Image-based point spread function implementation in a fully 3D OSEM reconstruction algorithm for PET
Abstract
The interest in positron emission tomography (PET) and particularly in hybrid integrated PET/CT systems has significantly increased in the last few years due to the improved quality of the obtained images. Nevertheless, one of the most important limits of the PET imaging technique is still its poor spatial resolution due to several physical factors originating both at the emission (e.g. positron range, photon non-collinearity) and at detection levels (e.g. scatter inside the scintillating crystals, finite dimensions of the crystals and depth of interaction). To improve the spatial resolution of the images, a possible way consists of measuring the point spread function (PSF) of the system and then accounting for it inside the reconstruction algorithm. In this work, the system response of the GE Discovery STE operating in 3D mode has been characterized by acquiring (22)Na point sources in different positions of the scanner field of view. An image-based model of the PSF was then obtained by fitting asymmetric two-dimensional Gaussians on the (22)Na images reconstructed with small pixel sizes. The PSF was then incorporated, at the image level, in a three-dimensional ordered subset maximum likelihood expectation maximization (OS-MLEM) reconstruction algorithm. A qualitative and quantitative validation of the algorithm accounting for the PSF has been performed on phantom and clinical data, showing improved spatial resolution, higher contrast and lower noise compared with the corres…
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PSF reconstruction improves reconstructed spatial resolution and increases lesion SUV but can lead to overestimation of true activity due to Gibbs' artifacts.
“This improves reconstructed spatial resolution [97,98] and increases lesion SUV [99,100] but can lead to overestimation of the true activity due to so-called Gibbs’ artifacts [92,93].”
From Influences on PET Quantification and Interpretation (2022) · cites this paper as [98]
Discrepancies about PSF may stem from the ability of PSF to increase lesion contrast recovery being most prominent at the periphery of the transaxial FOV and in small, high-contrast lesions such as pulmonary nodules.
“These discrepancies may stem from the fact that the ability of PSF to increase lesion CR is most prominent at the periphery of the transaxial FOV [98,166,167] and in small, high-contrast lesions [95], such as pulmonary nodules.”
From Influences on PET Quantification and Interpretation (2022) · cites this paper as [98]
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References 24 · Cited by 142
- Authors
- Rapisarda, E., Bettinardi, V, Thielemans, K., & Gilardi, M. C.
- Affiliations
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele (IT)
- Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- Venue
- Physics in Medicine and Biology
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2010-07-05
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 4131-4151
- ISSN
- 0031-9155 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6560
- OpenAlex
- W2032558388
- Cited by
- 142
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 9.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physics in Medicine and Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (submittedVersion)
- 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 › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging
- Keywords
- point spread function, PET image reconstruction, 3D-OSEM, spatial resolution, PET/CT, depth of interaction
- MeSH terms
- Abdomen, Algorithms, Brain, Humans, Models, Biological, Sodium Radioisotopes, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Normal Distribution, Likelihood Functions, Phantoms, Imaging, Fluorodeoxyglucose F18, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Positron-Emission Tomography
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