AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND SEGMENTATION OF TARGET REGIONS IN PET IMAGING USING DYNAMIC PROTOCOL AND MODELING

摘要

A continuous dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) assembly for imaging a target region of a subject. The assembly includes a radioactive tracer isotope injector configured to administer a radioactive isotope into the subject and a scintillator crystal configured to absorb ionizing radiation from the subject and emit scintillator light. The scintillator crystal undertakes the absorption substantially at the same time of the start of administering the radioactive isotope. The assembly also includes a photo detector in communication with the scintillator crystal, wherein the photodetector is configured to detect the emitted scintillation light as input and provide electrical signals as output. The assembly further includes a signal digitizing circuitry converting the output electrical signals into digital data. Moreover, the assembly includes a processor configured to receive the digital data and implement a model to convert the digital data into a three dimensional, tomographic image reconstruction.