Evaluation of 3D reconstruction algorithms for a small animal PET camera

The use of paired, opposing position-sensitive phototube scintillation cameras (SCs) operating in coincidence for small animal imaging with positron emitters is currently under study. Because of the low sensitivity of the system even in 3D mode and the need to produce images with high resolution, it was postulated that a 3D expectation maximization (EM) reconstruction algorithm might be well suited for this application. We investigated six reconstruction algorithms for the 3D SC PET camera: 2D filtered back-projection (FBP), 3D reprojection (3DRP), 2D EM, 3D EM, 2D ordered subset EM (OSEM), and 3D OSEM. Noise was assessed for all slices by the coefficient of variation in a simulated uniform cylinder. Resolution was assessed from a simulation of 15 point sources in the warm background of the uniform cylinder. At comparable noise levels, the resolution achieved with EM and OSEM (0.9-mm to 1.2-mm) is significantly better than that obtained with FBP or 3DRP (1.5-mm to 2.0-mm.) Images of a rat skull labeled with F-18-fluoride suggest that 3D EM and 3D OSEM can improve image quality of a small animal PET camera.