1
|
Hinz C, Jahnke S, Metzner R, Pflugfelder D, Scheins J, Streun M, Koller R. Setup and characterisation according to NEMA NU 4 of the phenoPET scanner, a PET system dedicated for plant sciences. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:055019. [PMID: 38271724 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad22a2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Objective.ThephenoPET system is a plant dedicated positron emission tomography (PET) scanner consisting of fully digital photo multipliers with lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystals and located inside a custom climate chamber. Here, we present the setup ofphenoPET, its data processing and image reconstruction together with its performance.Approach.The performance characterization follows the national electrical manufacturers association (NEMA) standard for small animal PET systems with a number of adoptions due to the vertical oriented bore of a PET for plant sciences. In addition temperature stability and spatial resolution with a hot rod phantom are addressed.Main results.The spatial resolution for a22Na point source at a radial distance of 5 mm to the center of the field-of-view (FOV) is 1.45 mm, 0.82 mm and 1.88 mm with filtered back projection in radial, tangential and axial direction, respectively. A hot rod phantom with18F gives a spatial resolution of up to 1.6 mm. The peak noise-equivalent count rates are 550 kcps @ 35.08 MBq, 308 kcps @ 33 MBq and 45 kcps @ 40.60 MBq for the mouse, rat and monkey size scatter phantoms, respectively. The scatter fractions for these phantoms are 12.63%, 22.64% and 55.90%. We observe a peak sensitivity of up to 3.6% and a total sensitivity of up toSA,tot= 2.17%. For the NEMA image quality phantom we observe a uniformity of %STD= 4.22% with ordinary Poisson maximum likelihood expectation-maximization with 52 iterations. Here, recovery coefficients of 0.12, 0.64, 0.89, 0.93 and 0.91 for 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm rods are obtained and spill-over ratios of 0.08 and 0.14 for the water-filled and air-filled inserts, respectively.Significance.ThephenoPET and its laboratory are now in routine operation for the administration of [11C]CO2and non-invasive measurement of transport and allocation of11C-labelled photoassimilates in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Hinz
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Siegfried Jahnke
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
- Biodiversity, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Ralf Metzner
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Daniel Pflugfelder
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Scheins
- INM-4: Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Matthias Streun
- ZEA-2: Electronic Systems, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Koller
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Choi CH, Felder J, Lerche C, Shah NJ. MRI Coil Development Strategies for Hybrid MR-PET Systems: A Review. IEEE Rev Biomed Eng 2024; 17:342-350. [PMID: 37015609 DOI: 10.1109/rbme.2022.3227337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Simultaneously operating MR-PET systems have the potential to provide synergetic multi-parametric information, and, as such, interest surrounding their use and development is increasing. However, despite the potential advantages offered by fully combined MR-PET systems, implementing this hybrid integration is technically laborious, and any factors degrading the quality of either modality must be circumvented to ensure optimal performance. In order to attain the best possible quality from both systems, most full MR-PET integrations tend to place the shielded PET system inside the MRI system, close to the target volume of the subject. The radiofrequency (RF) coil used in MRI systems is a key factor in determining the quality of the MR images, and, in simultaneous acquisition, it is generally positioned inside the PET system and PET imaging region, potentially resulting in attenuation and artefacts in the PET images. Therefore, when designing hybrid MR-PET systems, it is imperative that consideration be given to the RF coils inside the PET system. In this review, we present current state-of-the-art RF coil designs used for hybrid MR-PET experiments and discuss various design strategies for constructing PET transparent RF coils.
Collapse
|
3
|
Lee JS, Lee MS. Advancements in Positron Emission Tomography Detectors: From Silicon Photomultiplier Technology to Artificial Intelligence Applications. PET Clin 2024; 19:1-24. [PMID: 37802675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
This review article focuses on PET detector technology, which is the most crucial factor in determining PET image quality. The article highlights the desired properties of PET detectors, including high detection efficiency, spatial resolution, energy resolution, and timing resolution. Recent advancements in PET detectors to improve these properties are also discussed, including the use of silicon photomultiplier technology, advancements in depth-of-interaction and time-of-flight PET detectors, and the use of artificial intelligence for detector development. The article provides an overview of PET detector technology and its recent advancements, which can significantly enhance PET image quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jae Sung Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, South Korea; Brightonix Imaging Inc., Seoul 04782, South Korea
| | - Min Sun Lee
- Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Nuclear Emergency & Environmental Protection Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 34057, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pommranz CM, Schmidt FP, Mannheim JG, Diebold SJ, Tenzer C, Santangelo A, Pichler BJ. Design and performance simulation studies of a breast PET insert integrable into a clinical whole-body PET/MRI scanner. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68. [PMID: 36753773 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acba77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Objective. Three different breast positron emission tomography (PET) insert geometries are proposed for integration into an existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) breast coil (Breast Biopsy Coil, NORAS MRI products) to be used inside a whole-body PET/MRI scanner (Biograph mMR, Siemens Healthineers) to enhance the sensitivity and spatial resolution of imaging inside the breast.Approach. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict and compare the performance characteristics of the three geometries in terms of the sensitivity, spatial resolution, scatter fraction, and noise equivalent count rate (NECR). In addition, the background single count rate due to organ uptake in a clinical scan scenario was predicted using a realistic anthropomorphic phantom.Main results. In the center of the field of view (cFOV), absolute sensitivities of 3.1%, 2.7%, and 2.2% were found for Geometry A (detectors arranged in two cylinders), Geometry B (detectors arranged in two partial cylinders), and Geometry C (detectors arranged in two half cylinders combined with two plates), respectively. The full width at half maximum spatial resolution was determined to be 1.7 mm (Geometry A), 1.8 mm (Geometry B) and 2.0 mm (Geometry C) at 5 mm from the cFOV. Designs with multiple scintillation-crystal layers capable of determining the depth of interaction (DOI) strongly improved the spatial resolution at larger distances from the transaxial cFOV. The system scatter fractions were 33.1% (Geometries A and B) and 32.3% (Geometry C). The peak NECRs occurred at source activities of 300 MBq (Geometry A), 310 MBq (Geometry B) and 340 MBq (Geometry C). The background single-event count rates were 17.1 × 106cps (Geometry A), 15.3 × 106cps (Geometry B) and 14.8 × 106cps (Geometry C). Geometry A in the three-layer DOI variant exhibited the best PET performance characteristics but could be challenging to manufacture. Geometry C had the lowest impact on the spatial resolution and the lowest sensitivity among the investigated geometries.Significance. Geometry B in the two-layer DOI variant represented an effective compromise between the PET performance and manufacturing difficulty and was found to be a promising candidate for the future breast PET insert.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C M Pommranz
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Sand 1, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - F P Schmidt
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Strasse 14, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - J G Mannheim
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - S J Diebold
- Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Sand 1, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - C Tenzer
- Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Sand 1, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - A Santangelo
- Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Sand 1, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - B J Pichler
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sang Z, Kuang Z, Wang X, Ren N, Wu S, Niu M, Cong L, Liu Z, Hu Z, Sun T, Liang D, Liu X, Zheng H, Li Y, Yang Y. Mutual interferences between SIAT aPET insert and a 3 T uMR 790 MRI scanner. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68. [PMID: 36549011 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acae17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Dual-modality small animal PET/MR imaging provides temporally correlated information on two biochemical processes of a living object. An magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible small animal PET insert named Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) aPET was developed by using dual-ended readout depth encoding detectors to simultaneously achieve a uniform high spatial resolution and high sensitivity at the SIAT. In this work, the mutual interferences between SIAT aPET and the 3 T uMR 790 MRI scanner of United Imaging was quantitatively evaluated.Approach.To minimize the mutual interferences, only the PET detectors and the readout electronics were placed inside the MRI scanner, the major signal processing electronic was placed in the corner of the MRI room and the auxiliary unit was placed in the MRI technical room. A dedicated mouse radio fRequency (RF) coil with a transmitter and receiver was developed for the PET insert. The effects of PET scanner on theB0andB1field of the MRI scanner and the quality of the MRI images were measured. The effects of MRI imaging on the performance of both the PET detectors and scanner were also measured.Main results.The electronic and mechanical components of the PET insert affected the homogeneity of theB0field. The PET insert had no effect on the homogeneity ofB1produced by the dedicated mouse coil but slightly reduced the strength ofB1. The mean and standard deviation of the RF noise map were increased by 2.2% and 11.6%, respectively, while the PET insert was placed in the MRI scanner and powered on. Eddy current was produced while the PET insert was placed in the MRI scanner, and it was further increased while the PET insert was powered on. Despite the above-mentioned interferences from the PET insert, the MR images of a uniform cylindrical water phantom showed that the changes in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and homogeneity as the PET insert was placed in the MRI scanner were acceptable regardless of whether the PET insert was powered off or powered on. The maximum reduction of SNR was less than 11%, and the maximum reduction of homogeneity was less than 2.5% while the PET insert was placed inside the MRI scanner and powered on for five commonly used MRI sequences. MRI using gradient echo (GRE), spin echo (SE) and fast spin echo (FSE) sequences had negligible effects on the flood histograms and energy resolution of the PET detectors, as well as the spatial resolution and sensitivity of the PET scanner.Significance.The mutual interference between the SIAT aPET and the 3 T uMR 790 MRI scanner are acceptable. Simultaneous PET/MRI imaging of small animals can be performed with the two scanners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziru Sang
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhonghua Kuang
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.,Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Ren
