Spectral photon counting detector

Abstract

An apparatus includes a pulse shaper (120) for receiving signals indicative of detected photons and generating a plurality of pulses therefrom to form a pulse train (200) and a peak detector (150) for sampling the pulse train (200) at an output of the pulse shaper (120). The peak detector (150) includes a circuit (300) for selectively detecting and sampling a maximum (202a, b, c) and a minimum (204a, b) value of the pulse train (200). The maximum (202a, b, c) and minimum (204a, b) values sampled are then converted from analog-to-digital format via an analog-to-digital converter (160).

Description

technical field [0001] This application relates generally to spectral photon counting detectors. Although this application is described in connection with a particular application to computed tomography (CT), this application is also directed to other applications where energy resolution of detected photons having different energies is desired. Background technique [0002] Computed tomography (CT) systems include a radiation source that emits multi-energetic ionizing photons throughout an examination region. Such a system also includes a radiation sensitive detector located opposite the radiation source relative to the examination region, the radiation sensitive detector detecting photons passing through the examination region. The detector generates an electrical signal, such as a current or voltage, for each detected photon. The detector also includes electronics for energy resolving the detected photons based on the electrical signal. [0003] By way of example, the r...

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Problems solved by technology

Stochastic models have been proposed to incorporate stacking into maximum likelihood evaluation schemes, however, since the space of possible solutions is so large that the probability of the most likely solution is not significantly different from that of the least likely , so the method does not yield much improved energy estimates for

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