Design optimisation of a flat-panel, limited-angle TOF-PET scanner : a simulation study

Orehar, Matic (author), Dolenec, Rok (author), El Fakhri, Georges (author), Korpar, Samo (author), Križan, Peter (author), Razdevšek, Gašper (author), Marin, Thibault (author), Žontar, Dejan (author), Pestotnik, Rok (author)

In time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET), a coincidence time resolution (CTR) below 100 ps reduces the angular coverage requirements and, thus, the geometric constraints of the scanner design. Among other possibilities, this opens the possibility of using flat-panel PET detectors. Such a design would be more cost-accessible and compact and allow for a higher degree of modularity than a conventional ring scanner. However, achieving adequate CTR is a considerable challenge and requires improvements at every level of detection. Based on recent results in the ongoing development of optimised TOF-PET photodetectors and electronics, we expect that within a few years, a CTR of about 75 ps will be achievable at the system level. In this work, flat-panel scanners with four panels and various design parameters were simulated, assessed and compared to a reference scanner based on the Siemens Biograph Vision using NEMA NU 2-2018 metrics. Point sources were also simulated, and a method for evaluating spatial resolution that is more appropriate for flat-panel geometry is presented. We also studied the effects of crystal readout strategies, comparing single-crystal and module readout levels. The results demonstrate that with a CTR below 100 ps, a flat-panel scanner can achieve image quality comparable to that of a reference clinical scanner, with considerable savings in scintillator material.

• Language: English
• Keywords: PET detector development, time-of-flight, time-of-flight positron emission tomography, TOF-PET, GATE, Monte Carlo simulation, CASToR
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 17, art. 1976
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-169395
• UDC: 539.1
• ISSN on article: 2075-4418
• DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14171976
• COBISS.SI-ID: 207781123
• Publication date in RUL: 27.05.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Diagnostics
• Shortened title: Diagnostics
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2075-4418
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519963673

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: pozitronska emisijska tomografija, razvoj tomografov, čas preleta, tomografija, metoda Monte Carlo