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - San Wu
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Niu
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Longhan Cong
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhanli Hu
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Sun
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Liang
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Liu
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Hairong Zheng
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Li
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongfeng Yang
- Paul C Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Takyu S, Yoshida E, Nishikido F, Obata F, Tashima H, Kamada K, Yoshikawa A, Yamaya T. Development of a Two-Layer Staggered GAGG Scatter Detector for Whole Gamma Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2021.3131811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sodai Takyu
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Eiji Yoshida
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Nishikido
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Fujino Obata
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tashima
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | | | | | - Taiga Yamaya
- Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Performance Evaluation of a PET of 7T Bruker Micro-PET/MR Based on NEMA NU 4-2008 Standards. ELECTRONICS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/electronics11142194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to measure the performance evaluation of the Bruker sequential micro-positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) scanner by following National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 4-2008 standards’ protocol. The system consists of a high-performance silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) advanced technology detector and a continuous lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) crystal. Methods: A 22Na (sodium-22) point source was utilized to assess the spatial resolution and system sensitivity, and the Micro-PET scatter phantom measurements were conducted to measure count rate measurements and scatter fractions (SF). A mouse-like Micro-PET image quality (IQ) phantom was utilized as a model to analyze the uniformity, recovery coefficient (RC), and spillover ratio (SOR). A small animal PET/MRI imaging study was performed in a rat. Results: We calculated the spatial resolutions of filtered back-projection (FBP), and used 3D-MLEM to reconstruct PET images at the axial center and ¼ of the axial field of view (FOV) in axial, radial, and tangential directions. The best observed spatial resolutions in both reconstructed images were obtained in the tangential direction, and the values were 0.80 mm in 3D-MLEM and 0.94 mm in FBP. The peak noise equivalent count rate (NECR) in the 358–664 keV energy window was 477.30 kcps at 95.83 MBq and 774.45 kcps at 103.6 MBq for rat and mouse-sized scatter phantoms, respectively. The rat and mouse-sized phantoms scatter fractions (SF) were 14.2% and 6.9%, respectively. Conclusions: According to our results, the performance characteristics of the scanner are high sensitivity, good spatial resolution, low scatter fraction, and good IQ, indicating that it is suitable for preclinical imaging studies.
Collapse
|
8
|
Future Prospects of Positron Emission Tomography–Magnetic Resonance Imaging Hybrid Systems and Applications in Psychiatric Disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050583. [PMID: 35631409 PMCID: PMC9147426 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A positron emission tomography (PET)–magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hybrid system has been developed to improve the accuracy of molecular imaging with structural imaging. However, the mismatch in spatial resolution between the two systems hinders the use of the hybrid system. As the magnetic field of the MRI increased up to 7.0 tesla in the commercial system, the performance of the MRI system largely improved. Several technical attempts in terms of the detector and the software used with the PET were made to improve the performance. As a result, the high resolution of the PET–MRI fusion system enables quantitation of metabolism and molecular information in the small substructures of the brainstem, hippocampus, and thalamus. Many studies on psychiatric disorders, which are difficult to diagnose with medical imaging, have been accomplished using various radioligands, but only a few studies have been conducted using the PET–MRI fusion system. To increase the clinical usefulness of medical imaging in psychiatric disorders, a high-resolution PET–MRI fusion system can play a key role by providing important information on both molecular and structural aspects in the fine structures of the brain. The development of high-resolution PET–MR systems and their potential roles in clinical studies of psychiatric disorders were reviewed as prospective views in future diagnostics.
Collapse
|
9
|
Meng Q, Wu M, Shang Z, Zhang Z, Zhang R. Responsive gadolinium(III) complex-based small molecule magnetic resonance imaging probes: Design, mechanism and application. Coord Chem Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
10
|
Ren W, Ji B, Guan Y, Cao L, Ni R. Recent Technical Advances in Accelerating the Clinical Translation of Small Animal Brain Imaging: Hybrid Imaging, Deep Learning, and Transcriptomics. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:771982. [PMID: 35402436 PMCID: PMC8987112 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.771982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Small animal models play a fundamental role in brain research by deepening the understanding of the physiological functions and mechanisms underlying brain disorders and are thus essential in the development of therapeutic and diagnostic imaging tracers targeting the central nervous system. Advances in structural, functional, and molecular imaging using MRI, PET, fluorescence imaging, and optoacoustic imaging have enabled the interrogation of the rodent brain across a large temporal and spatial resolution scale in a non-invasively manner. However, there are still several major gaps in translating from preclinical brain imaging to the clinical setting. The hindering factors include the following: (1) intrinsic differences between biological species regarding brain size, cell type, protein expression level, and metabolism level and (2) imaging technical barriers regarding the interpretation of image contrast and limited spatiotemporal resolution. To mitigate these factors, single-cell transcriptomics and measures to identify the cellular source of PET tracers have been developed. Meanwhile, hybrid imaging techniques that provide highly complementary anatomical and molecular information are emerging. Furthermore, deep learning-based image analysis has been developed to enhance the quantification and optimization of the imaging protocol. In this mini-review, we summarize the recent developments in small animal neuroimaging toward improved translational power, with a focus on technical improvement including hybrid imaging, data processing, transcriptomics, awake animal imaging, and on-chip pharmacokinetics. We also discuss outstanding challenges in standardization and considerations toward increasing translational power and propose future outlooks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wuwei Ren
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Energy Efficient and Custom AI IC, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Ji
- Department of Radiopharmacy and Molecular Imaging, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Cao
- Shanghai Changes Tech, Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiqing Ni
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
van den Wyngaert T, de Schepper S, Elvas F, Seyedinia SS, Beheshti M. Positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging as a research tool in musculoskeletal conditions. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ITALIAN ASSOCIATION OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE (AIMN) [AND] THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RADIOPHARMACOLOGY (IAR), [AND] SECTION OF THE SOCIETY OF... 2022; 66:15-30. [PMID: 35005878 DOI: 10.23736/s1824-4785.22.03434-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Compared to positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), the uptake of PET- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been slow, even more so in clinical practice compared to the (pre-)clinical research setting. However, for applications in musculoskeletal (MSK) research, the combination of PET and MRI into a single modality offers attractive advantages over other imaging modalities. Most importantly, MRI has exquisite soft-tissue detail without the use of contrast agents or ionizing radiation, superior bone marrow visualization, and an extensive spectrum of distinct multiparametric assessment methods. In the preclinical setting, the introduction of PET inserts for small-animal MRI machines has proven to be a successful concept in bringing this technology to the lab. Initial hurdles in quantification have been mainly overcome in this setting. In parallel, a promising range of radiochemistry techniques has been developed to create multimodality probes that offer the possibility of simultaneously querying different metabolic pathways. Not only will these applications help in elucidating disease mechanisms, but they can also facilitate drug development. The clinical applications of PET/MRI in MSK are still limited, but encouraging initial results with novel radiotracers suggest a high potential for use in various MSK conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and inflammation and infection. Further innovations will be required to bring down the cost of PET/MRI to justify a broader clinical implementation, and remaining issues with quality control and standardization also need to be addressed. Nevertheless, PET/MRI is a powerful platform for MSK research with distinct qualities that are not offered by other techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim van den Wyngaert
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium -
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MICA), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium -
- Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium -
| | - Stijn de Schepper
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MICA), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Filipe Elvas
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MICA), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Seyedeh S Seyedinia
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mohsen Beheshti
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nadig V, Herrmann K, Mottaghy FM, Schulz V. Hybrid total-body pet scanners-current status and future perspectives. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 49:445-459. [PMID: 34647154 PMCID: PMC8803785 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-021-05536-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Since the 1990s, PET has been successfully combined with MR or CT systems. In the past years, especially PET systems have seen a trend towards an enlarged axial field of view (FOV), up to a factor of ten. Methods Conducting a thorough literature research, we summarize the status quo of contemporary total-body (TB) PET/CT scanners and give an outlook on possible future developments. Results Currently, three human TB PET/CT systems have been developed: The PennPET Explorer, the uExplorer, and the Biograph Vision Quadra realize aFOVs between 1 and 2 m and show a tremendous increase in system sensitivity related to their longer gantries. Conclusion The increased system sensitivity paves the way for short-term, low-dose, and dynamic TB imaging as well as new examination methods in almost all areas of imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Nadig
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ken Herrmann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) - University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Felix M Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Volkmar Schulz
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
- Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Aachen, Germany.
