Optimized list-mode acquisition and data processing procedures for ACS2 based PET systems

PET systems using the acquisition control system version 2 (ACS2), e.g. the ECAT Exact HR PET scanner series, offer a rather restricted list-mode functionality. For instance, typical transfers of acquisition data consume a considerable amount of time. This represents a severe obstacle to the utilization of potential advantages of list-mode acquisition. In our study, we have developed hardware and software solutions which do not only allow for the integration of list-mode into routine procedures, but also improve the overall runtime stability of the system. We show that our methods are able to speed up the transfer of the acquired data to the image reconstruction and processing workstations by a factor of up to 140. We discuss how this improvement allows for the integration of list-mode-based post-processing methods such as an event-driven movement correction into the data processing environment, and how list-mode is able to improve the overall flexibility of PET investigations in general. Furthermore, we show that our methods are also attractive for conventional histogram-mode acquisition, due to the improved stability of the ACS2 system.