Empirical Inference

Towards quantitative PET/MRI: a review of MR-based attenuation correction techniques

2009

Article

ei


Introduction Positron emission tomography (PET) is a fully quantitative technology for imaging metabolic pathways and dynamic processes in vivo. Attenuation correction of raw PET data is a prerequisite for quantification and is typically based on separate transmission measurements. In PET/CT attenuation correction, however, is performed routinely based on the available CT transmission data. Objective Recently, combined PET/magnetic resonance (MR) has been proposed as a viable alternative to PET/CT. Current concepts of PET/MRI do not include CT-like transmission sources and, therefore, alternative methods of PET attenuation correction must be found. This article reviews existing approaches to MR-based attenuation correction (MR-AC). Most groups have proposed MR-AC algorithms for brain PET studies and more recently also for torso PET/MR imaging. Most MR-AC strategies require the use of complementary MR and transmission images, or morphology templates generated from transmission images. We review and discuss these algorithms and point out challenges for using MR-AC in clinical routine. Discussion MR-AC is work-in-progress with potentially promising results from a template-based approach applicable to both brain and torso imaging. While efforts are ongoing in making clinically viable MR-AC fully automatic, further studies are required to realize the potential benefits of MR-based motion compensation and partial volume correction of the PET data.

Author(s): Hofmann, M. and Pichler, B. and Schölkopf, B. and Beyer, T.
Journal: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Volume: 36
Number (issue): Supplement 1
Pages: 93-104
Year: 2009
Month: March
Day: 0

Department(s): Empirical Inference
Bibtex Type: Article (article)

Digital: 0
DOI: 10.1007/s00259-008-1007-7
Language: en
Organization: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
School: Biologische Kybernetik

Links: PDF

BibTex

@article{5674,
  title = {Towards quantitative PET/MRI: a review of MR-based attenuation correction techniques},
  author = {Hofmann, M. and Pichler, B. and Sch{\"o}lkopf, B. and Beyer, T.},
  journal = {European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging},
  volume = {36},
  number = {Supplement 1},
  pages = {93-104},
  organization = {Max-Planck-Gesellschaft},
  school = {Biologische Kybernetik},
  month = mar,
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1007/s00259-008-1007-7},
  month_numeric = {3}
}