- Physics Institute III B, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Aachen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shim HS, Park H, Lee JS. A temperature-dependent gain compensation technique for positron emission tomography detectors based on a silicon photomultiplier. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 34587608 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac2b81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we propose a simple gain compensation technique for silicon photomultiplier (SiPM)-based positron emission tomography detectors, using a temperature sensor that automatically controls the bias voltage of the SiPM depending upon the ambient temperature. The temperature sensor output, for which the temperature coefficient can be controlled by the input voltage, is used as one end of the bias voltage. By adjusting the temperature coefficient, the proposed gain compensation method can be applied to various SiPMs with different breakdown voltages. As a proof of concept, the proposed method was evaluated for two scintillation detector setups. Applying the proposed method to a single-channel SiPM (ASD-NUV3S-P; AdvanSiD, Italy) coupled with a 3 mm × 3 mm × 20 mm LGSO crystal, the 511 keV photopeak position in the energy histogram changed by only 1.52% per 10 °C while, without gain compensation, it changed by 13.27% per 10 °C between 10 °C and 30 °C. On a 4 × 4 array MPPC (S14161-3050HS-04; Hamamatsu, Japan), coupled with a 3.12 mm × 3.12 mm × 15 mm 4 × 4 LSO array, the photopeak changes with and without gain compensation were 2.34% and 20.53% per 10 °C between 10 °C and 30 °C, respectively. On the wider range of temperature, between 0 °C and 40 °C, the photopeak changes with and without gain compensation were 3.09% and 20.89%, respectively. The energy resolution degradation of SiPM-based scintillation detectors operating at temperatures was negligible when the proposed gain compensation method was applied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyeong Seok Shim
- Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Integrated Major in Innovative Medical Science, Seoul National University Graduate School, Republic of Korea.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Haewook Park
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sung Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Integrated Major in Innovative Medical Science, Seoul National University Graduate School, Republic of Korea.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Brightonix Imaging Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Emvalomenos G, Trajanovska S, Pham BTT, Doughty P, Burnet J, Smith I, Garipov R, Gregoire MC, Sunn N, McGrath J, Meikle SR. Performance evaluation of a PET insert for preclinical MRI in stand-alone PET and simultaneous PET-MRI modes. EJNMMI Phys 2021; 8:68. [PMID: 34626239 PMCID: PMC8502182 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-021-00415-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a preclinical PET insert in three configurations: as a stand-alone unit outside the MRI bore, inside the bore of a cryogen-free 3T MRI and, finally, while performing simultaneous PET/MRI studies. Methods The PET insert consists of two rings of six detectors, each detector comprising 8 × 12 SiPMs reading out dual offset layers of pixelated LYSO crystals with a 1.4-mm pitch. The inner diameter is 60 mm, transaxial field of view (FoV) 40 mm and axial FoV 98 mm. Evaluation was based on NEMA NU 4-2008 guidelines with appropriate modifications. Spatial resolution and sensitivity were measured inside and outside the MR bore. Image quality, count rate and quantitative performance were measured in all three configurations. The effect of temperature stability on PET sensitivity during fast spin echo sequences was also evaluated. B0 field homogeneity and T1 and T2 relaxation times were measured using a water-filled phantom, with and without simultaneous PET operation. Finally, PET and MRI scans of a mouse injected with 10 MBq [18F]NaF and a mouse injected with 16 MBq [18F]FDG were performed in sequential and simultaneous modes. Results Peak absolute sensitivity was 10.15% with an energy window of 250–750 keV. Absolute sensitivity values outside and inside the MR bore with MR idle agreed to within 0.1%. Outside the MR bore, spatial resolution was 1.21/1.59 mm FWHM (radial/tangential) 5 mm from the centre of the FoV which compared well with 1.19/1.26 mm FWHM inside the MR bore. There were no substantial differences between all three scan configurations in terms of peak NEC rate (175 kcps at 17 MBq), scatter or random fractions. Uniformity and recovery coefficients were also consistent between scanning modes. B0 field homogeneity and T1 and T2 relaxation times were unaltered by the presence of the PET insert. No significant differences were observed between sequential and simultaneous scans of the animals. Conclusions We conclude that the performance of the PET insert and MRI system is not significantly affected by the scanning mode.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaelle Emvalomenos
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia. .,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
| | - Sofie Trajanovska
- Sydney Imaging Core Research Facility, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Binh T T Pham
- Sydney Imaging Core Research Facility, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | | | | | - Isabelle Smith
- School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | | | - Marie-Claude Gregoire
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.,Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, 2234, Australia
| | - Nana Sunn
- Sydney Imaging Core Research Facility, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | | | - Steven R Meikle
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yin L, Schrank F, Gross-Weege N, Schug D, Schulz V. RF shielding materials for highly-integrated PET/MRI systems. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 33831853 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/abf606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Integration of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) into a simultaneous device calls for adaptations of the radio frequency (RF) shielding concept. Conventional PET module housings fully encase the entire PET detector to reduce mutual interference. Excluding passive components, i.e. scintillators, from the housings, offers integration advantages, e.g. by reducing the overall housing volume or utilizing bigger scintillators. However, locating the scintillator outside of the RF shielding requires an optically transparent RF shielding interface between the scintillators and the photodetector to close the aperture. Therefore, a careful evaluation and selection of RF materials is essential to ensure an excellent PET/MRI system performance. To this end, we examined 10 materials (coated glasses, coated foils, meshes). The shielding effectiveness (SE) was evaluated at 100 and 300 MHz. PET performance was tested for single event registration and coincident events by integrating the material into the PET detector stack between the digital silicon photomultiplier photodetector array and one-to-one coupled scintillator. We determined photon attenuation (PA), energy resolution (dE/E), and coincidence resolving time (CRT) and compared to reference measurements for each material group. MRI compatibility was assessed by analyzing the material influence on the main magnetic field (B0) homogeneity. The coated glasses and foils exhibited SEs of up to 25 dB at 300 MHz. Both had a PA < 23% with dE/E and CRT comparable to the reference measurements, and no measurable impact on the B0field was registered. The meshes exhibited higher SEs up to 56 dB, but also a PA > 58% with a higher impact on dE/E and CRT. Only one mesh affected B0homogeneity. Overall, we recommend the coated foil HS 9400 for integration concepts as it exhibited a good performance with SE = 25 dB, PA = 22%, resulting in a PET performance of dE/E = 12% and CRT = 274 ps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laiyin Yin
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Franziska Schrank
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Gross-Weege
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - David Schug
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Volkmar Schulz
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Aachen, Germany.,Physics Institute III B, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Performance Evaluation of SimPET-X, a PET Insert for Simultaneous Mouse Total-Body PET/MR Imaging. Mol Imaging Biol 2021; 23:703-713. [PMID: 33768465 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01595-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In this study, a small animal PET insert (SimPET-X, Brightonix Imaging Inc.) for simultaneous PET/MR imaging studies is presented. This insert covers an 11-cm-long axial field-of-view (FOV) and enables imaging of mouse total-bodies and rat heads. PROCEDURES SimPET-X comprises 16 detector modules to yield a ring diameter of 63 mm and an axial FOV of 110 mm. The detector module supports four detector blocks, each comprising two 4 × 4 SiPM arrays coupled with a 20 × 9 array of LSO crystals (1.2 × 1.2 × 10 mm3). The physical characteristics of SimPET-X were measured in accordance with the NEMA NU4-2008 standard protocol. In addition, we assessed the compatibility of SimPET-X with a small animal-dedicated MRI (M7, Aspect Imaging) and conducted phantom and animal studies. RESULTS The radial spatial resolutions at the center based on 3D OSEM without and with the warm background were 0.73 mm and 0.99 mm, respectively. The absolute peak sensitivity of the system was 10.44% with an energy window of 100-900 keV and 8.27% with an energy window of 250-750 keV. The peak NECR and scatter fraction for the mouse phantom were 348 kcps at 26.2 MBq and 22.1% with an energy window of 250-750 keV, respectively. The standard deviation of pixel value in the uniform region of an NEMA IQ phantom was 4.57%. The spillover ratios for air- and water-filled chambers were 9.0% and 11.0%, respectively. In the hot-rod phantom image reconstructed using 3D OSEM-PSF, all small rods were resolved owing to the high spatial resolution of the SimPET-X system. There was no notable interference between SimPET-X and M7 MRI. SimPET-X provided high-quality mouse images with superior spatial resolution, sensitivity, and counting rate performance. CONCLUSION SimPET-X yielded a remarkably improved sensitivity and NECR compared with SimPETTM.
