EARL compliance on the Biograph Vision Quadra PET-CT: phantom study for static and continuous bed motion acquisitions

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Physics
• Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Quantitative PET Imaging

Background:

• Long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) PET systems offer enhanced sensitivity.
• Compliance with European Association of Nuclear Medicine Research Laboratory (EARL) standards is crucial for quantitative PET imaging.
• The impact of EARL standards on advanced LAFOV PET systems, including the Siemens Biograph Vision Quadra, across various acquisition modes is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify reconstruction parameters for EARL 1 and 2 compliance on the Biograph Vision Quadra PET system.
• To evaluate compliance in both static and continuous bed motion (CBM) acquisitions across High Sensitivity (HS) and Ultra-High Sensitivity (UHS) modes.
• To optimize image quality while adhering to quantitative accuracy standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the IEC body phantom with 18F-FDG and varied acquisition modes (static, CBM, HS, UHS).
• Reconstructed images using standard and varied parameters (Gaussian filters, matrix sizes).
• Assessed EARL compliance using the EARL tool, focusing on SUV recovery coefficients (RCSUVmean, RCSUVmax, RCSUVpeak).

Main Results:

• Identified EARL-compliant reconstruction parameters for all tested acquisition modes.
• No significant differences in compliance were observed between static and CBM acquisitions.
• EARL compliance necessitated substantial image quality reduction, more pronounced in UHS mode and for EARL 1, resulting in smoother images with reduced contrast.

Conclusions:

• EARL compliance, while ensuring standardization, significantly compromises image quality on advanced LAFOV PET systems.
• The current EARL standards may not be suitable for the high-performance capabilities of modern PET scanners.
• An updated "EARL 3" standard is recommended to accommodate the advancements in LAFOV PET technology.