MEETING ABSTRACT Open Access Optimisation of PET framing sequences

Our goal is to propose and evaluate a method for choosing framing sequences for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) acquisition protocols. Data detected by PET scanners is translated into concentration of radiotracer by using image reconstruction methods. Most of these methods require a sequence of frame durations to be defined a priori. After reconstruction, the PET data needs to be quantified and combined with MR images to allow statistical intersubject comparisons. The resulting kinetic para-meters then depend on the framing sequence adopted. However, though the literature offers a set of such sequences to choose from for common radiotracers, there are no methods for optimising this choice. We generated perfect reference and tissue data with the simplified reference tissue method (SRTM) [1] model, using data from the literature for [11C]-Raclopride and by choosing parameter values for regions of high binding and low binding (R1=1.15, k2=6.3E-3, BP=3.3 and R1=1.15, k2=6.3E-3, BP=4.3E-1, respectively), [2]. A list-mode data file simulating dynamic PET data for the Siemens 3T MR-BrainPET was further generated, using the Utah phantom. It was such that the time activity curves obtaine