Collapse
|
17
|
Nadig V, Schug D, Weissler B, Schulz V. Evaluation of the PETsys TOFPET2 ASIC in multi-channel coincidence experiments. EJNMMI Phys 2021; 8:30. [PMID: 33761038 PMCID: PMC7991069 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-021-00370-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aiming to measure the difference in arrival times of two coincident γ-photons with an accuracy in the order of 200ps, time-of-flight positron emission tomography systems commonly employ silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and high-resolution digitization electronics, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). This work evaluates the performance of the TOFPET2 ASIC, released by PETsys Electronics S.A. in 2017, dependent on its configuration parameters in multi-channel coincidence measurements. METHODS SiPM arrays fabricated by different vendors (KETEK, SensL, Hamamatsu, Broadcom) were tested in combination with the ASIC. Scintillator arrays featuring different reflector designs and different configurations of the TOFPET2 ASIC software parameters were evaluated. The benchtop setup used is provided with the TOFPET2 ASIC evaluation kit by PETsys Electronics S.A. RESULTS Compared to existing studies featuring the TOFPET2 ASIC, multi-channel performance results dependent on a larger set of ASIC configuration parameters were obtained that have not been reported to this extend so far. The ASIC shows promising CRTs down to 219.9 ps in combination with two Hamamatsu S14161-3050-HS-08 SiPM arrays (128 channels read out, energy resolution 13.08%) and 216.1 ps in combination with two Broadcom AFBR-S4N44P643S SiPM arrays (32 channels read out, energy resolution 9.46%). The length of the trigger delay of the dark count suppression scheme has an impact on the ASIC performance and can be configured to further improve the coincidence resolution time. The integrator gain configuration has been investigated and allows an absolute improvement of the energy resolution by up to 1% at the cost of the linearity of the energy spectrum. CONCLUSION Measuring up to the time-of-flight performance of state-of-the-art positron emission tomography (ToF-PET) systems while providing a uniform and stable readout for multiple channels at the same time, the TOFPET2 ASIC is treated as promising candidate for the integration in future ToF-PET systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Nadig
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 17, Aachen, 52074 Germany
| | - David Schug
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 17, Aachen, 52074 Germany
- Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Pauwelsstrasse 19, Aachen, 52074 Germany
| | - Bjoern Weissler
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 17, Aachen, 52074 Germany
- Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Pauwelsstrasse 19, Aachen, 52074 Germany
| | - Volkmar Schulz
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 17, Aachen, 52074 Germany
- Hyperion Hybrid Imaging Systems GmbH, Pauwelsstrasse 19, Aachen, 52074 Germany
- III. Physikalisches Institut B, RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Straße, Aachen, 52074 Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Forckenbeckstrasse 55, Aachen, 52074 Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kim H, Kao CM, Hua Y, Xie Q, Chen CT. Multiplexing Readout for Time-of-Flight (TOF) PET Detectors Using Striplines. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 5:662-670. [PMID: 34541433 PMCID: PMC8445371 DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2021.3051364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A recent trend in PET instrumentation is the use of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for high-resolution and time-of-flight (TOF) detection. Due to its small size, a PET system can use a large number of SiPMs and hence effective and scalable multiplexing readout methods become important. Unfortunately, multiplexing readout generally degrades the fast timing properties necessary for TOF, especially at high channel reduction. Previously, we developed a stripline (SL) based readout method for PET that uses a time-based multiplexing mechanism. This method maintains fast timing by design and has been successfully used for TOF PET detectors. In this paper, we present a more systematic study in which we examine how two important design parameters of the readout - the number of inputs on an SL (n SL) and the pathlength between adjacent input positions (Δℓ) - affect its detection performance properties for PET. Our result shows that, up to n SL = 32 the readout can achieve accurate pixel discrimination and causes little degradation in the energy resolution. The TOF resolution is compromised mildly and a coincidence resolving time on the order of 300 ps FWHM can be achieved for LYSO- and SiPM-based detectors. We also discuss strategies in using the readout to further reduce the number of electronic channels that a PET system would otherwise need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heejong Kim
- Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
| | - Chien-Min Kao
- Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
| | - Yuexuan Hua
- Raycan Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Qingguo Xie
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chin-Tu Chen
- Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Groll AN, Levin CS. Instrumentation and Methods to Combine Small-Animal PET With Other Imaging Modalities. Mol Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816386-3.00005-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
|
20
|
Gsell W, Molinos C, Correcher C, Belderbos S, Wouters J, Junge S, Heidenreich M, Velde GV, Rezaei A, Nuyts J, Cawthorne C, Cleeren F, Nannan L, Deroose CM, Himmelreich U, Gonzalez AJ. Characterization of a preclinical PET insert in a 7 tesla MRI scanner: beyond NEMA testing. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:245016. [PMID: 32590380 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aba08c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluates the performance of the Bruker positron emission tomograph (PET) insert combined with a BioSpec 70/30 USR magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner using the manufacturer acceptance protocol and the NEMA NU 4-2008 for small animal PET. The PET insert is made of 3 rings of 8 monolithic LYSO crystals (50 × 50 × 10 mm3) coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) arrays, conferring an axial and transaxial FOV of 15 cm and 8 cm. The MRI performance was evaluated with and without the insert for the following radiofrequency noise, magnetic field homogeneity and image quality. For the PET performance, we extended the NEMA protocol featuring system sensitivity, count rates, spatial resolution and image quality to homogeneity and accuracy for quantification using several MRI sequences (RARE, FLASH, EPI and UTE). The PET insert does not show any adverse effect on the MRI performances. The MR field homogeneity is well preserved (Diameter Spherical Volume, for 20 mm of 1.98 ± 4.78 without and -0.96 ± 5.16 Hz with the PET insert). The PET insert has no major effect on the radiofrequency field. The signal-to-noise ratio measurements also do not show major differences. Image ghosting is well within the manufacturer specifications (<2.5%) and no RF noise is visible. Maximum sensitivity of the PET insert is 11.0% at the center of the FOV even with simultaneous acquisition of EPI and RARE. PET MLEM resolution is 0.87 mm (FWHM) at 5 mm off-center of the FOV and 0.97 mm at 25 mm radial offset. The peaks for true/noise equivalent count rates are 410/240 and 628/486 kcps for the rat and mouse phantoms, and are reached at 30.34/22.85 and 27.94/22.58 MBq. PET image quality is minimally altered by the different MRI sequences. The Bruker PET insert shows no adverse effect on the MRI performance and demonstrated a high sensitivity, sub-millimeter resolution and good image quality even during simultaneous MRI acquisition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Willy Gsell
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kuang Z, Wang X, Ren N, Wu S, Gao J, Zeng T, Gao D, Zhang C, Sang Z, Hu Z, Du J, Liang D, Liu X, Zheng H, Yang Y. Design and performance of SIAT aPET: a uniform high-resolution small animal PET scanner using dual-ended readout detectors. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:235013. [PMID: 32992302 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/abbc83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In this work, a small animal PET scanner named SIAT aPET was developed using dual-ended readout depth encoding detectors to simultaneously achieve high spatial resolution and high sensitivity. The scanner consists of four detector rings with 12 detector modules per ring; the ring diameter is 111 mm and the axial field of view (FOV) is 105.6 mm. The images are reconstructed using an ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm. The spatial resolution of the scanner was measured by using a 22Na point source at the center axial FOV with different radial offsets. The sensitivity of the scanner was measured at center axis of the scanner with different axial positions. The count rate performance of the system was evaluated by scanning mouse-sized and rat-sized phantoms. An ultra-micro hot-rods phantom and two mice injected with 18F-NaF and 18F-FDG were scanned on the scanner. An average depth of interaction (DOI) resolution of 1.96 mm, energy resolution of 19.1% and timing resolution of 1.20 ns were obtained for the detector. Average spatial resolutions of 0.82 mm and 1.16 mm were obtained up to a distance of 30 mm radially from the center of the FOV when reconstructing a point source in 1% and 10% warm backgrounds, respectively, using OSEM reconstruction with 16 subsets and 10 iterations. Sensitivities of 16.0% and 11.9% were achieved at center of the scanner for energy windows of 250-750 keV and 350-750 keV respectively. Peak noise equivalent count rates (NECRs) of 324 kcps and 144 kcps were obtained at an activity of 26.4 MBq for the mouse-sized and rat-sized phantoms. Rods of 1.0 mm diameter can be visually resolved from the image of the ultra-micro hot-rods phantom. The capability of the scanner was demonstrated by high quality in-vivo mouse images.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghua Kuang
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China. Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China. Authors have contributed equally to this work
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hetzel R, Mueller F, Grahe J, Honne A, Schug D, Schulz V. Characterization and Simulation of an Adaptable Fan-Beam Collimator for Fast Calibration of Radiation Detectors for PET. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2020.2990651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
23
|
Ritzer C, Becker R, Buck A, Commichau V, Debus J, Djambazov L, Eleftheriou A, Fischer J, Fischer P, Ito M, Khateri P, Lustermann W, Ritzert M, Roser U, Rudin M, Sacco I, Tsoumpas C, Warnock G, Wyss M, Zagozdzinska-Bochenek A, Weber B, Dissertori G. Initial Characterization of the SAFIR Prototype PET-MR Scanner. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2020.2980072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
24
|
Abstract
