< Back to previous page

Project

Combining Time of Flight (TOF) and Anatomical Information for Accurate Attenuation Correction in Hybrid Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Systems.

In positron emission tomography (PET), a quantitative reconstruction of the tracer distribution can only be obtained after an accurate correction for photon attenuation. Current PET scanners are usually combined with a CT scanner, and the CT image is used for attenuation correction. Recently, we were able to show that when time of flight (TOF) information is available, the TOF emission data can determine the tracer distribution up to a scale. This creates new and interesting possibilities, since the attenuation image can now be obtained without the use of CT images. In this research proposal we intend to further develop methods that can also optimally use MR images which are available in the new PET/MR scanner installed in the university hospital. We will validate the methods which use the additional CT or MR information so that they can be used in clinical practice. We also plan to investigate the activity reconstruction of tracers which accumulate more focally than e.g. 18F-FDG which accumulates more uniformly throughout the patient body. TOF information is most useful when the tracer is relatively uniformly distributed in the body, as is the case for 18F-FDG. Therefore, we will study this reconstruction problem also for tracers with a more focal uptake than 18F-FDG, where our algorithms will have to rely more on the anatomical information.

Date:1 Oct 2017 →  30 Sep 2020
Keywords:Attenuation correction positron emission tomography
Disciplines:Catalysis and reacting systems engineering, Chemical product design and formulation, General chemical and biochemical engineering, Process engineering, Separation and membrane technologies, Transport phenomena, Other (bio)chemical engineering