Comparison of cardiac image-derived input functions for quantitative whole body [18F]FDG imaging with arterial blood sampling
Open Access
- 22 March 2023
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Physiology
Abstract
Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) and the application of kinetic models can provide important quantitative information based on its temporal information. This however requires arterial blood sampling, which can be challenging to acquire. Nowadays, state-of-the-art PET/CT systems offer fully-automated, whole-body (WB) kinetic modelling protocols using image-derived input functions (IDIF) to replace arterial blood sampling. Here, we compared the validity of an automatic WB kinetic model protocol to the reference standard arterial input function (AIF) for both clinical and research settings. Sixteen healthy participants underwent dynamic WB [18F]FDG scans using a continuous bed motion PET/CT system with simultaneous arterial blood sampling. Multiple processing pipelines that included automatic and manually generated IDIFs derived from the aorta and left ventricle, with and without motion correction were compared to the AIF. Subsequently generated quantitative images of glucose metabolism were compared to evaluate performance of the different input functions. We observed moderate to high correlations between IDIFs and the AIF regarding area under the curve (r=0.49 – 0.89) as well as for the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlu) (r = 0.68 – 0.95). Manual placing of IDIFs and motion correction further improved their similarity to the AIF. In general, the automatic vendor protocol is a feasible approach for the quantification of CMRGlu for both, clinical and research settings where expertise or time is not available. However, we advise on a rigorous inspection of the placement of the volume of interest, the resulting IDIF, and the quantitative values to ensure valid interpretations. In protocols requiring longer scan times or where cohorts are prone to involuntary movement, manual IDIF definition with additional motion correction is recommended, as this has greater accuracy and reliability.Keywords
Funding Information
- Austrian Science Fund (KLI 1006 KLI 610)
- Vienna Science and Technology Fund (CS18-039)
- Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (DOC Stipendium)
This publication has 37 references indexed in Scilit:
- Need for Standardization of 18F-FDG PET/CT for Treatment Response AssessmentsJournal of Nuclear Medicine, 2011
- Diagnostic performance of post-treatment FDG PET or FDG PET/CT imaging in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysisEuropean Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 2011
- Measuring response to therapy using FDG PET: semi-quantitative and full kinetic analysisEuropean Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 2011
- Differential effects of global and cerebellar normalization on detection and differentiation of dementia in FDG-PET studiesNeuroImage, 2010
- A Curve-Fitting Approach to Estimate the Arterial Plasma Input Function for the Assessment of Glucose Metabolic Rate and Response to TreatmentJournal of Nuclear Medicine, 2009
- Recommendations on the Use of 18F-FDG PET in OncologyJournal of Nuclear Medicine, 2008
- Anatomy of SUVNuclear Medicine and Biology, 2000
- Models for computer simulation studies of input functions for tracer kinetic modeling with positron emission tomographyInternational Journal of Bio-Medical Computing, 1993
- Alternative Statistical Models for the Examination of Clinical Positron Emission Tomography/Fluorodeoxyglucose DataJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 1985
- Graphical Evaluation of Blood-to-Brain Transfer Constants from Multiple-Time Uptake DataJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 1983