Patent ID: 6072177
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: A61B,G01T

Abstract:
A process for calibrating the coincidence timing of a nuclear camera used to perform PET studies in which coincident pair photons are detected by opposing PMTs and matched as a coincident pair if the PMT signals for any given PMT occurs within a set time of an opposing PMT signal, said process including the steps ofa) placing a positron producing radiation point source adjacent the center of one PMT to produce a uniform flood of radiation over an initial group of opposing PMTs;b) generating timing trigger signals for the point source PMT and the opposing initial group of PMTs;c) delaying by a set short time the timing trigger signals from either the point source PMT or the opposing group of PMTs;d) matching any given timing trigger signal from said point source with any given timing trigger signal from any given PMT in said group occurring within said short time to establish a matched pair;e) determining the time lag between the timing triggering signals of each matched pair;f) building a time lag histogram for each PMT in said initial group; and,g) sampling each histogram to determine a mean time delay for correcting timing signals developed by said camera during PET imaging.