Biomedical subjects

Taiga Yamaya

Publications and source records attributed to Taiga Yamaya.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evaluation of static physics performance of the jPET-D4 by Monte Carlo simulations.

The jPET-D4 is the first PET scanner to introduce a unique four-layer depth-of-interaction (DOI) detector scheme in order to achieve high sensitivity and uniform high spatial resolution. This paper compares measurement and Monte Carlo simulation results of the static physics performance of this prototype research PET scanner. Measurement results include single and coincidence energy spectra, point and line source sensitivities, axial sensitivity profile (slice profile) and scatter fraction. We use GATE (Geant4 application for tomographic emission) as a Monte Carlo radiation transport model. Experimental results are reproduced well by the simulation model with reasonable assumptions on characteristic responses of the DOI detectors. In a previous study, the jPET-D4 was shown to provide a uniform spatial resolution as good as 3 mm (FHWM). In the present study, we demonstrate that a high sensitivity, 11.3 +/- 0.5%, is provided at the FOV centre. However, about three-fourths of this sensitivity is related to multiple-crystal events, for which some misidentification of the crystal cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a more efficient way to identify the crystal of interaction and to reduce misidentification in order to make use of these high performance values simultaneously. We expect that effective sensitivity can be improved by replacing the GSO crystals with more absorptive crystals such as BGO and LSO. The results we describe here are essential to take full advantage of the next generation PET systems that have DOI recognition capability.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2006

Effects of image reconstruction algorithm on neurotransmission PET studies in humans: comparison between filtered backprojection and ordered subsets expectation maximization.

OBJECTIVES: Both reconstruction algorithms, filtered backprojection (FBP) and ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM), are widely used in clinical positron emission tomography (PET) studies. Image reconstruction for most neurotransmission PET scan data is performed by FBP, while image reconstruction for whole-body [18F]FDG scan data is usually performed by OSEM. Although several investigators have compared FBP and OSEM in terms of the quantification of regional radioactivity and physiological parameters calculated from PET data, only a few studies have compared the two reconstruction algorithms in PET studies that estimate neurotransmission, i.e., neuroreceptor and neurotransporter binding. In this study we compared mean regional radioactivity concentration in the late phase and binding potential (BP) between FBP and OSEM algorithms in neurotransmission PET studies for [11C]raclopride and [11C]DASB. METHODS: Dynamic PET scans with [11C]raclopride in 3-dimensional mode were performed on seven healthy subjects. Dynamic PET scans with [11C]DASB in 2-dimensional mode were performed on another seven subjects. OSEM images were post-filtered so that its transverse spatial resolution became similar to that of FBP with the same Hanning filter (Kernel FWHM 6 mm). In both PET studies we calculated the BP of [11C]raclopride and [11C]DASB by a reference tissue model for each ROI (region of interest). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean regional radioactivity concentration between FBP and OSEM for [11C]raclopride and [11C]DASB. Only +2.4 - +3.2%, but still a significant difference in BP of [11C]raclopride between FBP and OSEM was observed in the striatum. There was no significant difference in BP between FBP and OSEM in other than the striatum for [11C]raclopride and in all regions for [11C]DASB. In addition, there was no significant difference in root mean square error between FBP and OSEM when BP was calculated. CONCLUSIONS: The BP values were similar between FBP and OSEM algorithms with [11C]raclopride and [11C]DASB. This study indicates that OSEM can be used for human neurotransmission PET studies for calculating BP although OSEM was not necessarily superior to FBP in the present study.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Transaxial system models for jPET-D4 image reconstruction.

A high-performance brain PET scanner, jPET-D4, which provides four-layer depth-of-interaction (DOI) information, is being developed to achieve not only high spatial resolution, but also high scanner sensitivity. One technical issue to be dealt with is the data dimensions which increase in proportion to the square of the number of DOI layers. It is, therefore, difficult to apply algebraic or statistical image reconstruction methods directly to DOI-PET, though they improve image quality through accurate system modelling. The process that requires the most computational time and storage space is the calculation of the huge number of system matrix elements. The DOI compression (DOIC) method, which we have previously proposed, reduces data dimensions by a factor of 1/5. In this paper, we propose a transaxial imaging system model optimized for jPET-D4 with the DOIC method. The proposed model assumes that detector response functions (DRFs) are uniform along line-of-responses (LORs). Then each element of the system matrix is calculated as the summed intersection lengths between a pixel and sub-LORs weighted by a value from the DRF look-up-table. 2D numerical simulation results showed that the proposed model cut the calculation time by a factor of several hundred while keeping image quality, compared with the accurate system model. A 3D image reconstruction with the on-the-fly calculation of the system matrix is within the practical limitations by incorporating the proposed model and the DOIC method with one-pass accelerated iterative methods.

Brain↗

PubMed2005

[2D imaging simulations of a small animal PET scanner with DOI measurement: jPET-RD.].

