High-resolution, quantitative 3D PET image reconstruction for the Siemens hybrid 3T MR/BrainPET scanner using the PET reconstruction software toolkit (PRESTO)

Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany The Siemens 3T MR-BrainPET scanner allows us to simultaneously acquire high-resolution MR and PET images thus giving a strong asset for studies of the human brain. Meanwhile, the system is routinely used for MR-PET studies with a variety of radiotracers, e.g. F-FDG, F-FET, C-Raclopride, C-Flumazenil, O-Water. Based on the vendors’ sinogram-based reconstruction, quantitative dynamic images are obtained. However, this reconstruction uses compressed data in terms of span (axial) and mash (transaxial). Avoiding such data reduction strategies is desirable to improve the image quality. In this context, the PET Reconstruction Software Toolkit (PRESTO) provides better image quality in terms of resolution and noise at the expense of increased computational effort. For the first time, an accurate quantification with PRESTO has been achieved