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Review
. 2019 Aug;60(8):1044-1052.
doi: 10.2967/jnumed.118.217901. Epub 2019 Apr 26.

Development of Dedicated Brain PET Imaging Devices: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Ciprian Catana  1
Affiliations
Review

Development of Dedicated Brain PET Imaging Devices: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Ciprian Catana. J Nucl Med. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Whole-body PET scanners are not optimized for imaging small structures in the human brain. Several PET devices specifically designed for this task have been proposed either for stand-alone operation or as MR-compatible inserts. The main distinctive features of some of the most recent concepts and their performance characteristics, with a focus on spatial resolution and sensitivity, are reviewed. The trade-offs between the various performance characteristics, desired capabilities, and cost that need to be considered when designing a dedicated brain scanner are presented. Finally, the aspirational goals for future-generation scanners, some of the factors that have contributed to the current status, and how recent advances may affect future developments in dedicated brain PET instrumentation are briefly discussed.

Keywords: PET; high spatial resolution; multimodal imaging; neuroimaging.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Examples of dedicated PET scanners with conventional geometries: HRRT (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HRRT_PET.JPG) (A), jPET-D4 (20) (B), NeuroPET/CT (22) (C), Hamamatsu (23) (D), BBX (http://prescient-imaging.com/products/bbx/) (E), PET-Hat (24) (F), Helmet-PET (27) (G), and Mind-Tracker (courtesy of Qiyu Peng, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) (H).
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Schematic drawings (angled view) showing configuration of detector modules and cross-sectional detailed views (scale, 5:1) of scintillator arrays for dedicated PET scanners with conventional geometries: HRRT (A), jPET-D4 (B), NeuroPET/CT (C), Hamamatsu (D), BBX (E), PET-Hat (F), Helmet-PET (G), and Mind-Tracker (H). A 20-cm-diameter circle is shown inside each scanner. Scale bar represents 1 cm in detailed views.
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.
Examples of dedicated PET scanners with unconventional geometries: Helmet-PET plus chin (33) (A), dodecahedral (courtesy of Qiyu Peng, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) (B), and spherical (39) (C). NEMA = National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 4.
BrainPET prototype installed inside 3-T MR scanner and representative images from studies performed at Athinoula A. Martinos Center using 11C-NNC112 (coronal view [top]), 18F-FDG (sagittal view [middle]), and 11C-temozolomide (transaxial view and fused with morphologic MR image [bottom]).
FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 5.
Schematic drawings (angled view) showing configuration of detector modules and cross-sectional detailed views (scale, 5:1) of scintillator arrays for dedicated MR-compatible PET inserts with conventional geometries: BrainPET (A), charge signal transmission (B), add-on PET insert with 4-layer DOI-capable detectors (C), radiofrequency-penetrable PET (D), MINDView (E), and TRIMAGE (F). A 20-cm-diameter circle is shown inside each scanner. Scale bar represents 1 cm in detailed views.
FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 6.
Possible geometry for 7-T MRI-compatible high-sensitivity brain PET scanner.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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