In the light of ever-increasing demands for PET scanner with better resolvability, higher sensitivity and wide accessibility for noninvasive screening of small structures and physiological processes in laboratory rodents, several dedicated PET scanners were developed and evaluated. Understanding conceptual design constraints pros and cons of different configurations and impact of the major components will be helpful to further establish the crucial role of these miniaturized systems in a broad spectrum of modern research. Hence, a comprehensive review of preclinical PET scanners developed till early 2020 with particular emphasis on innovations in instrumentation and geometrical designs is provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Amirrashedi
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Habib Zaidi
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland; Geneva University Neurocenter, Geneva University, Geneva CH-1205, Switzerland; Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9700 RB, Netherlands; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense 500, Denmark
| | - Mohammad Reza Ay
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
|
26
|
Theek B, Nolte T, Pantke D, Schrank F, Gremse F, Schulz V, Kiessling F. Emerging methods in radiology. Radiologe 2020; 60:41-53. [PMID: 32430576 DOI: 10.1007/s00117-020-00696-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Imaging modalities have developed rapidly in recent decades. In addition to improved resolution as well as whole-body and faster image acquisition, the possibilities of functional and molecular examination of tissue pathophysiology have had a decisive influence on imaging diagnostics and provided ground-breaking knowledge. Many promising approaches are currently being pursued to increase the application area of devices and contrast media and to improve their sensitivity and quantitative informative value. These are complemented by new methods of data processing, multiparametric data analysis, and integrated diagnostics. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of technological innovations that will enrich clinical imaging in the future, and to highlight the resultant diagnostic options. These relate to the established imaging methods such as CT, MRI, ultrasound, PET, and SPECT but also to new methods such as magnetic particle imaging (MPI), optical imaging, and photoacoustics. In addition, approaches to radiomic image evaluation are explained and the chances and difficulties for their broad clinical introduction are discussed. The potential of imaging to describe pathophysiological relationships in ever increasing detail, both at whole-body and tissue level, can in future be used to better understand the mechanistic effect of drugs, to preselect patients to therapies, and to improve monitoring of therapy success. Consequently, the use of interdisciplinary integrated diagnostics will greatly change and enrich the profession of radiologists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Theek
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany
| | - T Nolte
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - D Pantke
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - F Schrank
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - F Gremse
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - V Schulz
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany.,Comprehensive Diagnostic Center Aachen (CDCA), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - F Kiessling
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany. .,Comprehensive Diagnostic Center Aachen (CDCA), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Takyu S, Ahmed AM, Yoshida E, Tashima H, Kumagai M, Yamashita T, Yamaya T. Design study of a brain-dedicated time-of-flight PET system with a hemispherical detector arrangement. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:035012. [PMID: 31855854 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab63ee] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Time-of-flight (TOF) is now a standard technology for positron emission tomography (PET), but its effective use for small diameter PET systems has not been studied well. In this paper, we simulated a brain-dedicated TOF-PET system with a hemispherical detector arrangement. We modeled a Hamamatsu TOF-PET module (C13500-4075LC-12) with 280 ps coincidence resolving time (CRT), in which a 12 × 12 array of multi pixel photon counters (MPPCs) is connected to a lutetium fine silicate (LFS) crystal array of 4.1 × 4.1 mm2 cross section each, based on one-to-one coupling. On the other hand, spatial resolution degradation due to the parallax error should be carefully addressed for the small diameter PET systems. The ideal PET detector would have both depth-of-interaction (DOI) and TOF capabilities, but typical DOI detectors that are based on light sharing tend to degrade TOF performance. Therefore, in this work, we investigated non-DOI detectors with an appropriate crystal length, which was a compromise between suppressed parallax error and decreased sensitivity. Using GEANT4, we compared two TOF detectors, a 20 mm long non-DOI and a 10 mm long non-DOI, with a non-TOF, 4-layer DOI detector with a total length of 20 mm (i.e. 5 × 4 mm). We simulated a contrast phantom and evaluated the relationship between the contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) and the noise level (the coefficient of variation, COV) for reconstructed images. The 10 mm long non-DOI, which reduces the parallax error at the cost of sensitivity loss, showed better imaging quality than the 20 mm long non-DOI. For example, the CRC value of a 10 mm hot sphere at COV = 20% was 72% for the 10 mm long non-DOI, which was 1.2 times higher than that of the 20 mm long non-DOI. The converged CRC values for the 10 mm long non-DOI were almost equivalent to those of the non-TOF 4-layer DOI, and the 10 mm long non-DOI converged faster than the non-TOF 4-layer DOI did. Based on the simulation results, we evaluated a one-pair prototype system of the TOF-PET detectors with 10 mm crystal length, which yielded the CRT of 250 ± 8 ps. In summary, we demonstrated support for feasibility of the brain-dedicated TOF-PET system with the hemispherical detector arrangement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sodai Takyu
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (NIRS-QST), 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Moghadam N, Arpin L, Espagnet R, Bouchard J, Viscogliosi N, Lecomte R, Fontaine R. Performance investigation of LabPET II detector technology in an MRI-like environment. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:035001. [PMID: 31726447 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab57e0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The EMI-compatibility of the LabPET II detection module (DM) to develop a high-resolution simultaneous PET/MRI system is investigated. The experimental set-up evaluates the performance of two LabPET II DMs in close proximity to RF coils excited at three different frequencies mimicking the electromagnetic environments of 3 T, 7 T, and 9.4 T MRI scanners. A gradient coil, with switching frequency from 10 kHz to 100 kHz, also surrounds one of the DMs to investigate the effects of the gradient field on the individual detector performance, such as the baseline of the DC-voltage and noise level along with both the energy and coincidence time resolutions. Measurements demonstrate a position shift of the energy photopeaks (⩽9%) and a slight deterioration of the energy and coincidence time resolutions in the presence of electromagnetic interferences from the gradient and RF coils. The electromagnetic interferences cause an average degradation of up to ~50% of the energy resolution (in time-over-threshold spectra) and up to 18% of the timing resolution. Based on these results, a modified version of the DM, including a composite shielding as well as an improved heat pipe-based cooling mechanism, capable of stabilizing the temperature of the DM at ~40 °C, is proposed and investigated. This shielded version shows no evidence of performance degradation inside an MRI-like environment. The experimental results demonstrate that a properly shielded version of the LabPET II DM is a viable candidate for an MR-compatible PET scanner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Narjes Moghadam
- Groupe de Recherche en Appareillage Médical de Sherbrooke (GRAMS), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.,Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
| | - Louis Arpin
- Imaging, Research and Technology (IR&T), Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Romain Espagnet
- Groupe de Recherche en Appareillage Médical de Sherbrooke (GRAMS), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Jonathan Bouchard
- Groupe de Recherche en Appareillage Médical de Sherbrooke (GRAMS), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Viscogliosi
- Groupe de Recherche en Appareillage Médical de Sherbrooke (GRAMS), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Roger Lecomte
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Sherbrooke Molecular Imaging Center (CIMS), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Réjean Fontaine
- Groupe de Recherche en Appareillage Médical de Sherbrooke (GRAMS), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Amirrashedi M, Sarkar S, Ghafarian P, Hashemi Shahraki R, Geramifar P, Zaidi H, Ay MR. NEMA NU-4 2008 performance evaluation of Xtrim-PET: A prototype SiPM-based preclinical scanner. Med Phys 2019; 46:4816-4825. [PMID: 31448421 DOI: 10.1002/mp.13785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Xtrim-PET is a newly designed Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs)-based prototype PET scanner dedicated for small laboratory animal imaging. We present the performance evaluation of the Xtrim-PET scanner following NEMA NU-4 2008 standards to help optimizing scanning protocols which can be achieved through standard and reliable system performance characterization. METHODS The performance assessment was conducted according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU-4 2008 standards in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, counting rate performance, scatter fraction and image quality. The in vivo imaging capability of the scanner is also showcased through scanning a normal mouse injected with 18 F-FDG. Furthermore, the performance characteristics of the developed scanner are compared with commercially available systems and current prototypes. RESULTS The volumetric spatial resolution at 5 mm radial offset from the central axis of the scanner is 6.81 µl, whereas a peak absolute sensitivity of 2.99% was achieved using a 250-650 keV energy window and a 10 ns timing window. The peak noise-equivalent count rate (NECR) using a mouse-like phantom is 113.18 kcps at 0.34 KBq/cc with 12.5% scatter fraction, whereas the NECR peaked at 82.76 kcps for an activity concentration level of 0.048 KBq/cc with a scatter fraction of 25.8% for rat-like phantom. An excellent uniformity (3.8%) was obtained using NEMA image quality phantom. Recovery coefficients of 90%, 86%, 68%, 40% and 12% were calculated for rod diameters of 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 mm, respectively. Spill-over ratios for air-filled and water-filled chambers were 35% and 25% without applying any correction for attenuation and Compton scattering effects. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed that beyond compactness, lightweight, easy installation and good energy resolution, the Xtrim-PET prototype presents a reasonable performance making it suitable for preclinical molecular imaging-based research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Amirrashedi
