Application of the Compress Sensing Theory for Improvement of the TOF Resolution in a Novel J-PET Instrument

TL;DR

This paper explores how compress sensing theory can enhance TOF resolution in a novel J-PET PET scanner by improving signal normalization based on sampled signal parameters, leading to more precise gamma ray timing measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a method to utilize compress sensing for better signal normalization in J-PET, improving TOF resolution in plastic scintillator-based PET systems.

Findings

Improved TOF resolution through enhanced signal normalization.

Successful sampling of signals at 50 ps intervals.

Validation with experimental data from a dedicated detection setup.

Abstract

Nowadays, in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) systems, a Time of Flight information is used to improve the image reconstruction process. In Time of Flight PET (TOF-PET), fast detectors are able to measure the difference in the arrival time of the two gamma rays, with the precision enabling to shorten significantly a range along the line-of-response (LOR) where the annihilation occurred. In the new concept, called J-PET scanner, gamma rays are detected in plastic scintillators. In a single strip of J-PET system, time values are obtained by probing signals in the amplitude domain. Owing to Compress Sensing theory, information about the shape and amplitude of the signals is recovered. In this paper we demonstrate that based on the acquired signals parameters, a better signal normalization may be provided in order to improve the TOF resolution. The procedure was tested using large sample of data registered by a dedicated detection setup enabling sampling of signals with 50 ps intervals. Experimental setup provided irradiation of a chosen position in the plastic scintillator strip with annihilation gamma quanta.