The electronics system for the LBNL positron emission tomography (PEM) camera

We describe the electronics for a high performance Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) camera. It is based on the electronics for a human brain PET camera (the Siemens/CTI HRRT), modified to use a detector module that incorporates a photodiode (PD) array. An ASIC services the PD array, amplifying its signal and identifying the crystal of interaction. Another ASIC services the photomultiplier tube (PMT), measuring its output and providing a timing signal. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and lookup RAMs are used to apply crystal by crystal correction factors and measure the energy deposit and the interaction depth (based on the PD/PMT ratio). Additional FPGAs provide event multiplexing, derandomization, coincidence detection, and real-time rebinning. Embedded PC/104 microprocessors provide communication, real-time control, and configure the system. Extensive use of FPGAs makes the overall design extremely flexible, allowing many different functions (or design modifications) to be realized without hardware changes. Incorporation of extensive onboard diagnostics, implemented in the FPGAs, is required by the very high level of integration and density achieved by this system