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Sarkar
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pardis Ghafarian
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,PET/CT and Cyclotron Center, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Hashemi Shahraki
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parham Geramifar
- Research Center for Nuclear Medicine, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Habib Zaidi
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, CH-1211, Switzerland.,Geneva University Neurocenter, Geneva University, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, Netherlands.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 500, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mohammad Reza Ay
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Taggart M, Charoupa A, Hubbard M, Jafari S, Lohstroh A, Stroud M. Suitability of a SiPM photodetector for implementation in an automated thermoluminescent dosimeter reader. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
31
|
Initial Measurements with the PETsys TOFPET2 ASIC Evaluation Kit and a Characterization of the ASIC TDC. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2018.2884564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
32
|
Goertzen AL, Van Elburg D. Performance Characterization of MPPC Modules for TOF-PET Applications. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2018.2885439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
33
|
Ko GB, Lee JS. Time-based signal sampling using sawtooth-shaped threshold. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 64:125020. [DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab1f23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
34
|
Van Elburg DJ, Shrestha R, Goertzen AL. Towards a second-generation PET/MR insert with enhanced timing and count rate performance. Phys Med Biol 2019; 64:085017. [PMID: 30861504 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab0efa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Previously we have developed a first-generation PET insert prototype for small animal PET/MR imaging, which used resistor-based charge division multiplexing circuits and SensL B-series silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). In this work we present results from a second-generation readout board with improved timing and count rate performance. Three detector boards were tested: the first-generation readout board with SensL SPMArray4B (SiPM-B), the second-generation readout board with SensL ArrayC-30035-16P-PCB (SiPM-C) using the 'fast' outputs for timing, and the second generation board using Hamamatsu S11361-3050AE-04 MPPC arrays. Timing data were obtained with detector modules in coincidence with a single-pixel SensL MicroFJ-SMA-30035 reference detector and acquired using standard NIM electronics, while count rate data were acquired using the OpenPET data acquisition electronics system. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) coincidence time resolution (CTR) for the SiPM-B, SiPM-C and MPPC designs were 2600 ± 200 ps, 550 ± 50 ps, and 570 ± 30 ps, respectively. OpenPET waveform capture determined the mean signal durations, measured as time above 10% of the maximum amplitude, were 1850 ± 150 ns, 600 ± 25 ns, and 350 ± 25 ns, respectively, where the short signal of the MPPC resulted in reduced pileup effects at higher count rates. Decaying source measurements showed a non-paralyzable dead time of 1.30-1.41 µs for all three detectors tested, which was limited by the signal capture and processing time of the OpenPET system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Devin J Van Elburg
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Meester EJ, Krenning BJ, de Swart J, Segbers M, Barrett HE, Bernsen MR, Van der Heiden K, de Jong M. Perspectives on Small Animal Radionuclide Imaging; Considerations and Advances in Atherosclerosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2019; 6:39. [PMID: 30915335 PMCID: PMC6421263 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This review addresses nuclear SPECT and PET imaging in small animals in relation to the atherosclerotic disease process, one of our research topics of interest. Imaging of atherosclerosis in small animal models is challenging, as it operates at the limits of current imaging possibilities regarding sensitivity, and spatial resolution. Several topics are discussed, including technical considerations that apply to image acquisition, reconstruction, and analysis. Moreover, molecules developed for or applied in these small animal nuclear imaging studies are listed, including target-directed molecules, useful for imaging organs or tissues that have elevated expression of the target compared to other tissues, and molecules that serve as substrates for metabolic processes. Differences between animal models and human pathophysiology that should be taken into account during translation from animal to patient as well as differences in tracer behavior in animal vs. man are also described. Finally, we give a future outlook on small animal radionuclide imaging in atherosclerosis, followed by recommendations. The challenges and solutions described might be applicable to other research fields of health and disease as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Meester
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - B J Krenning
- Department of Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - J de Swart
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - M Segbers
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - H E Barrett
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - M R Bernsen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - K Van der Heiden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marion de Jong
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Gross-Weege N, Nolte T, Schulz V. MR image corrections for PET-induced gradient distortions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 64:02NT03. [DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aaf97a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
37
|
Hallen P, Schug D, Weissler B, Gebhardt P, Salomon A, Kiessling F, Schulz V. PET performance evaluation of the small-animal Hyperion II D PET/MRI insert based on the NEMA NU-4 standard. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2018; 4:065027. [PMID: 30675384 PMCID: PMC6329443 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/aae6c2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Hyperion IID PET insert is the first scanner using fully digital silicon photomultipliers for simultaneous PET/MR imaging of small animals up to rabbit size. In this work, we evaluate the PET performance based on the National Eletrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 4-2008 standard, whose standardized measurement protocols allow comparison of different small-animal PET scanners. The Hyperion IID small-animal PET/MR insert comprises three rings of 20 detector stacks with pixelated scintillator arrays with a crystal pitch of 1 mm, read out with digital silicon photomultipliers. The scanner has a large ring diameter of 209.6 mm and an axial field of view of 96.7 mm. We evaluated the spatial resolution, energy resolution, time resolution and sensitivity by scanning a 22Na point source. The count rates and scatter fractions were measured for a wide range of 18F activity inside a mouse-sized scatter phantom. We evaluated the image quality using the mouse-sized image quality phantom specified in the NEMA NU4 standard, filled with 18F. Additionally, we verified the in-vivo imaging capabilities by performing a simultaneous PET/MRI scan of a mouse injected with 18F-FDG. We processed all measurement data with an energy window of 250 keV to 625 keV and a coincidence time window of 2 ns. The filtered-backprojection reconstruction of the point source has a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 1.7 mm near the isocenter and degrades to 2.5 mm at a radial distance of 50 mm. The scanner's average energy resolution is 12.7% (ΔE/E FWHM) and the coincidence resolution time is 609 ps. The peak absolute sensitivity is 4.0% and the true and noise-equivalent count rates reach their peak at an activity of 46 MBq with 483 kcps and 407 kcps, respectively, with a scatter fraction of 13%. The iterative reconstruction of the image quality phantom has a uniformity of 3.7%, and recovery coefficients from 0.29, 0.91 and 0.94 for rod diameters of 1 mm, 3 mm and 5 mm, respectively. After application of scatter and attenuation corrections, the air- and water-filled cold regions have spill-over ratios of 6.3% and 5.4%, respectively. The Hyperion IID PET/MR insert provides state-of-the-art PET performance while enabling simultaneous PET/MRI acquisition of small animals up to rabbit size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Hallen
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,
| | - David Schug
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Bjoern Weissler
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Pierre Gebhardt
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - André Salomon
- Department of Oncology Solutions, Philips Research, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Fabian Kiessling
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Volkmar Schulz
- Department of Physics of Molecular Imaging Systems, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Oncology Solutions, Philips Research, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Chang CM, Lee BJ, Grant AM, Groll AN, Levin CS. Performance study of a radio-frequency field-penetrable PET insert for simultaneous PET/MRI. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2018; 2:422-431. [PMID: 30911706 DOI: 10.1109/trpms.2018.2852686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has risen to the cutting edge of medical imaging technology as it allows simultaneous acquisition of structural, functional and molecular information of the patient. A PET insert that can be installed into existing MR systems can in principle reduce the cost barriers for an existing MR site to achieve simultaneous PET/MRI compared to procuring an integrated PET+MRI system. The PET insert systems developed so far for PET/MRI require the RF transmitter coil to reside inside the PET ring as those PET inserts block the RF fields from the MRI system. Here we report for the first time on the performance of a full-ring brain-sized "RF-penetrable" PET insert we have recently completed. This insert allows the RF fields generated by the built-in body coil to penetrate the PET ring. The PET insert comprises a ring of 16 detector modules employing electro-optical coupled signal transmission and a multiplexing framework based on compressed sensing. Energy resolution, coincidence timing resolution (CTR), photopeak position, and coincidence count rate were acquired outside and inside a 3-Tesla MRI system under simultaneous acquisition to evaluate the impact of MRI on the PET performance. Coincidence count rate performance was evaluated by acquiring a cylinder source with high initial activity decaying over time. Tomographic imaging of two phantoms, a custom 6.5-cm diameter resolution phantom with hot rods of four different sizes (2.8 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.2 mm, and 5.2 mm diameter) and a 3D Hoffman brain phantom, were performed to evaluate the imaging capability of the PET insert. The energy resolution at 511 keV and CTR acquired by the PET insert were 16.2±0.1% and 5.3±0.1 ns FWHM, respectively, and remained stable during MRI operation except when the EPI sequence was applied. The PET system starts to show saturation in coincidence count rate at 2.76 million photon counts per second. Most of the 2.8-mm diameter hot rods and main features of the 3D Hoffman brain phantom were resolved by the PET insert, demonstrating its high spatial resolution and capability to image a complex tracer distribution mimicking that seen in the human brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Ming Chang
