Direct 4D PET MLEM reconstruction of parametric images using the simplified reference tissue model with the basis function method for [11C]raclopride. (20th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gravel, Paul; Reader, Andrew J
• Is Part Of: Physics in medicine & biology. Volume 60:Number 11(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 4533
• Page End: 4549
• Publication Date: 2015-05-20
• Subjects: positron emission tomography -- image reconstruction -- tracer kinetic modeling -- binding potential; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Medical physics -- Periodicals; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/11/4533
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9155

Abstract

Abstract: This work assesses the one-step late maximum likelihood expectation maximization (OSL-MLEM) 4D PET reconstruction algorithm for direct estimation of parametric images from raw PET data when using the simplified reference tissue model with the basis function method (SRTM-BFM) for the kinetic analysis. To date, the OSL-MLEM method has been evaluated using kinetic models based on two-tissue compartments with an irreversible component. We extend the evaluation of this method for two-tissue compartments with a reversible component, using SRTM-BFM on simulated 3D + time data sets (with use of [ 11 C]raclopride time-activity curves from real data) and on real data sets acquired with the high resolution research tomograph. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by comparing voxel-level binding potential ( BP ND ) estimates with those obtained from conventional post-reconstruction kinetic parameter estimation. For the commonly chosen number of iterations used in practice, our results show that for the 3D + time simulation, the direct method delivers results with lower % RMSE at the normal count level (decreases of 9–10 percentage points, corresponding to a 38–44% reduction), and also at low count levels (decreases of 17–21 percentage points, corresponding to a 26–36% reduction). As for the real 3D data set, the results obtained follow a similar trend, with the direct reconstruction method offering a 21% decrease in % CV compared to the post reconstruction method at low count levels. Thus, based on the results presented herein, using the SRTM-BFM kinetic model in conjunction with the OSL-MLEM direct 4D PET MLEM reconstruction method offers an improvement in performance when compared to conventional post reconstruction methods.