PET Parametric Imaging: Past, Present, and Future

• Published in: IEEE transactions on radiation and plasma medical sciences Vol. 4; no. 6; pp. 663 - 675
• Main Authors: Wang, Guobao, Rahmim, Arman, Gunn, Roger N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.11.2020; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Biomedical imaging; Blood flow; Cardiology; Dynamic imaging; Glucose metabolism; Image reconstruction; Imaging; kinetic modeling; Neurology; Oncology; parametric imaging; Positron emission; Positron emission tomography; positron emission tomography (PET); Radioactive tracers; Radiotracer; Spatial distribution; Temporal distribution; Tomography; parametric imaging; image reconstruction; PET; dynamic imaging; kinetic modeling
• ISSN: 2469-7311; 2469-7303
• DOI: 10.1109/TRPMS.2020.3025086

Positron emission tomography (PET) is actively used in a diverse range of applications in oncology, cardiology, and neurology. The use of PET in the clinical setting focuses on static (single time frame) imaging at a specific time-point post radiotracer injection and is typically considered as semi-quantitative; e.g., standardized uptake value (SUV) measures. In contrast, dynamic PET imaging requires increased acquisition times but has the advantage that it measures the full spatiotemporal distribution of a radiotracer and, in combination with tracer kinetic modeling, enables the generation of multiparametric images that more directly quantify underlying biological parameters of interest, such as blood flow, glucose metabolism, and receptor binding. Parametric images have the potential for improved detection and for more accurate and earlier therapeutic response assessment. Parametric imaging with dynamic PET has witnessed extensive research in the past four decades. In this article, we provide an overview of past and present activities and discuss emerging opportunities in the field of parametric imaging for the future.