- Departments of Applied Physics and Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Brian J Lee
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexander M Grant
- Departments of Bioengineering and Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrew N Groll
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Craig S Levin
- Departments of Radiology, Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering and Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, )
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abstract
PET scanners are sophisticated and highly sensitive biomedical imaging devices that can produce highly quantitative images showing the 3-dimensional distribution of radiotracers inside the body. PET scanners are commonly integrated with x-ray CT or MRI scanners in hybrid devices that can provide both molecular imaging (PET) and anatomical imaging (CT or MRI). Despite decades of development, significant opportunities still exist to make major improvements in the performance of PET systems for a variety of clinical and research tasks. These opportunities stem from new ideas and concepts, as well as a range of enabling technologies and methodologies. In this paper, we review current state of the art in PET instrumentation, detectors and systems, describe the major limitations in PET as currently practiced, and offer our own personal insights into some of the recent and emerging technological innovations that we believe will impact the field. Our focus is on the technical aspects of PET imaging, specifically detectors and system design, and the opportunity and necessity to move closer to PET systems for diagnostic patient use and in vivo biomedical research that truly approach the physical performance limits while remaining mindful of imaging time, radiation dose, and cost. However, other key endeavors, which are not covered here, including innovations in reconstruction and modeling methodology, radiotracer development, and expanding the range of clinical and research applications, also will play an equally important, if not more important, role in defining the future of the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Berg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Simon R Cherry
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA.; Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, CA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Vrigneaud JM, McGrath J, Courteau A, Pegg R, Gomis ASP, Camacho A, Martin G, Schramm N, Brunotte F. Initial performance evaluation of a preclinical PET scanner available as a clip-on assembly in a sequential PET/MRI system. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63:125007. [PMID: 29762132 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aac4f7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated the performance characteristics of a prototype preclinical PET scanner available as an easy clippable assembly that can dock to an MRI system. The single ring version of the PET system consists of eight detectors, each of which comprises a 12 × 12 silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) array coupled with a dual layer of offset scintillation crystals to measure depth of interaction. The crystal arrays have 29 × 29 (30 × 30 for the outer layer) 4 mm long LYSO crystals (6 mm for the outer layer). The ring diameter is 119.2 mm and the axial field of view is 50.4 mm. The NEMA NU 4-2008 protocol was followed for studying the PET performance. Temperature stability of SiPMs was also investigated. The peak system absolute sensitivity was 4.70% with an energy window of 250-750 keV. The spatial resolution was 1.28/1.88/1.85 mm FWHM (radial/tangential/axial) at a distance of 5 mm from the center. Peak noise equivalent counting rate and scatter fraction for mouse phantom were 61.9 kcps at 14.9 MBq and 21.0%, respectively. The uniformity was 6.3% and the spill-over ratios in the images of the water-and air-filled chambers were 0.07 and 0.17, respectively. Recovery coefficients ranged from 0.13 to 0.96. Change in sensitivity as a function of ambient temperature was 0.3%/°C. These first results indicate excellent spatial resolution performance for use with animal studies. Moreover, the clippable assembly can be upgraded to accept a second ring of SiPMs modules, leading to improved sensitivity and axial coverage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J M Vrigneaud
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Georges-Francois LECLERC Cancer Center, UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mannheim JG, Schmid AM, Schwenck J, Katiyar P, Herfert K, Pichler BJ, Disselhorst JA. PET/MRI Hybrid Systems. Semin Nucl Med 2018; 48:332-347. [PMID: 29852943 DOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the combination of PET and MRI in one system has proven to be highly successful in basic preclinical research, as well as in clinical research. Nowadays, PET/MRI systems are well established in preclinical imaging and are progressing into clinical applications to provide further insights into specific diseases, therapeutic assessments, and biological pathways. Certain challenges in terms of hardware had to be resolved concurrently with the development of new techniques to be able to reach the full potential of both combined techniques. This review provides an overview of these challenges and describes the opportunities that simultaneous PET/MRI systems can exploit in comparison with stand-alone or other combined hybrid systems. New approaches were developed for simultaneous PET/MRI systems to correct for attenuation of 511 keV photons because MRI does not provide direct information on gamma photon attenuation properties. Furthermore, new algorithms to correct for motion were developed, because MRI can accurately detect motion with high temporal resolution. The additional information gained by the MRI can be employed to correct for partial volume effects as well. The development of new detector designs in combination with fast-decaying scintillator crystal materials enabled time-of-flight detection and incorporation in the reconstruction algorithms. Furthermore, this review lists the currently commercially available systems both for preclinical and clinical imaging and provides an overview of applications in both fields. In this regard, special emphasis has been placed on data analysis and the potential for both modalities to evolve with advanced image analysis tools, such as cluster analysis and machine learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia G Mannheim
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas M Schmid
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Schwenck
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Prateek Katiyar
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Kristina Herfert
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bernd J Pichler
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Jonathan A Disselhorst
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Omidvari N, Cabello J, Topping G, Schneider FR, Paul S, Schwaiger M, Ziegler SI. PET performance evaluation of MADPET4: a small animal PET insert for a 7 T MRI scanner. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:8671-8692. [PMID: 28976912 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa910d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
MADPET4 is the first small animal PET insert with two layers of individually read out crystals in combination with silicon photomultiplier technology. It has a novel detector arrangement, in which all crystals face the center of field of view transaxially. In this work, the PET performance of MADPET4 was evaluated and compared to other preclinical PET scanners using the NEMA NU 4 measurements, followed by imaging a mouse-size hot-rod resolution phantom and two in vivo simultaneous PET/MRI scans in a 7 T MRI scanner. The insert had a peak sensitivity of 0.49%, using an energy threshold of 350 keV. A uniform transaxial resolution was obtained up to 15 mm radial offset from the axial center, using filtered back-projection with single-slice rebinning. The measured average radial and tangential resolutions (FWHM) were 1.38 mm and 1.39 mm, respectively. The 1.2 mm rods were separable in the hot-rod phantom using an iterative image reconstruction algorithm. The scatter fraction was 7.3% and peak noise equivalent count rate was 15.5 kcps at 65.1 MBq of activity. The FDG uptake in a mouse heart and brain were visible in the two in vivo simultaneous PET/MRI scans without applying image corrections. In conclusion, the insert demonstrated a good overall performance and can be used for small animal multi-modal research applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Negar Omidvari
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Stortz G, Thiessen JD, Bishop D, Khan MS, Kozlowski P, Retière F, Schellenberg G, Shams E, Zhang X, Thompson CJ, Goertzen AL, Sossi V. Performance of a PET Insert for High-Resolution Small-Animal PET/MRI at 7 Tesla. J Nucl Med 2017; 59:536-542. [DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.116.187666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
|
44
|
Ritzer C, Hallen P, Schug D, Schulz V. Intercrystal Scatter Rejection for Pixelated PET Detectors. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.1109/tns.2017.2664921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
45
|
Schug D, Weissler B, Gebhardt P, Schulz V. Crystal Delay and Time Walk Correction Methods for Coincidence Resolving Time Improvements of a Digital-Silicon-Photomultiplier-Based PET/MRI Insert. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RADIATION AND PLASMA MEDICAL SCIENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.1109/tns.2017.2654920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
46
|
