Separation of geometric system response matrix for three-dimensional image reconstruction

1. In a PET scanner, an image-reconstruction method comprising:

detecting interactions with particular crystal pairs;

retrieving a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix from a storage medium;

estimating an axial component of the geometric system response matrix by determining a ratio between a first and second distance, the first distance being obtained from a distance between a candidate annihilation site and one crystal from the crystal pair, and the second distance being obtained from a distance between the crystals of the crystal pair; and

at least in part on the basis of the axial component and the trans-axial component, estimating an annihilation site distribution most likely to have resulted in the detected crystal pair interactions.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating a set of candidate annihilation sites with a particular ratio.

3. A system comprising:

an annular structure defining an axial direction and a trans-axial direction

a plurality of scintillation crystal columns extending along the axial direction and disposed along a circumference of the annular structure, the crystal columns each having a plurality of crystals;

a data acquisition subsystem configured to detect an illumination signal indicative of illumination of a set of crystal pairs, each crystal pair being defined by a pair of crystals from different crystal columns;

a storage subsystem on which is stored a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix;

a processing subsystem in data communication with the storage subsystem and the data acquisition subsystem, the processing subsystem being configured

to estimate an axial component of the geometric system response matrix by determining a ratio between a first and second distance, the first distance being obtained from a distance between a candidate annihilation site and a scintillation crystal from the illuminated crystal pair, and the second distance being obtained from a distance between the two scintillation crystals of the illuminated crystal pair;

to retrieve the trans-axial component from the storage subsystem; and

to at least in part on the basis of the axial and trans-axial components, estimate an annihilation site distribution, within the annular structure, that is most likely to have resulted in illumination of the set of crystal pairs.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to associate a set of candidate annihilation sites with a particular ratio.

5. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for reconstructing an image, the software including instructions for

detecting interactions with particular crystal pairs;

retrieving a trans-axial component of a geometric system response matrix from a storage medium;

estimating an axial component of the geometric system response matrix by determining a ratio between a first and second distance, the first distance being obtained from a distance between a candidate annihilation site and one crystal from the crystal pair, and the second distance being obtained from a distance between the crystals of the crystal pair; and

at least in part on the basis of the axial component and the trans-axial component, estimating an annihilation site distribution most likely to have resulted in the detected crystal pair interactions.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for associating a set of candidate annihilation sites with a particular ratio.