The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical performance of the Vereos whole-body PET/CT system according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU2-2012 standard and to compare it with other state-of-the-art PET/CT systems. Methods: Spatial resolution, sensitivity, count-rate performance, count rate accuracy, and image quality were assessed. Specifically, spatial resolution was measured using an 18 F point-source. System sensitivity was calculated from acquisitions of an 18 F line source inside aluminum tubes of varying thickness. Assessment of count rate performance and count rate accuracy was based on measurements of an 18 F line source inside a 20-cm-diameter polyethylene cylinder. PET image quality was assessed using a NEMA IQ phantom. All measurements were performed according to the predefined and implemented NEMA NU2-2012 acquisition protocols at a clinical installation of a Vereos PET/CT system. Evaluation was performed using the software provided by the vendor. Results: The average (radial and tangential) transverse spatial resolution was 4.2, 4.5, and 5.5 mm in full width at half maximum for a 1-, 10-, and 20-cm radial offset, respectively, from the center of the field of view. Axial spatial resolution varied between 4.2 and 4.6 mm in full width at half maximum, depending on the radial source position. The average sensitivity was 5.2 cps/kBq. A peak noise-equivalent count (NEC) rate of 153.4 kcps was measured at an activity concentration of 54.9 kBq/mL. The scatter fraction at peak NEC rate was 33.9%, and the maximum count rate error at and below peak NEC rate was 6.8%. Contrast recovery coefficients varied from 54.3% (10-mm sphere) to 83.9% (22-mm sphere) for the hot spheres, and between 81.4% (28-mm sphere) and 87% (37-mm sphere) for the cold spheres for a given sphere-to-background ratio of 4:1. Conclusion: The overall performance characteristics of the Vereos PET/CT system are comparable to state-of-the-art wholebody PET/CT systems with the exception that the peak NEC rate occurs at a higher activity concentration, thus indicating the ability of the Vereos PET/CT system to cover a wider range of activities.

BackgroundThe purpose of the study is to evaluate the physical performance of a Biograph mCT Flow 64-4R PET/CT system (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) and to compare clinical image quality in step-and-shoot (SS) and continuous table motion (CTM) acquisitions.MethodsThe spatial resolution, sensitivity, count rate curves, and Image Quality (IQ) parameters following the National Electrical Manufactures Association (NEMA) NU2-2012 standard were evaluated. For resolution measurements, an 18F point source inside a glass capillary tube was used. Sensitivity measurements were based on a 70-cm-long polyethylene tube, filled with 4.5 MBq of FDG. Scatter fraction and count rates were measured using a 70-cm-long polyethylene cylinder with a diameter of 20 cm and a line source (1.04 GBq of FDG) inserted axially into the cylinder 4.5 cm off-centered. A NEMA IQ phantom containing six spheres (10- to 37-mm diameter) was used for the evaluation of the image quality. First, a single-bed scan was acquired (NEMA standard), followed by a two-bed scan (4 min each) of the IQ phantom with the image plane containing the spheres centered in the overlap region of the two bed positions. In addition, a scan of the same region in CTM mode was performed with a table speed of 0.6 mm/s. Furthermore, two patient scans were performed in CTM and SS mode. Image contrasts and patient images were compared between SS and CTM acquisitions.ResultsFull Width Half Maximum (FWHM) of the spatial resolution ranged from 4.3 to 7.8 mm (radial distance 1 to 20 cm). The measured sensitivity was 9.6 kcps/MBq, both at the center of the FOV and 10 cm off-center. The measured noise equivalent count rate (NECR) peak was 185 kcps at 29.0 kBq/ml. The scatter fraction was 33.5 %. Image contrast recovery values (sphere-to-background of 8:1) were between 42 % (10-mm sphere) to 79 % (37-mm sphere). The background variability was between 2.1 and 5.3 % (SS) and between 2.4 and 6.9 % (CTM). No significant difference in image quality was observed between SS and CTM mode.ConclusionsThe spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, and count rates were in concordance with the published values for the predecessor system, the Biograph mCT. Contrast recovery values as well as image quality obtained in SS and CTM acquisition modes were similar.

Positron range (PR) is a significant factor that limits PET image resolution, especially with some radionuclides currently used in clinical and preclinical studies such as (82)Rb, (124)I and (68)Ga. The use of an accurate model of the PR in the image reconstruction may minimize its impact on the image quality. Nevertheless, PR distributions are difficult to model, as they may be different at each voxel and direction, depending on the materials that the positron flies through. Several approximated methods have been proposed, considering only one or several propagating media without taking into account boundaries effects. In some regions, like lungs or trachea, these methods may not be accurate enough and yield artifacts. In this work, we present an efficient method to accurately incorporate spatially-variant PR corrections. The method is based on pre-computing voxel-dependent PR kernels using a CT or a manually segmented image, and a model of the dependence of the PR on each material derived from Monte Carlo simulations. The images are convoluted with these kernels in the forward-projection step of the iterative reconstruction algorithm. This implementation of the algorithm adds a modest overhead to the overall reconstruction time and it obtains artifact-free PR-corrected images, even when the activity is concentrated at tissue boundaries with extreme changes of density. We verified the method with the preclinical Argus PET/CT scanner, but it can be also applied to other scanners and improve the image quality in clinical PET studies using isotopes with large PR.

