In this master’s thesis, potential improvements in positron emission tomography (PET) were investigated, with an emphasis on increasing the accessibility of this imaging modality through cost reduction. This was pursued by designing systems with reduced geometric detector coverage. To this end, a flat panel detector geometry was selected; however, this approach introduces certain limitations due to the reduced detection solid angle and increased importance of the parallax effect. As a possible solution to these drawbacks, the use of depth of interaction (DOI) information was identified. A double-sided readout of the scintillation crystal was found to be the most suitable implementation. Various methods for DOI estimation were presented, based on the timing and the number of optical photons detected on both sides of the crystal. The most accurate method was then used to correct the detection times, enabling an improvement in the coincidence time resolution (CTR). The results showed that the inclusion of DOI information improves timing resolution and thereby contributes to greater image accuracy in PET systems with double-sided readout. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that planar detector geometry with double-sided readout represents a justified alternative to conventional PET scanners.
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