PET provides an in vivo molecular and functional imaging capability that could be valuable for studying the interaction of plants in changing environments at the whole-plant level. We have developed a dedicated plant PET imager housed in a plant growth chamber (PGC), which provides a fully controlled environment. The system currently contains two types of scintillation detector modules from commercial small animal PET scanners: 84 microPET® detectors, which are made with scintillation crystal arrays of 2.2 mm(3) × 2.2 mm(3) × 10 mm(3) crystals to provide a large detection area; and 32 Inveon™ detectors, which are made with scintillation crystal arrays of 1.5 mm(3) × 1.5 mm(3) × 10 mm(3) crystals to provide higher spatial resolution. The detector modules are configured to form two half-rings, which provide a 15 cm-diameter trans-axial field of view (FOV) for dynamic tomographic imaging of small plants. Alternatively, the Inveon detectors can be reconfigured to form quarter-rings, which provide a 25 cm FOV using step-and-shoot motion. The imager contains two linear stages that move detectors vertically at different heights for multisection scanning, and two rotation stages to collect coincidence events from all angles when using the step-and-shoot acquisition. The detector modules and mechanical components of the imager are housed inside a PGC that regulates the environmental parameters. The system has a typical energy resolution of 15% for the Inveon detectors and 24% for the microPET detectors, timing resolution of 1.8 ns, and sensitivity of 1.3%, 1.4% and 3.0% measured at the center of the FOV, 5 cm off to the larger half-ring and 5 cm off to the smaller half-ring, respectively (with a 350-650 keV energy window and 3.1 ns timing window). The system's spatial resolution is capable of resolving rod sources of 1.25 mm diameter spaced 2.5 mm apart (center to center) using the ML-EM reconstruction algorithm. Preliminary imaging experiments using soybean and wild type and mutant maize labeled with (11)CO2 produced high-quality dynamic PET images that reveal the translocation and distribution patterns of photoassimilates. This system can be used to provide an in vivo molecular and functional imaging capability for plant research.

We introduce a novel strategy for fluence field modulation (FFM) in x-ray CT using multiple aperture devices (MADs). MAD filters permit FFM by blocking or transmitting the x-ray beam on a fine (0.1–1 mm) scale. The filters have a number of potential advantages over other beam modulation strategies including the potential for a highly compact design, modest actuation speed and acceleration requirements, and spectrally neutral filtration due to their essentially binary action. In this work, we present the underlying MAD filtration concept including a design process to achieve a specific class of FFM patterns. A set of MAD filters is fabricated using a tungsten laser sintering process and integrated into an x-ray CT test bench. A characterization of the MAD filters is conducted and compared to traditional attenuating bowtie filters and the ability to flatten the fluence profile for a 32 cm acrylic phantom is demonstrated. MAD-filtered tomographic data was acquired on the CT test bench and reconstructed without artifacts associated with the MAD filter. These initial studies suggest that MAD-based FFM is appropriate for integration in clinical CT system to create patient-specific fluence field profile and reduce radiation exposures.

Virtual-pinhole PET (VP-PET) imaging is a new technology in which one or more high-resolution detector modules are integrated into a conventional PET scanner with lower-resolution detectors. It can locally enhance the spatial resolution and contrast recovery near the add-on detectors, and depending on the configuration, may also increase the sensitivity of the system. This novel scanner geometry makes the reconstruction problem more challenging compared to the reconstruction of data from a standalone PET scanner, as new techniques are needed to model and account for the non-standard acquisition. In this paper, we present a general framework for fully 3D modeling of an arbitrary VP-PET insert system. The model components are incorporated into a statistical reconstruction algorithm to estimate an image from the multi-resolution data. For validation, we apply the proposed model and reconstruction approach to one of our custom-built VP-PET systems – a half-ring insert device integrated into a clinical PET/CT scanner. Details regarding the most important implementation issues are provided. We show that the proposed data model is consistent with the measured data, and that our approach can lead to reconstructions with improved spatial resolution and lesion detectability.

A novel beam filter consisting of multiple aperture devices (MADs) has been developed for dynamic fluence field modulation (FFM) in CT. Each MAD achieves spatial modulation of x-ray through fine-scale, highly attenuating tungsten bars of varying widths and spacings. Moiré patterns produced by relative motions between two MADs provide versatile classes of modulation profiles. The dual-MAD filter can be designed to achieve specific classes of target profiles. The designed filter was manufactured through a laser-sintering process and integrated to an experimental imaging system that enables linear actuation of the MADs. Dynamic FFM was achieved through a combination of beam shape modulation (by relative MAD motion) and amplitude modulation (by view-dependent mAs). To correct for gains associated with the MADs, we developed an algorithm to account for possible focal spot changes during/between scans and spectral effects introduced by the MADs. We performed FFM designs for phantoms following two imaging objectives: (1) to achieve minimum mean variance in filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction, and (2) to flatten the fluence behind the phantom. Comparisons with conventional FFM strategies involving a static bowtie and pulse width modulation were performed. The dual-MAD filter produced modulation profiles closely matched with the design target, providing varying beam widths not achievable by the static bowtie. The entire range of modulation profiles was achieved by 0.373 mm of MAD displacement. The correction algorithm effectively alleviated ring artifacts as a result of MADs while preserving phantom details such as wires and tissue boundaries. Dynamic FFM enabled by the MADs were effective in achieving the imaging objectives and demonstrated superior FFM capabilities compared to the static bowtie. In an ellipse phantom, the FFM of objective 1 achieved the lowest mean variance in all cases investigated. The FFM of objective 2 produce nearly isotropic local noise power spectrum and homogeneous noise magnitude. The dual-MAD filter provides an effective tool for fluence control in CT to overcome limitations of conventional static bowties and to further enable patient-specific FFM studies for a wide range of dose and image quality objectives.

A PET insert with detector having smaller crystals and placed near a region of interest in a conventional PET scanner can improve image resolution locally due to the Virtual-Pinhole PET (VP-PET) effect. This improvement is from the higher spatial sampling of the imaging area near the detector. We have built a prototype half-ring PET insert for head-and-neck cancer imaging applications. In this paper, we extend the use of the insert to breast imaging and show that such a system provides high resolution images of breast and axillary lymph nodes while maintaining the full imaging field of view capability of a clinical PET scanner. We characterize the resolution and contrast recovery for tumors across the imaging field of view. First, we model the system using Monte Carlo methods to determine its theoretical limit of improvement. Simulations were conducted with hot spherical tumors embedded in background activity at tumor-to-background contrast ranging from 3:1 to 12:1. Tumors are arranged in a Derenzo-like pattern with their diameters ranging from 2 to 12 mm. Experimental studies were performed using a chest phantom with cylindrical breast attachment. Tumors of different sizes arranged in a Derenzo-like pattern with tumor-to- background ratio of 6:1 are inserted into the breast phantom. Imaging capability of mediastinum and axillary lymph nodes is explored. Both Monte Carlo simulations and experiment show clear improvement in image resolution and contrast recovery with VP-PET half ring insert. The degree of improvement in resolution and contrast recovery depends on location of the tumor. The full field of view imaging capability is shown to be maintained. Minor artifacts are introduced in certain regions.