We present a preliminary study on the design of a high sensitivity small animal DOI-PET scanner: jPET-RD (for Rodents with DOI detectors), which will contribute to molecular imaging. The 4-layer DOI block detector for the jPET-RD that consists of scintillation crystals (1.4 mm x 1.4 mm x 4.5 mm) and a flat panel position-sensitive photomultiplier tube (52 mm x 52 mm) was previously proposed. In this paper, we investigate imaging performance of the jPET-RD through numerical simulations. The scanner has a hexagonal geometry with a small diameter and a large axial aperture. Therefore DOI information is expected to improve resolution uniformity in the whole field of view (FOV). We simulate the scanner for various parameters of the number of DOI channels and the crystal length. Simulated data are reconstructed using the maximum likelihood expectation maximization with accurate system modeling. The trade-off results between background noise and spatial resolution show that only shortening the length of crystal does not improve the trade-off at all, and that 4-layer DOI information improves uniformity of spatial resolution in the whole FOV. Excellent performance of the jPET-RD can be expected based on the numerical simulation results.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

On-clock non-paralyzable count-loss model.

This paper proposes a new count-loss model that is applicable to radiation detection systems in the field of nuclear medicine. The proposed model, represented by n = (1 - exp(-tau(n)0))/tau(n)0: input rate, n: output rate,tau: system clock duration), gives higher count rates than the well-known standard nonparalyzable (non-extensible) model represented by n = n0/(1 + tau(n)0) does, being equally simple. This model assumes that a part of the data processing is performed on a fixed system clock, requiring a data buffering function (latch) to retain digital event information temporarily, and that input timing is random. The model's simple interpretation and expression also offers an advantage over various other advanced count-loss models proposed so far. This model was found to be a better fit to a data-acquisition system for a positron emission tomography scanner.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2002

Shielding effects of body - shields for 3D PET.

We analyzed basic physics characteristics of body-shields which have been considered for screening out radioactivity outside the field of view (OFOV) in positron emission tomography (PET). Phantom experiments were performed with simple rectangular body-shields. A Monte Carlo simulation technique was used to analyze the experimental results and to simulate cases that were not examined experimentally. It was confirmed that the body-shields effectively reduced unwanted radiations from OFOV radioactivity for one of the latest commercial PET scanners, the ECAT EXACT HR(+). The geometrical conditions were the most important factor in determining the shielding effect. The shield thickness should be large enough to keep the shield-scatter component low. The body-shield should be carefully designed to minimize the gap between the body-shield and radioactive distribution as much as possible to maximize the shielding effects, and to be applicable to clinical diagnoses.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed2002

Fast determination method of cerebral metabolic rate images of glucose using dynamic PET data.

Measurement of the rate constant parameters of the tracer 18F-FDG, used with positron emission tomography (PET) to determine the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlc), can provide a clear understanding of the physiological processes in the human brain. At present, the methods that are widely used to obtain CMRGlc, such as nonlinear least squares (NLS), first require the reconstruction of a time sequence of images. The reconstruction of these images requires a large amount of computation, especially in 3D Depth-of Interaction PET (DOI-PET), and the nonlinear based methods also require a large amount of computation. In this paper, we propose a fast parametric image reconstruction method for 18F-FDG dynamic PET studies. In our method a deconvolving process is first employed on the time sequential projection data to remove the effect of the measured plasma time activity. The deconvolved terms are integrated over three different time intervals and the parameters for determining CMRGlc can be obtained analytically. Our method requires only three reconstructing processes and reduces the computational demand to estimate CMRGlc. The algorithm performance is evaluated using a digital phantom and a clinical data set and the results show that the proposed method produces images with the same or better quality as the images from the NLS method, with much less computation compared to the NLS method.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2001

[Algebraic 2D PET image reconstruction using depth-of-interaction information]

Recently a high-performance PET scanner, which measures depth-of-interaction (DOI) information, is being developed for molecular imaging. DOI measurement of multi-layered thin crystals can improve spatial resolution and scanner sensitivity simultaneously. In this paper, we apply an algebraic image reconstruction method to 2-dimensional (2D) DOI-PET scanners using accurate system modeling, in order to evaluate the effects of using DOI information on PET image quality. Algebraic image reconstruction methods have been successfully used to improve PET image quality, compared with the conventional filtered backprojection method. The proposed method is applied to simulated data for a small 2D DOI-PET scanner. The results show that accurate system modeling improves spatial resolution without noise emphasis, and that DOI information improves uniformity of spatial resolution.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Monte Carlo simulation for PET scanners and shields.

A Monte Carlo simulation code was developed for simulating PET scanners with the Monte Carlo program package GEANT. The present simulation code can handle not only conventional types of PET scanners, but also any complex detector systems with arbitrary geometrical configuration. All the relevant interactions of photons and electrons are taken into account in all the defined objects while optical tracking in the scintillation crystals is approximated by simple analytical simulation. In addition to basic PET scanner performance factors, such as sensitivity and scatter fraction, valuable but un-measurable information, such as photon trajectories and interaction position distribution, can be obtained and represented graphically in various ways. This simulation code has proved useful in analyzing the physics characteristics of existing commercial PET scanners and related shields, and in design studies of new PET scanners.

Journal Article↗