(A, B, C, E) and (T, L, E) Multiplexing Readout Concept for PET Block Detectors

New A, B, C, E (energy) and T (top), L (left), E (energy) multiplexing readout concepts for block detectors in positron emission tomography (PET) have been developed. With the ABCE (TLE) design, eight (four) detector blocks with 32 (16) channels can be multiplexed into 4 (3) outputs. The new multiplexing scheme is capable of substantially reducing the signal processing channels in the data processing main electronics. In addition, the new scheme could improve system timing performance by eliminating cable time-skew and facilitate the filter design by downgrading the circuit accuracy requirements such as the group-delay error and filter channel skews. As a drawback, the processing channel reduction will add to detector pile-up and dead-time. These effects need to be carefully investigated for any implementations.