| CPC G01T 1/171 (2013.01) [A61B 6/4241 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |
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1. A photon-counting data acquisition module, comprising:
a signal input unit;
one or more data acquisition channels, each channel adapted for converting at least a first train of pulses from a first sub-pixel and a second train of pulses from a second sub-pixel, received from the signal input unit, to a counter signal; and
a signal output unit adapted for outputting the counter signal;
wherein each data acquisition channel comprises a pulse maximum identifier and a discriminator/counter pair comprising a discriminator and a counter;
wherein the pulse maximum identifier is configured to identify a maximum of a first pulse in the first received train of pulses and a second pulse in the second received train of pulses;
wherein the discriminator is configured to be triggered, by a detection of a maximum of a pulse in the at least first and second received trains of pulses, to compare the pulse with at least one signal threshold to generate the counter signal, wherein the counter is configured to be enabled in response to a detection of a maximum of a pulse in the at least first and second received trains of pulses to generate the counter signal;
a selection logic configured to determine whether the maxima of the first pulse and the second pulse are within a coincidence window and to enable the discriminator to evaluate the first pulse in the first train of pulses or the second pulse in the second train of pulses directly if the first and second pulses are not within the coincidence window, or a sum of the first and second pulses if the maxima of the first and second pulses are within the coincidence window.
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8. A method (300) for photon counting, comprising:
identifying, with a first pulse maximum identifier, a maximum of a first pulse in a first received train of pulses from a first sub-pixel and with a second pulse maximum identifier, a maximum of a second pulse in a second received train of pulses from a second first sub-pixel;
triggering a discriminator, by a detection of a maximum of a pulse in at least one of the at least first and second received trains of pulses, to compare the pulse with at least one signal threshold;
enabling a counter, in response to a detection of a maximum of a pulse in the at least first and second received trains of pulses, to generate the counter signal; and
determining whether the maxima of the first and second trains of pulses are within a coincidence window; and
evaluating the first pulse in the first train of pulses, the second pulse in the second train of pulses, or a sum of the first pulse and the second pulse based on the determination result.
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