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Image-Based 2D Re-Projection for Attenuation Substitution in PET Neuroimaging

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Abstract

Purpose

In dual modality positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), attenuation correction (AC) methods are continually improving. Although a new AC can sometimes be generated from existing MR data, its application requires a new reconstruction. We evaluate an approximate 2D projection method that allows offline image-based reprocessing.

Procedure

2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) brain scans were acquired (Siemens HR+) for six subjects. Attenuation data were obtained using the scanner’s transmission source (SAC). Additional scanning was performed on a Siemens mMR including production of a Dixon-based MR AC (MRAC). The MRAC was imported to the HR+ and the PET data were reconstructed twice: once using native SAC (ground truth); once using the imported MRAC (imperfect AC). The re-projection method was implemented as follows. The MRAC PET was forward projected to approximately reproduce attenuation-corrected sinograms. The SAC and MRAC images were forward projected and converted to attenuation-correction factors (ACFs). The MRAC ACFs were removed from the MRAC PET sinograms by division; the SAC ACFs were applied by multiplication. The regenerated sinograms were reconstructed by filtered back projection to produce images (SUBAC PET) in which SAC has been substituted for MRAC. Ideally SUBAC PET should match SAC PET. Via coregistered T1 images, FreeSurfer (FS; MGH, Boston) was used to define a set of cortical gray matter regions of interest. Regional activity concentrations were extracted for SAC PET, MRAC PET, and SUBAC PET.

Results

SUBAC PET showed substantially smaller root mean square error than MRAC PET with averaged values of 1.5 % versus 8.1 %.

Conclusions

Re-projection is a viable image-based method for the application of an alternate attenuation correction in neuroimaging.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grants R21 EB002622 and P30 CA047904 and by an internal UPP Foundation grant. Subject data for this project were acquired through programs funded by NIH grants 5PO1AG025204 and NIA-P50-AG005133. We thank Drs. William Klunk and Oscar Lopez for providing data and assistance with subject recruitment. We thank James Ruszkiewicz and Denise Ratica for their assistance in acquiring and processing data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Charles M. Laymon, Davneet S. Minhas, Carl R. Becker, Cristy Matan, Matthew J. Oborski & James M. Mountz

  2. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Charles M. Laymon & Matthew J. Oborski

  3. A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA

    Julie C. Price

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  1. Charles M. Laymon
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Correspondence to Charles M. Laymon.

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Laymon, C.M., Minhas, D.S., Becker, C.R. et al. Image-Based 2D Re-Projection for Attenuation Substitution in PET Neuroimaging. Mol Imaging Biol 20, 826–834 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-018-1171-5

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