Optimising Graphical Techniques Applied to Irreversible Tracers

Graphical analysis techniques are often applied to positron emission tomography (PET) images to estimate physiological parameters. Patlak analysis is primarily used to obtain the rate constant (Ki) that indicates the transfer of a tracer from plasma to the irreversible compartment and ultimately describes how the tracer binds to the targeted tissue. One of the most common issues associated with Patlak analysis is the introduction of statistical noise that affects the slope of the graphical plot and causes bias. In this study, several statistical methods are proposed and applied to PET time activity curves (TACs) for both reversible and irreversible regions that are involved in the equation. A dynamic PET imaging simulator for the Patlak model was used to evaluate the statistical methods employed to reduce the bias introduced in the acquired data.