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Author Cabello, J.; Rafecas, M.
Title Comparison of basis functions for 3D PET reconstruction using a Monte Carlo system matrix Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.
Volume 57 Issue 7 Pages 1759-1777
Keywords
Abstract In emission tomography, iterative statistical methods are accepted as the reconstruction algorithms that achieve the best image quality. The accuracy of these methods relies partly on the quality of the system response matrix (SRM) that characterizes the scanner. The more physical phenomena included in the SRM, the higher the SRM quality, and therefore higher image quality is obtained from the reconstruction process. High-resolution small animal scanners contain as many as 10(3)-10(4) small crystal pairs, while the field of view (FOV) is divided into hundreds of thousands of small voxels. These two characteristics have a significant impact on the number of elements to be calculated in the SRM. Monte Carlo (MC) methods have gained popularity as a way of calculating the SRM, due to the increased accuracy achievable, at the cost of introducing some statistical noise and long simulation times. In the work presented here the SRM is calculated using MC methods exploiting the cylindrical symmetries of the scanner, significantly reducing the simulation time necessary to calculate a high statistical quality SRM and the storage space necessary. The use of cylindrical symmetries makes polar voxels a convenient basis function. Alternatively, spherically symmetric basis functions result in improved noise properties compared to cubic and polar basis functions. The quality of reconstructed images using polar voxels, spherically symmetric basis functions on a polar grid, cubic voxels and post-reconstruction filtered polar and cubic voxels is compared from a noise and spatial resolution perspective. This study demonstrates that polar voxels perform as well as cubic voxels, reducing the simulation time necessary to calculate the SRM and the disk space necessary to store it. Results showed that spherically symmetric functions outperform polar and cubic basis functions in terms of noise properties, at the cost of slightly degraded spatial resolution, larger SRM file size and longer reconstruction times. However, we demonstrate that post-reconstruction smoothing, usually applied in emission imaging to reduce the level of noise, can produce a spatial resolution degradation of similar to 50%, while spherically symmetric basis functions produce a degradation of only similar to 6%, compared to polar and cubic voxels, at the same noise level. Therefore, the image quality trade-off obtained with blobs is higher than that obtained with cubic or polar voxels.
Address [Cabello, Jorge; Rafecas, Magdalena] Univ Valencia, Inst Fis Corpuscular, CSIC, Valencia, Spain, Email: jorge.cabello@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000302121000004 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration no
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 955
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Author Blume, M.; Navab, N.; Rafecas, M.
Title Joint image and motion reconstruction for PET using a B-spline motion model Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.
Volume 57 Issue 24 Pages 22pp
Keywords
Abstract We present a novel joint image and motion reconstruction method for PET. The method is based on gated data and reconstructs an image together with amotion function. The motion function can be used to transform the reconstructed image to any of the input gates. All available events (from all gates) are used in the reconstruction. The presented method uses a B-spline motion model, together with a novel motion regularization procedure that does not need a regularization parameter (which is usually extremely difficult to adjust). Several image and motion grid levels are used in order to reduce the reconstruction time. In a simulation study, the presented method is compared to a recently proposed joint reconstruction method. While the presented method provides comparable reconstruction quality, it is much easier to use since no regularization parameter has to be chosen. Furthermore, since the B-spline discretization of the motion function depends on fewer parameters than a displacement field, the presented method is considerably faster and consumes less memory than its counterpart. The method is also applied to clinical data, for which a novel purely data-driven gating approach is presented.
Address [Blume, Moritz; Rafecas, Magdalena] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain, Email: moritz.blume@fasterplan.com
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000312106200009 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1267
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Author Gillam, J.E.; Solevi, P.; Oliver, J.F.; Rafecas, M.
Title Simulated one-pass list-mode: an approach to on-the-fly system matrix calculation Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.
