Speaker
Description
We present a compact and modular data acquisition and real-time processing architecture for silicon photomultiplier (SiPM)–based PET detector modules, developed with a focus on intraoperative imaging for surgical margin assessment. The proposed system combines multiplexing of a SiPM array with free-running high-speed analog-to-digital converters and fully digital on-FPGA signal processing. This approach significantly reduces channel count and analog front-end complexity while enabling deterministic, low-latency extraction of event energy, timestamp, and interaction position.
A 2×2 SiPM array coupled to a pixelated BGO scintillator is read out through an Anger-like multiplexing network, generating four position-encoded signals that are continuously digitized at 125 MSPS. All signal processing—baseline estimation, pulse detection, timing, energy estimation, and position reconstruction—is performed in real time on an FPGA, with event data streamed to the host with minimal latency. The architecture is inherently scalable and supports parallel operation of multiple detector modules with shared clock synchronization.
Experimental validation using flood-field irradiation with a 22-Na source demonstrates correct system operation and clear identification of scintillator crystals in reconstructed flood maps when waveform integration is used for energy estimation. The results highlight both the feasibility of SiPM multiplexing in fully digital PET readout chains and its sensitivity to SiPM gain dispersion and position-dependent pulse-shape effects. Overall, this work demonstrates a cost-efficient, flexible PET detector architecture well suited for real-time and intraoperative applications, while identifying key directions for further optimization of digital energy extraction and sensor uniformity compensation.
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| IEEE Member | Yes |
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