Time-of-Flight X-ray Measurements for Computed Tomography

Abstract

Time-of-flight (ToF) measurements is a possible alternative to anti-scatter grids in computed tomography (CT). Simulations have shown a possible 75% reduction in the detrimental scattering contribution with a 100 ps FWHM timing resolution. A test bench comprising a pulsed X-ray source and a time-correlated detector has been designed to demonstrate the feasibility of time-of-flight measurements of X-rays using readout electronics inherited from a ToF-positron emission tomography project. A 86 ps FWHM coincidence time resolution have been achieved with 511 keV annihilation gamma-rays and a 155 ps FWHM timing jitter with a 120 kVp pulsed X-rays source.