Studies of a Next-Generation Silicon-Photomultiplier–Based Time-of-Flight PET/CT System

Abstract

This article presents system performance studies of the Discovery MI PET/CT system, a new time-of-flight (TOF) system based on silicon photomultipliers. System performance and clinical imaging comparisons were made between this next-generation system and other commercially available PET/CT and PET/MR systems, as well as between different reconstruction algorithms. Methods: Spatial resolution, sensitivity, NECR, scatter fraction, count rate accuracy, and image quality were characterized with the NEMA NU-2 2012 standards. Energy and coincidence time resolution were measured. Tests were conducted independently and results were averaged on two Discovery MI scanners installed at Stanford and Uppsala University Hospitals. Back-to-back patient scans were also performed between the Discovery MI PET/CT, Discovery 690 PET/CT, and SIGNA PET/MR systems. Clinical images were reconstructed with both ordered-subset expectation maximization (OSEM) and the "Q.Clear" reconstruction algorithms, and examined qualitatively. Results: The averaged full-width half max (FWHM) of the radial/tangential/axial spatial resolution reconstructed with FBP at 1, 10, and 20 cm from the system center are, respectively, 4.10/4.19/4.48 mm, 5.47/4.49/6.01 mm, and 7.53/4.90/6.10 mm. The averaged sensitivity is 13.7 cps/kBq at the center of the FOV. Averaged peak noise equivalent count rate is 193.4 kcps at 21.9 kBq/mL with a scatter fraction of 40.6%. The averaged contrast recovery coefficients for the image quality phantom are 53.7/64.0/73.1/82.7/86.8/90.7 for the 10/13/17/22/28/37 mm diameter spheres. The average photopeak energy resolution is 9.40% FWHM and the average coincidence time resolution is 375.4 ps FWHM. Clinical image comparisons between the PET/CT systems demonstrate the high quality of the Discovery MI system. Comparisons between the Discovery MI and SIGNA systems show similar spatial resolution and overall imaging performance. Lastly, results indicate significant image quality and contrast-to-noise performance enhancement for the "Q.Clear" reconstruction algorithm when compared to OSEM. Conclusion: Excellent performance was achieved with the new Discovery MI system, including 375 ps FWHM coincidence time resolution and sensitivity of 14 cps/kBq. Comparisons between different image reconstruction algorithms and other multimodal SiPM and non-SiPM-based PET detector system designs indicate substantial performance enhancements are possible with this next-generation system.