Low power tdc-adc and anger logic in radiation detection applications

Abstract

A diagnostic imaging device includes a signal processing circuit () processes signals from a detector array () which detects radiation from an imaging region (). The hit signals are indicative of a corresponding detector () being hit by a radiation photon. The signal processing circuit () includes a plurality of input channels (), each input channel receiving hit signals from a corresponding detector element () such that each input channel () corresponds to a location at which each hit signal is received. A plurality of integrators () integrate signals from the input channels () to determine an energy value associated with each radiation hit. A plurality of analog-to-digital converters () convert the integrated energy value into a digital energy value. A plurality of time to digital converters () receive the hit signals and generate a digital time stamp. OR logic () relays signal hits from a subset of the plurality of input channels () to one of the ADC () and one of the time to digital converters (), the subset including more than one input channel such that more than one input channel is connected with each ADC () and/or each time-to-digital converter (). A register and read out () reads out the locations, the digital energy values, and the digital time stamps for hit signals.