Volume 58 Issue 7 Pages 2377-2394
Keywords
Abstract In the development of prototype systems for positron emission tomography a valid and robust image reconstruction algorithm is required. However, prototypes often employ novel detector and system geometries which may change rapidly under optimization. In addition, developing systems generally produce highly granular, or possibly continuous detection domains which require some level of on-the-fly calculation for retention of measurement precision. In this investigation a new method of on-the-fly system matrix calculation is proposed that provides advantages in application to such list-mode systems in terms of flexibility in system modeling. The new method is easily adaptable to complicated system geometries and available computational resources. Detection uncertainty models are used as random number generators to produce ensembles of possible photon trajectories at image reconstruction time for each datum in the measurement list. However, the result of this approach is that the system matrix elements change at each iteration in a non-repetitive manner. The resulting algorithm is considered the simulation of a one-pass list (SOPL) which is generated and the list traversed during image reconstruction. SOPL alters the system matrix in use at each iteration and so behavior within the maximum likelihood-expectation maximization algorithm was investigated. A two-pixel system and a small two dimensional imaging model are used to illustrate the process and quantify aspects of the algorithm. The two-dimensional imaging system showed that, while incurring a penalty in image resolution, in comparison to a non-random equal-computation counterpart, SOPL provides much enhanced noise properties. In addition, enhancement in system matrix quality is straightforward (by increasing the number of samples in the ensemble) so that the resolution penalty can be recovered when desired while retaining improvement in noise properties. Finally the approach is tested and validated against a standard (highly accurate) system matrix using experimental data from a prototype system-the AX-PET.
Address [Gillam, J. E.; Solevi, P.; Oliver, J. F.; Rafecas, M.] Univ Valencia, CSIC, IFIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular, Valencia, Spain, Email: john.gillam@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000316181300024 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration no
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1370
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Author Solevi, P. et al; Oliver, J.F.; Gillam, J.E.; Rafecas, M.
Title A Monte-Carlo based model of the AX-PET demonstrator and its experimental validation Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.
Volume 58 Issue 16 Pages 5495-5510
Keywords
Abstract AX-PET is a novel PET detector based on axially oriented crystals and orthogonal wavelength shifter (WLS) strips, both individually read out by silicon photo-multipliers. Its design decouples sensitivity and spatial resolution, by reducing the parallax error due to the layered arrangement of the crystals. Additionally the granularity of AX-PET enhances the capability to track photons within the detector yielding a large fraction of inter-crystal scatter events. These events, if properly processed, can be included in the reconstruction stage further increasing the sensitivity. Its unique features require dedicated Monte-Carlo simulations, enabling the development of the device, interpreting data and allowing the development of reconstruction codes. At the same time the non-conventional design of AX-PET poses several challenges to the simulation and modeling tasks, mostly related to the light transport and distribution within the crystals and WLS strips, as well as the electronics readout. In this work we present a hybrid simulation tool based on an analytical model and a Monte-Carlo based description of the AX-PET demonstrator. It was extensively validated against experimental data, providing excellent agreement.
Address [Solevi, P.; Oliver, J. F.; Gillam, J. E.; Rafecas, M.] Univ Valencia, CSIC, IFIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain, Email: paola.solevi@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000322775300012 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1544
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Author Gillam, J.E.; Solevi, P.; Oliver, J.F.; Casella, C.; Heller, M.; Joram, C.; Rafecas, M.
Title Sensitivity recovery for the AX-PET prototype using inter-crystal scattering events Type Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.
Volume 59 Issue 15 Pages 4065-4083
Keywords positron emission tomography (PET); inter-crystal scattering; sensitivity
Abstract The development of novel detection devices and systems such as the AX-positron emission tomography (PET) demonstrator often introduce or increase the measurement of atypical coincidence events such as inter-crystal scattering (ICS). In more standard systems, ICS events often go undetected and the small measured fraction may be ignored. As the measured quantity of such events in the data increases, so too does the importance of considering them during image reconstruction. Generally, treatment of ICS events will attempt to determine which of the possible candidate lines of response (LoRs) correctly determine the annihilation photon trajectory. However, methods of assessment often have low success rates or are computationally demanding. In this investigation alternative approaches are considered. Experimental data was taken using the AX-PET prototype and a NEMA phantom. Three methods of ICS treatment were assessed-each of which considered all possible candidate LoRs during image reconstruction. Maximum likelihood expectation maximization was used in conjunction with both standard (line-like) and novel (V-like in this investigation) detection responses modeled within the system matrix. The investigation assumed that no information other than interaction locations was available to distinguish between candidates, yet the methods assessed all provided means by which such information could be included. In all cases it was shown that the signal to noise ratio is increased using ICS events. However, only one method, which used full modeling of the ICS response in the system matrix-the V-like model-provided enhancement in all figures of merit assessed in this investigation. Finally, the optimal method of ICS incorporation was demonstrated using data from two small animals measured using the AX-PET demonstrator.
Address [Gillam, John E.; Solevi, Paola; Oliver, Josep F.; Rafecas, Magdalena] Univ Valencia, CSIC, IFIC, Valencia, Spain, Email: john.gillam@sydney.edu.au
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000340056800006 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1879
Permanent link to this record