Tabacchini V, Surti S, Borghi G, Karp JS, Schaart DR. Improved image quality using monolithic scintillator detectors with dual-sided readout in a whole-body TOF-PET ring: a simulation study. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:2018-2032. [PMID: 28192287 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa56e1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We have recently built and characterized the performance of a monolithic scintillator detector based on a 32 mm × 32 mm × 22 mm LYSO:Ce crystal read out by digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM) arrays coupled to the crystal front and back surfaces in a dual-sided readout (DSR) configuration. The detector spatial resolution appeared to be markedly better than that of a detector consisting of the same crystal with conventional back-sided readout (BSR). Here, we aim to evaluate the influence of this difference in the detector spatial response on the quality of reconstructed images, so as to quantify the potential benefit of the DSR approach for high-resolution, whole-body time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) applications. We perform Monte Carlo simulations of clinical PET systems based on BSR and DSR detectors, using the results of our detector characterization experiments to model the detector spatial responses. We subsequently quantify the improvement in image quality obtained with DSR compared to BSR, using clinically relevant metrics such as the contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) and the area under the localized receiver operating characteristic curve (ALROC). Finally, we compare the results with simulated rings of pixelated detectors with DOI capability. Our results show that the DSR detector produces significantly higher CRC and increased ALROC values than the BSR detector. The comparison with pixelated systems indicates that one would need to choose a crystal size of 3.2 mm with three DOI layers to match the performance of the BSR detector, while a pixel size of 1.3 mm with three DOI layers would be required to get on par with the DSR detector.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Tabacchini
- Delft University of Technology, Radiation Science & Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Vandenberghe S, Mikhaylova E, D'Hoe E, Mollet P, Karp JS. Recent developments in time-of-flight PET. EJNMMI Phys 2016; 3:3. [PMID: 26879863 PMCID: PMC4754240 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-016-0138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
While the first time-of-flight (TOF)-positron emission tomography (PET) systems were already built in the early 1980s, limited clinical studies were acquired on these scanners. PET was still a research tool, and the available TOF-PET systems were experimental. Due to a combination of low stopping power and limited spatial resolution (caused by limited light output of the scintillators), these systems could not compete with bismuth germanate (BGO)-based PET scanners. Developments on TOF system were limited for about a decade but started again around 2000. The combination of fast photomultipliers, scintillators with high density, modern electronics, and faster computing power for image reconstruction have made it possible to introduce this principle in clinical TOF-PET systems. This paper reviews recent developments in system design, image reconstruction, corrections, and the potential in new applications for TOF-PET. After explaining the basic principles of time-of-flight, the difficulties in detector technology and electronics to obtain a good and stable timing resolution are shortly explained. The available clinical systems and prototypes under development are described in detail. The development of this type of PET scanner also requires modified image reconstruction with accurate modeling and correction methods. The additional dimension introduced by the time difference motivates a shift from sinogram- to listmode-based reconstruction. This reconstruction is however rather slow and therefore rebinning techniques specific for TOF data have been proposed. The main motivation for TOF-PET remains the large potential for image quality improvement and more accurate quantification for a given number of counts. The gain is related to the ratio of object size and spatial extent of the TOF kernel and is therefore particularly relevant for heavy patients, where image quality degrades significantly due to increased attenuation (low counts) and high scatter fractions. The original calculations for the gain were based on analytical methods. Recent publications for iterative reconstruction have shown that it is difficult to quantify TOF gain into one factor. The gain depends on the measured distribution, the location within the object, and the count rate. In a clinical situation, the gain can be used to either increase the standardized uptake value (SUV) or reduce the image acquisition time or administered dose. The localized nature of the TOF kernel makes it possible to utilize local tomography reconstruction or to separate emission from transmission data. The introduction of TOF also improves the joint estimation of transmission and emission images from emission data only. TOF is also interesting for new applications of PET-like isotopes with low branching ratio for positron fraction. The local nature also reduces the need for fine angular sampling, which makes TOF interesting for limited angle situations like breast PET and online dose imaging in proton or hadron therapy. The aim of this review is to introduce the reader in an educational way into the topic of TOF-PET and to give an overview of the benefits and new opportunities in using this additional information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Vandenberghe
- ELIS-IMINDS-Medical IT-IBITECH Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Blok B, Gent, 9000, Belgium.
| | - E Mikhaylova
- ELIS-IMINDS-Medical IT-IBITECH Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Blok B, Gent, 9000, Belgium
| | - E D'Hoe
- ELIS-IMINDS-Medical IT-IBITECH Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Blok B, Gent, 9000, Belgium
| | - P Mollet
- ELIS-IMINDS-Medical IT-IBITECH Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Blok B, Gent, 9000, Belgium
| | - J S Karp
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Yamamoto S, Watabe T, Ikeda H, Kanai Y, Ichikawa K, Nakao M, Kato K, Hatazawa J. Development of a PET/OMRI combined system for simultaneous imaging of positron and free radical probes for small animals. Med Phys 2016; 43:5676. [PMID: 27782727 DOI: 10.1118/1.4963215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Positron emission tomography (PET) has high sensitivity for imaging radioactive tracer distributions in subjects. However, it is not possible to image free radical distribution in a subject by PET. Since free radicals are quite reactive, they are related to many diseases, including but not limited to cancer, inflammation, strokes, and heart disease. The Overhauser enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (OMRI) is so far the only method that images free radical distribution in vivo. By combining PET and OMRI, a new hybrid imaging modality might be developed that can simultaneously image the radioactive tracer and free radical distributions. For this purpose, the authors developed a PET/OMRI combined system for small animals. METHODS The developed PET/OMRI system used an optical fiber-based PET system combined with a permanent magnet-based OMRI system. The optical fiber-based PET system uses flexible optical fiber bundles. Eight optical fiber-based block detectors were arranged in a 56 mm diameter ring to form a PET system. The LGSO blocks were located inside the field-of-view (FOV) of the OMRI, and the position sensitive photomultiplier tubes were positioned behind the OMRI to minimize the interference between the PET and the OMRI. The OMRI system used a 0.0165 T permanent magnet. The system has an electron spin resonance coil to enhance the MRI signal using the Overhauser effect to image the free radical in the FOV of the PET/OMRI system. RESULTS The spatial resolution and sensitivity of the optical fiber-based PET system were 1.2 mm FWHM and 1.2% at the central FOV, respectively. The OMRI system imaged the distribution of a nitroxyl radical (NXR) solution. The interference between PET and OMRI was small. Simultaneous imaging of the positron radiotracer and the NXR solution was successfully conducted with the developed PET/OMRI system for phantom and small animal studies. CONCLUSIONS The authors developed a PET/OMRI combined system with the potential to provide interesting new results in molecular imaging research, such as in vivo molecular and free radical distributions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seiichi Yamamoto
- Radiological and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8673, Japan
| | - Tadashi Watabe
- Department of Molecular Imaging in Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hayato Ikeda
- Department of Molecular Imaging in Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasukazu Kanai
- Department of Molecular Imaging in Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Ichikawa
- Innovation Center for Medical Redox Navigation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | | | - Katsuhiko Kato
- Radiological and Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8673, Japan
| | - Jun Hatazawa
- Department of Molecular Imaging in Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Territo PR, Riley AA, McCarthy BP, Hutchins GD. Measurement of cardiovascular function using a novel view-sharing PET reconstruction method and tracer kinetic analysis. EJNMMI Phys 2016; 3:24. [PMID: 27766592 PMCID: PMC5073088 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-016-0161-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in PET instrumentation have made the non-invasive assessment of cardiovascular function in small animals a reality. The majority of small animal PET systems use stationary detector gantries, thus affording high temporal resolution imaging of cardiac function. Systems designed to maximize spatial resolution and detection sensitivity employing rotating gantry designs are suboptimal when high temporal resolution imaging is needed. To overcome this limitation, the current work developed a novel view-sharing data analysis scheme suitable for dynamic cardiac PET imaging using 18F-NaF as the tracer and tracer kinetic model analysis. This scheme was tested in a rat model of cardiovascular function where the relationship between direct transonic flow measures of cardiac output were highly correlated (f(x) = 1.0216x − 24.233, R = 0.9158, p < 0.001) with the new model. Similarly, derived measures of stroke volume were also highly correlated (f(x) = 0.9655x − 0.0428, R = 0.9453, p < 0.001) with the current approach. Administration of xylazine caused a statistically significant increase in stroke volume (0.32 ± 0.07 ml, p = 0.003, n = 4) and a significant decrease in both heart rate (−155 ± 7.1 beats/min, p < 0.001, n = 4) and cardiac output (−75.9 ± 23.0 ml/kg min, p = 0.01, n = 4). These findings suggest that the new sinogram binning and kinetic modeling methods produce reliable cardiac function measures suitable for longitudinal monitoring of cardiovascular function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Territo
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 W. Walnut St, R2 E124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Amanda A Riley
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 W. Walnut St, R2 E124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Brian P McCarthy
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 W. Walnut St, R2 E124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Gary D Hutchins
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 W. Walnut St, R2 E124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Gross-Weege N, Schug D, Hallen P, Schulz V. Maximum likelihood positioning algorithm for high-resolution PET scanners. Med Phys 2016; 43:3049-3061. [DOI: 10.1118/1.4950719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
|