Michael B Petrillo

US Patent:

61981044, Mar 6, 2001

Filed:

Oct 23, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/178036

Inventors:

Michael J. Geagan - Wayne PA
Michael J. Petrillo - Pleasanton CA
Thomas E. Scharf - San Jose CA
Donald R. Wellnitz - Pleasanton CA

Assignee:

ADAC Laboratories - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01T 1166

US Classification:

25036304

Abstract:

A technique for correcting for random coincidences in a gamma camera system is provided. The system includes a pair of scintillation detectors coupled to a processing system and is configured to detect radiation coincidences. Each detector generates trigger pulses in response to scintillation events to generate a plurality of event-based trigger pulses. Each detector includes a pulse generator, which generates a plurality of artificial trigger pulses. When an artificial trigger pulse in one detector occurs in coincidence with an event-based trigger pulse in the other detector, data is registered by the corresponding detectors, and the artificial trigger pulse is associated with a predetermined energy level. The data processing system examines the data to identify singles events that were registered as a result of artificial trigger pulses and prevents such singles events from contributing to the coincidence images. Instead, such singles events are used to generate a singles image for each detector.