A method to enhance coincidence time resolution with applications for medical imaging systems (TOF/PET)

• Two coincident inorganic scintillation detectors were used.
• Two coincident organic scintillation detectors were used.
• Timing method was utilized.
• Coincidence time resolution value for TOF/PET was enhanced.

A coincidence timing spectrometer was assembled using NaI(Tl) inorganic and BC418 type organic (plastic) scintillation detectors. The constant fraction timing method was used. Coincidence time resolution values of the detectors, which have great importance in TOF/PET measurements, were obtained separately. The resolutions were enhanced using a different method in a start-stop coincidence spectrometer: the signals from the start detectors were delayed. The results from the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation code agreed well with the experimental results.