OpenPET: A Flexible Electronics System for Radiotracer Imaging.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Instrumentation
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Developing advanced electronics readout systems is crucial for enhancing the performance and flexibility of prototype radiotracer imaging instruments.
• Existing systems often lack the adaptability required for diverse detector designs and independent channel processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the design of OpenPET, an open-source electronics readout system for prototype radiotracer imaging instruments.
• To meet critical requirements for performance, channel count, density, and power consumption while ensuring simplicity, flexibility, and customizability.

Main Methods:

• Each analog input is processed independently with configurable polarity and signal referencing.
• Continuous analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) processing for pulse height and time stamping.
• A hierarchical FPGA architecture for channel data aggregation, crystal lookup, DOI calculation, and calibration.

Main Results:

• The OpenPET system provides independent, configurable analog input processing.
• It integrates continuous ADCs and FPGAs for precise pulse height and timing information extraction.
• The design facilitates customization through firmware and software, enabling advanced data processing for imaging applications.

Conclusions:

• OpenPET offers a flexible, high-performance, and open-source solution for radiotracer imaging instrumentation.
• Its modular and customizable design supports a wide range of detector and camera configurations.
• The system's public availability of technical data promotes further innovation in the field.