Comparative analysis of iterative reconstruction algorithms with resolution recovery and time of flight modeling for 18 F-FDG cardiac PET: A multi-center phantom study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality in cardiac 18f-fdg pet using the time of flight (tof) and/or point spread function (psf) modeling in the iterative reconstruction (ir). three scanners and an anthropomorphic cardiac phantom with an insert simulating a transmural defect (td) were used. two sets of scans (with/without td) were acquired, and four reconstruction schemes were considered: (1) ir; (2) ir + psf, (3) ir + tof, and (4) ir + tof + psf. lv wall thickness (fwhm), contrast between lv wall and inner chamber (c ic), and td contrast in lv wall (c td) were evaluated. tests of the reconstruction protocols showed a decrease in fwhm from ir (13 mm) to ir + psf (11 mm); an increase in the c ic from ir (65%) to ir + psf (71%) and from ir + tof (72%) to ir + tof + psf (77%); and an increase in the c td from ir + psf (72%) to ir + tof (75%) and to ir + tof + psf (77%). tests of the scanner/software combinations showed a decrease in fwhm from gemini_tf (13 mm) to biograph_mct (12 mm) and to discovery_690 (11 mm); an increase in the c ic from gemini_tf (65%) to biograph_mct (73%) and to discovery_690 (75%); and an increase in the c td from gemini_tf/biograph_mct (72%) to discovery_690 (77%). the introduction of tof and psf increases image quality in cardiac 18f-fdg pet. the scanner/software combinations exhibit different performances, which should be taken into consideration when making cross comparisons.