Technical advances towards high resolution PET imaging try to overcome the inherent physical limitations to spatial resolution. Positrons travel in tissue until they annihilate into the two gamma photons detected. This range is the main detector-independent contribution to PET imaging blurring. To a large extent, it can be remedied during image reconstruction if accurate estimates of positron range are available. However, the existing estimates differ, and the comparison with the scarce experimental data available is not conclusive. In this work we present positron annihilation distributions obtained from Monte Carlo simulations with the PeneloPET simulation toolkit, for several common PET isotopes ( 18 F, 11 C, 13 N, 15 O, 68 Ga and 82 Rb) in different biological media (cortical bone, soft bone, skin, muscle striated, brain, water, adipose tissue and lung). We compare PeneloPET simulations against experimental data and other simulation results available in the literature. To this end the different positron range representations employed in the literature are related to each other by means of a new parameterization for positron range profiles. Our results are generally consistent with experiments and with most simulations previously reported with differences of less than 20% in the mean and maximum range values. From these results, we conclude that better experimental measurements are needed, especially to disentangle the effect of positronium formation in positron range. Finally, with the aid of PeneloPET, we confirm that scaling approaches can be used to obtain universal, material and isotope independent, positron range profiles, which would considerably simplify range correction.

a b s t r a c tPositron range limits the spatial resolution of PET images and has a different effect for different isotopes and positron propagation materials. Therefore it is important to consider it during image reconstruction, in order to obtain optimal image quality. Positron range distributions for most common isotopes used in PET in different materials were computed using the Monte Carlo simulations with PeneloPET. The range profiles were introduced into the 3D OSEM image reconstruction software FIRST and employed to blur the image either in the forward projection or in the forward and backward projection. The blurring introduced takes into account the different materials in which the positron propagates. Information on these materials may be obtained, for instance, from a segmentation of a CT image. The results of introducing positron blurring in both forward and backward projection operations was compared to using it only during forward projection. Further, the effect of different shapes of positron range profile in the quality of the reconstructed images with positron range correction was studied. For high positron energy isotopes, the reconstructed images show significant improvement in spatial resolution when positron range is taken into account during reconstruction, compared to reconstructions without positron range modeling.

The low-energy structure of 65 Fe has been studied by means of γ and fast-timing spectroscopy at the ISOLDE facility, CERN. A level scheme of 65 Fe populated following the β − decay of 65 Mn was established for the first time. It includes 41 levels and 85 transitions. The excitation energy of the β-decaying isomer in 65 Fe has been precisely determined at 393.7(2) keV. The β-delayed neutron emission branch was measured as P n = 7.9(12)%, which cannot be reconciled with the previously reported value of 21.0(5)%. Four γ rays and four excited states in 64 Fe were identified as being populated following the β-n decay. Four lifetimes and five lifetime limits in the subnanosecond range have been measured using the advanced time-delayed βγ γ (t) method. The level scheme is compared with shell-model calculations. Tentative spin and parity assignments are proposed based on the observed transition rates, the calculations, and the systematics of the region.

Objective. To evaluate the frequency of artifacts in MR-based attenuation correction (AC) maps and their impact on the quantitative accuracy of PET-based flow and metabolism measurements in a cohort of consecutive heart failure patients undergoing combined PET/MR imaging.Methods. Myocardial viability studies were performed in 20 patients following a dualtracer protocol involving the assessment of myocardial perfusion ( 13 N-NH 3 : 813 ± 86 MBq) and metabolism ( 18 F-FDG: 335 ± 38 MBq). All acquisitions were performed using a fully-integrated PET/MR system, with standard DIXON-attenuation correction (DIXON-AC) mapping for each PET scan. All AC maps were examined for spatial misalignment with the emission data, total lung volume, susceptibility artifacts, and tissue inversion (TI). Misalignment and susceptibility artifacts were corrected using rigid co-registration and retrospective filling of the susceptibility-induced gaps, respectively. The effects of the AC artifacts were evaluated by relative difference measures and perceived changes in clinical interpretations.Results. Average respiratory misalignment of (7 ± 4) mm of the PET-emission data and the AC maps was observed in 18 (90%) patients. Substantial changes in the lung volumes of the AC maps were observed in the test-retest analysis (ratio: 1.0 ± 0.2, range: 0.8-1.4). Susceptibility artifacts were observed in 10 (50%) patients, while six (30%) patients had TI artifacts. Average differences of 14 ± 10% were observed for PET images reconstructed with the artifactual AC maps. The combined artifact effects caused false-positive findings in three (15%) patients.Conclusion. Standard DIXON-AC maps must be examined carefully for artifacts and misalignment effects prior to AC correction of cardiac PET/MRI studies in order to avoid misinterpretation of biased perfusion and metabolism readings from the PET data. (J Nucl Cardiol 2017)

BackgroundAccurate quantification of plaque imaging using 18F-NaF PET requires partial volume correction (PVC).MethodsPVC of PET data was implemented by the use of a local projection (LP) method. LP-based PVC was evaluated with an image quality (NEMA) and with a thorax phantom with “plaque-type” lesions of 18-36 mL. The validated PVC method was then applied to a cohort of 17 patients, each with at least one plaque in the carotid or ascending aortic arteries. In total, 51 calcified (HU > 110) and 16 non-calcified plaque lesions (HU < 110) were analyzed. The lesion-to-background ratio (LBR) and the relative change of LBR (ΔLBR) were measured on PET.ResultsFollowing PVC, LBR of the spheres (NEMA phantom) was within 10% of the original values. LBR of the thoracic lesions increased by 155% to 440% when the LP-PVC method was applied to the PET images. In patients, PVC increased the LBR in both calcified [mean = 78% (−8% to 227%)] and non-calcified plaques [mean = 41%, (−9%-104%)].ConclusionsPVC helps to improve LBR of plaque-type lesions in both phantom studies and clinical patients. Better results were obtained when the PVC method was applied to images reconstructed with point spread function modeling.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12350-017-0778-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.