A device to measure the effects of strong magnetic fields on the image resolution of PET scanners

✍ Scribed by D. Burdette; D. Albani; E. Chesi; N.H. Clinthorne; E. Cochran; K. Honscheid; S.S. Huh; H. Kagan; M. Knopp; C. Lacasta; M. Mikuz; P. Schmalbrock; A. Studen; P. Weilhammer

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 706 KB
• Volume: 609
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0168-9002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2009.07.090

✦ Synopsis

Very high resolution images can be achieved in small animal PET systems utilizing solid state silicon pad detectors. As these systems approach sub-millimeter resolutions, the range of the positron is becoming the dominant contribution to image blur. The size of the positron range effect depends on the initial positron energy and hence the radioactive tracer used. For higher energy positron emitters, such as 68 Ga and 94m Tc, which are gaining importance in small animal studies, the width of the annihilation point distribution dominates the spatial resolution. This positron range effect can be reduced by embedding the field of view of the PET scanner in a strong magnetic field. In order to confirm this effect experimentally, we developed a high resolution PET instrument based on silicon pad detectors that can operate in a 7 T magnetic field. In this paper, we describe the instrument and present initial results of a study of the effects of magnetic fields up to 7 T on PET image resolution for 22 Na and 68 Ga point sources.