IP Library Granted Patent US 12669625
Granted Patent B2
US 12669625 · App. 18/487,088 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Systems and methods for correcting positron emission tomography devices

Inventors: Manquan Xue (Shanghai, CN); Xinyu Lyu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
G01T7/00A61B6/037A61B6/585G01T1/202
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12669625
App. No.
18/487,088
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for data masking. The method includes obtaining data associated with coincidence events related to intrinsic background radiations of a plurality of crystals of the PET device. Each of the coincidence events may be detected by two crystals of the plurality of crystals of the PET device. The data associated with the each coincidence event may include first time information and second time information. The method includes determining a first time of fight (TOF) difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on the first time information and the second time information. The method includes determining a second TOF difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on locations of the two crystals that detect the each coincidence event. The method includes correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference.

Claims (87)

1 . A method for correcting a positron emission tomography (PET) device, which is implemented on a computing device including at least one processor and at least one storage device, comprising:

obtaining data associated with coincidence events related to intrinsic background radiations of a plurality of crystals of the PET device, wherein each of the coincidence events is detected by two crystals of the plurality of crystals of the PET device, the data associated with each coincidence event includes first time information and second time information, the each coincidence event includes a β event and a γ event, the first time information corresponds to the β event, and the second time information corresponds to the γ event, wherein the obtaining data associated with coincidence events comprises:

obtaining the data associated with the coincidence events based on a target energy window and a target time window, wherein the target energy window is determined based on at least one of a β particle energy, a γ particle energy, or a reference energy, and the target time window is determined based on a reference time;

determining a first time of flight (TOF) difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on the first time information and the second time information;

determining a second TOF difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on locations of the two crystals that detect the each coincidence event; and

correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining data associated with coincidence events comprises:

for the each coincidence event,

obtaining a first optical signal excited by a β particle and a second optical signal excited by a γ particle;

obtaining a first electric signal by converting the first optical signal;

obtaining a second electric signal by converting the second optical signal;

determining the first time information based on the first electric signal; and

determining the second time information based on the second electric signal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first crystal of the two crystals detects a β particle, and a second crystal of the two crystals detects a γ particle, and the determining a second TOF difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on locations of the two crystals comprises:

determining the second TOF difference based on a distance between the location of the first crystal and the location of the second crystal.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining the second TOF difference based on a distance between the location of the first crystal and the location of the second crystal comprises:

determining the second TOF difference by dividing the distance between the location of the first crystal and the location of the second crystal by a speed of light.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a first detector including the first crystal and a second detector including the second crystal are spaced apart from each other.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference comprises:

for each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device,

generating a time spectrum based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference corresponding to each of one or more of the coincidence events detected between the crystal and other crystals; and

determining a TOF correction value based on the time spectrum; and

correcting the PET device based on the TOF correction value corresponding to the each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the for each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device, determining a TOF correction value based on the time spectrum comprises:

determining the TOF correction value based on the time spectrum according to an iterative operation including one or more iterations, and in at least one of the one or more iterations, the method further comprises:

for the each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device,

generating a time spectrum of the crystal; and

determining an offset value for the crystal based on the time spectrum;

determining whether the iterative operation satisfies a condition based on the offset value for the crystal; and

in response to a result of determining whether the iterative operation satisfies the condition, adjusting TOF information of the crystal based on the offset value for the crystal, or determining the TOF correction value for the crystal by summing one or more offset values for the crystal in the one or more iterations.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the TOF correction value corresponding to the each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device comprises:

recording the TOF correction value in a correction file of the PET device, or

programming the TOF correction value in one or more detectors of the PET device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a time walk effect correction and/or a position correction on the first TOF difference.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

correcting the PET device based on energy information of the data associated with the coincidence events.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the energy information of the data associated with the coincidence events comprises:

generating a reference energy spectrum based on energy information of the each coincidence event;

determining a reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum;

determining a target peak position based on the reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum; and

correcting the PET device based on the target peak position and a corrected peak position.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the target peak position and a corrected peak position comprises:

determining whether the PET device needs to be corrected based on the target peak position and the corrected peak position;

in response to determining that the PET device needs to be corrected,

programming the target peak position in one or more detectors of the PET device.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining a target peak position based on the reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum comprises:

determining the target peak position based on the reference peak position and a relationship between a position of a peak and an energy of the peak.

14 . A system for correcting a positron emission tomography (PET) device, comprising:

at least one storage device including a set of instructions; and

at least one processor configured to communicate with the at least one storage device, wherein when executing the set of instructions, the at least one processor is configured to direct the system to perform operations including:

obtaining data associated with coincidence events related to intrinsic background radiations of a plurality of crystals of the PET device, wherein each of the coincidence events is detected by two crystals of the plurality of crystals of the PET device, and the data associated with each coincidence event includes first time information and second time information;

determining a first time of flight (TOF) difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on the first time information and the second time information;

determining a second TOF difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on locations of the two crystals that detect the each coincidence event;

correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference;

generating a reference energy spectrum based on energy information of the each coincidence event;

determining a reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum;

determining a target peak position based on the reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum; and

correcting the PET device based on the target peak position and a corrected peak position.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference comprises:

for each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device,

generating a time spectrum based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference corresponding to each of one or more of the coincidence events detected between the crystal and other crystals; and

determining a TOF correction value based on the time spectrum; and

correcting the PET device based on the TOF correction value corresponding to the each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the for each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device, determining a TOF correction value based on the time spectrum comprises:

determining the TOF correction value based on the time spectrum according to an iterative operation including one or more iterations, and in at least one of the one or more iterations, the method further comprises:

for the each crystal of the plurality of crystals of the PET device,

generating a time spectrum of the crystal; and

determining an offset value for the crystal based on the time spectrum;

determining whether the iterative operation satisfies a condition based on the offset value for the crystal; and

in response to a result of determining whether the iterative operation satisfies the condition based on the offset value for the crystal, adjusting TOF information of the crystal based on the offset value for the crystal, or determining the TOF correction value for the crystal by summing one or more offset values for the crystal in the one or more iterations.

17 . A method for correcting a positron emission tomography (PET) device, which is implemented on a computing device including at least one processor and at least one storage device, comprising:

obtaining data associated with coincidence events related to intrinsic background radiations of a plurality of crystals of the PET device, wherein each of the coincidence events is detected by two crystals of the plurality of crystals of the PET device, and the data associated with each coincidence event includes first time information and second time information;

determining a first time of flight (TOF) difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on the first time information and the second time information;

performing a time walk effect correction and/or a position correction on the first TOF difference;

determining a second TOF difference corresponding to the each coincidence event based on locations of the two crystals that detect the each coincidence event; and

correcting the PET device based on the first TOF difference and the second TOF difference.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

correcting the PET device based on energy information of the data associated with the coincidence events.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the energy information of the data associated with the coincidence events comprises:

generating a reference energy spectrum based on energy information of each coincidence event;

determining a reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum;

determining a target peak position based on the reference peak position in the reference energy spectrum; and

correcting the PET device based on the target peak position and a corrected peak position.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the correcting the PET device based on the target peak position and a corrected peak position comprises:

determining whether the PET device needs to be corrected based on the target peak position and the corrected peak position;

in response to determining that the PET device needs to be corrected, programming the target peak position in one or more detectors of the PET device.