Performance Evaluation of a High-Resolution Nonhuman Primate PET/CT System

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine
• Primate Research

Background:

• The LFER 150 is a novel large-field-of-view extreme-resolution portable research imager designed for nonhuman primate (NHP) imaging.
• Evaluating imaging system performance is crucial for reliable research outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the performance of the LFER 150 PET/CT system using the NEMA NU 4-2008 standard.
• To conduct a preliminary in vivo evaluation of the system in a nonhuman primate.

Main Methods:

• Performance metrics including resolution, sensitivity, image quality, and noise-equivalent count rate (NECR) were measured using phantoms.
• An in vivo study involved a cynomolgus monkey scanned with ¹⁸F-FE-PE2I to assess dopamine transporter binding.

Main Results:

• High resolution (<2.2 mm radial FWHM) and sensitivity were achieved.
• The system demonstrated good image uniformity (3.3%) and low spillover.
• Peak NECR reached 430 kcps (rat phantom) and 78 kcps (monkey phantom).
• 1-mm rods were distinguishable in phantom studies, and in vivo binding potentials matched previous high-resolution tomograph results.

Conclusions:

• The LFER 150 PET/CT system exhibits high resolution and performance suitable for NHP brain imaging.
• Phantom and in vivo results validate the system's capabilities for advanced research applications.