Focus on time-of-flight PET: the benefits of improved time resolution
Abstract
TOF PET is characterized by a better trade-off between contrast and noise in the image. This property is enhanced in more challenging operating conditions, allowing for example shorter examinations or low counts, successful scanning of larger patients, low uptake, visualization of smaller lesions, and incomplete data sampling. In this paper, the correlation between the time resolution of a TOF PET scanner and the improvement in signal-to-noise in the image is introduced and discussed. A set of performance advantages is presented which include better image quality, shorter scan times, lower dose, higher spatial resolution, lower sensitivity to inconsistent data, and the opportunity for new architectures with missing angles. The recent scientific literature that reports the first experimental evidence of such advantages in oncology clinical data is reviewed. Finally, the directions for possible improvement of the time resolution of the present generation of TOF PET scanners are discussed.
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A gain in counts from improved timing resolution could translate into an SNR gain equivalent to the square root of the relative improvement in timing resolution.
“Such a gain in counts could translate into an SNR gain that is equivalent to the square root of the relative improvement in timing resolution [49,51].”
From Influences on PET Quantification and Interpretation (2022) · cites this paper as [49]
Compared to standard OSEM reconstruction, OSEM with TOF shows improved noise characteristics.
“Compared to standard ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction, OSEM with TOF shows improved noise characteristics [49,94,156,157,158].”
From Influences on PET Quantification and Interpretation (2022) · cites this paper as [49]
The increase in effective sensitivity enabled by modern SiPM could be translated into an equivalent reduction in injected activity or acquisition time while retaining equal image quality as PMT.
“The increase in effective sensitivity enabled by modern SiPM could be translated into an equivalent reduction in injected activity or acquisition time while retaining equal image quality as PMT [49,51].”
From Influences on PET Quantification and Interpretation (2022) · cites this paper as [49]
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References 46 · Cited by 335
- Authors
- Conti, M.
- Corresponding author
- Conti, Maurizio
- ORCID
- Conti, Maurizio
- Venue
- European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
- Published
- 2011-01-13
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1147-1157
- ISSN
- 1619-7070 (ISSN-L)
- 1619-7089
- OpenAlex
- W1966511552
- Cited by
- 335
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 3.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Radiation › Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies
- Keywords
- time-of-flight PET, temporal resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, image quality, scan time reduction, radiation dose reduction, spatial resolution, tumor imaging, PET scanner design
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Radiation Dosage, Radiometry, Time Factors, Positron-Emission Tomography, Body Size
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