Scintillator detector for event-related grouping

Claim 2

A circuit for reducing dead time in a scintillation camera having a cluster of light-sensing devices for receiving photons from an adjacent crystal in response to scintillation events occurring within the crystal and for generating representative output signals which can be processed for mapping the location and magnitude of those events comprising: means for sending signals to and receiving signals from the light-sensing devices immediately surrounding at least one of the light-sensing devices in the cluster when said at least one light-sensing device records an event; logic means for determining the validity of said event in response to the signals received from said immediately surrounding light-sensing devices; and means for processing the output signals representative of the event only if said event has been determined to be valid.

Claim 3

A circuit as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said signal sending means comprises a circuit for generating a digital signal in response to an analog output from a light-sensing device.

Claim 4

A circut as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said logic means includes a plurality of logic gates whose output provides an indication of validity only when there is at least one signal from a neighboring light-sensing device to indicate that the neighboring light-sensing device has also recorded an event.

Claim 5

A circuit as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said logic means includes logic circuitry for invalidating said event when a signal received from a neighboring light-sensing device persists for a predetermined threshold time period.

Claim 6

A circuit as set forth in Claim 1 and including a plurality of matrix nodes to which the representative output signals are applied and further wherein said output signal processing means includes means for synchronizing the application of the output signals from a plurality of light-sensing devices such that they are applied to said matrix nodes at substantially the same time.

Claim 7

A circuit for communicating between one light-sensing device in a scintillation camera and a cluster of light-sensing devices immediately surrounding said one light-sensing device when said one light-sensing device responds to a scintillation event comprising: a plurality of pairs of leads connected to said one light-sensing device with each pair being connected to one of said surrounding light-sensing devices so that said one light-sensing device can send signals to and receive signals from each of said surrounding light-sensing devices when said one light-sensing device responds to a scintillation event; a plurality of busses connected to said one light-sensing device with each bus being connected to one of said surrounding light-sensing devices; and bidirectional communication means associated with each of said busses for selectively completing a bus circuitry between the associated surrounding light-sensing devices and said one light-sensing device such that a representative signal can be transmitted to said one light-sensing device when said surrounding light-sensing devices respond to a scintillation event.

Claim 8

A circuit for communicating between one light-sensing device in a scintillation camera and a cluster of light-sensing devices immediately surrounding said one light-sensing device when said one light-sensing device responds to a scintillation event comprising: a plurality of pairs of leads connected to said one light-sensing device with each pair being connected to one of said surrounding light-sensing devices so that said one light-sensing device can send signals to and receive signals from each of said surrounding light-sensing devices when said one light-sensing device responds to a scintillation event; a plurality of busses connected to said one light-sensing device with each bus being connected to one of said surrounding light-sensing devices; and bidirectional communication means associated with each of said busses for selectively completing a bus circuitry between the associated surrounding light-sensing devices and said one light-sensing device such that a representative signal can be transmitted to said one light-sensing device when said surrounding light-sensing devices respond to a scintillation event.

Claim 9

A circuit as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said light-sensing devices comprise photomultiplier tubes.

Claim 10

A circuit as set forth in Claim 6 and including means associated with said plurality of pairs of leads for sending signals to said surrounding light-sensing devices when said one light-sensing device responds to a scintillation event and for receiving signals from said surrounding light-sensing devices when said surrounding light-sensing devices respond to a scintillation event.

Claim 11

A circuit as set forth in Claim 6 and including summing means associated with said plurality of busses for summing said representative signals from said surrounding light-sensing devices.

Claim 12

A circuit as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said communication means comprises a bidirectional communication means for transmitting a representative signal from said one light-sensing device to said surrounding light-sensing device.

Claim 13

A discrimination circuit for use with the scintillation camera having a plurality of light-sensing devices for receiving photons from a crystal in response to scintillation events within the crystal and for processing the resultant output signals to form an image comprising: means for each light-sensing device to communicate with its adjacent light-sensing device when said each light-sensing device detects an event; means for validating said event when at least one adjacent light-sensing device indicates an associated event detection within a predetermined period following the detection by said each light-sensing device; and means for processing only those output signals representative of valid events.

Claim 14

A discrimination circuit for use with the scintillation camera having a plurality of light-sensing devices for receiving photons from a crystal in response to scintillation events within the crystal and for processing the resultant output signals to form an image comprising: means for each light-sensing device to communicate with its adjacent light-sensing device when said each light-sensing device detects an event; means for validating said event when at least one adjacent light-sensing device indicates an associated event detection within a predetermined period following the detection by said each light-sensing device; and means for processing only those output signals representative of valid events.

Claim 15

A discrimination circuit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said communication means comprises a plurality of pairs of electrical leads with each of said pairs connecting one of said adjacent light-sensing devices tc said each light-sensing device.

Claim 16

A discrimination circuit as set forth in Claim 11 and including signal generating means associated with each light-sensing device and with each of its adjacent light-sensing devices for generating representative signals in response to an event detection.

Claim 17

A discrimination circuit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said validating means comprises a logic network which provides an output signal representative of a valid event only when at least a pair of adjacent light-sensing devices indicate an associated event detection and only when said pair are themselves adjacent.

Claim 18

A discrimination circuit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said processing means includes means for connecting said each light-sensing device and said adjacent light-sensing devices to a plurality of matrix busses for processing their resultant output signals, and further wherein synchronizing means are provided for ensuring that the output signals from said each light-sensing device and said adjacent light-sensing devices all are connected to said plurality of matrix busses at substantially the same time.

Claim 19

A circuit for synchronizing the processing of output signals from a plurality of photomultiplier tubes in a scintillation camera comprising: communication means between at least one of said photomultiplier tubes and at least one other adjacent photomultiplier tube for providing notice to said one photomultiplier tube of the existence of an output signal from said other photomultiplier tube; switching means for selectively connecting the output of both of said one photomultiplier tube and said other photomultiplier tube to a plurality of matrix terminals for processing other output signals; and synchronization means for ensuring that the outputs from said one photomultiplier tube and from said other photomultiplier tube are connected to said plurality of matrix terminals at substantially the same time.

Claim 20

A circuit for synchronizing the processing of output signals from a plurality of photomultiplier tubes in a scintillation camera comprising: communication means between at least one of said photomultiplier tubes and at least one other adjacent photomultiplier tube for providing notice to said one photomultiplier tube of the existence of an output signal from said other photomultiplier tube; switching means for selectively connecting the output of both of said one photomultiplier tube and said other photomultiplier tube to a plurality of matrix terminals for processing other output signals; and synchronization means for ensuring that the outputs from said one photomultiplier tube and from said other photomultiplier tube are connected to said plurality of matrix terminals at substantially the same time.

Claim 21

A synchronizing circuit as set forth in Claim 16 and including validation means associated with said communication means for validating the output of said one photomultiplier tube on the basis of the output from said other photomultiplier tube.

Claim 22

A synchronizing circuit as set forth in Claim 16 wherein said switching and synchronization means comprises a multiple switch device associated with each of said one photomultiplier tube and said other photomultiplier tube, and a common activation means for closing both of said switch devices in response to control signals from said one photomultiplier tube.

Claim 23

A synchronizing circuit as set forth in Claim 16 wherein said at least one other adjacent photomultiplier tube comprises a plurality of adjacent photomultiplier tubes and further wherein discrimination circuitry is provided to selectively sum the outputs of the plurality of adjacent photomultiplier tubes and to compare the resulting sum with at least one predetermined threshold value to determine whether the output signals should be processed.