PET/CT scanner instrumentation, challenges, and solutions.
PET/CT scanners offer a hardware solution for aligning and viewing functional and anatomic images that is immune to many of the errors in strictly software registration techniques. Moreover, PET attenuation-corrected emission scans benefit from the use of the onboard CT for fast, low-noise attenuation correction. Along with the significant improved localization and reduced acquisition time, PET/CT scanners also introduce new instrumentation challenges ranging from patient movement to quantitative attenuation correction. This article provides an overview of current PET/CT scanner technology, a discussion of challenges faced by these systems, and pending solutions.
Alessio
Adam M
AM
Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356004, Seattle, WA 98195-6004, USA.
Kinahan
Paul E
PE
Cheng
Phillip M
PM
Vesselle
Hubert
H
Karp
Joel S
JS
D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed