretically and experimentally compared to conventional timing methods which use leading edge and constant fraction triggers. Finally, experimental methods for implementing these estimators for a large multi-channel system will be devised.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA046622-03
Application #
3189963
Study Section
Diagnostic Radiology Study Section (RNM)
Project Start
1988-03-01
Project End
1991-08-31
Budget Start
1990-03-01
Budget End
1991-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
791277940
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109