Positron range in PET imaging: non-conventional isotopes.

In addition to conventional short-lived radionuclides, longer-lived isotopes are becoming increasingly important to positron emission tomography (PET). The longer half-life both allows for circumvention of the in-house production of radionuclides, and expands the spectrum of physiological processes amenable to PET imaging, including processes with prohibitively slow kinetics for investigation with short-lived radiotracers. However, many of these radionuclides emit 'high-energy' positrons and gamma rays which affect the spatial resolution and quantitative accuracy of PET images. The objective of the present work is to investigate the positron range distribution for some of these long-lived isotopes. Based on existing Monte Carlo simulations of positron interactions in water, the probability distribution of the line of response displacement have been empirically described by means of analytic displacement functions. Relevant distributions have been derived for the isotopes (22)Na, (52)Mn, (89)Zr, (45)Ti, (51)Mn, (94 m)Tc, (52 m)Mn, (38)K, (64)Cu, (86)Y, (124)I, and (120)I. It was found that the distribution functions previously found for a series of conventional isotopes (Jødal et al 2012 Phys. Med. Bio. 57 3931-43), were also applicable to these non-conventional isotopes, except that for (120)I, (124)I, (89)Zr, (52)Mn, and (64)Cu, parameters in the formulae were less well predicted by mean positron energy alone. Both conventional and non-conventional range distributions can be described by relatively simple analytic expressions. The results will be applicable to image-reconstruction software to improve the resolution.

Positron range in PET imaging: an alternative approach for assessing and correcting the blurring.

Positron range impairs resolution in PET imaging, especially for high-energy emitters and for small-animal PET. De-blurring in image reconstruction is possible if the blurring distribution is known. Furthermore, the percentage of annihilation events within a given distance from the point of positron emission is relevant for assessing statistical noise. This paper aims to determine the positron range distribution relevant for blurring for seven medically relevant PET isotopes, (18)F, (11)C, (13)N, (15)O, (68)Ga, (62)Cu and (82)Rb, and derive empirical formulas for the distributions. This paper focuses on allowed-decay isotopes. It is argued that blurring at the detection level should not be described by the positron range r, but instead the 2D projected distance δ (equal to the closest distance between decay and line of response). To determine these 2D distributions, results from a dedicated positron track-structure Monte Carlo code, Electron and POsitron TRANsport (EPOTRAN), were used. Materials other than water were studied with PENELOPE. The radial cumulative probability distribution G(2D)(δ) and the radial probability density distribution g(2D)(δ) were determined. G(2D)(δ) could be approximated by the empirical function 1 - exp(-Aδ(2) - Bδ), where A = 0.0266 (E(mean))(-1.716) and B = 0.1119 (E(mean))(-1.934), with E(mean) being the mean positron energy in MeV and δ in mm. The radial density distribution g(2D)(δ) could be approximated by differentiation of G(2D)(δ). Distributions in other media were very similar to water. The positron range is important for improved resolution in PET imaging. Relevant distributions for the positron range have been derived for seven isotopes. Distributions for other allowed-decay isotopes may be estimated with the above formulas.

Reference data for distal blood pressure in healthy elderly and middle-aged individuals measured with the strain gauge technique. Part II: Distal blood pressure after exercise.

OBJECTIVE: Distal blood pressure (DBP) determination after an exercise test is used on suspicion of arterial peripheral vascular disease (apvd). In our department. the average age of these patients is about 60 years. The usual reference values for pressures after exercise were based on data collected in the early 1970s from healthy individuals in the age range 21-26 years. Our aims were to collect new reference data for DBP at ankle level after exercise based on older populations, and to compare between reference data for different age groups to find out whether the normal values are dependent on age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: DBP after exercise was measured using the strain-gauge technique on individuals in two groups: group I comprising 25 healthy persons aged between 61 and 82 years, and group II 14 healthy persons aged between 45 and 58 years. Strict rules of inclusion were followed. RESULTS: Normal values are dependent on age. The average differences (ankle DBP(after)-ankle DBP(before)) immediately after walking were 25 mmHg, 12 mmHg and -8 mmHg in group I, group II and the old data, respectively. Comparison among groups showed significant differences (p< or =0.01). CONCLUSION: Normal values for elderly and middle-aged persons are presented. Use of normal values based on young people may result in underestimation of DBP response and hence underestimation of the degree of possible apvd, especially in elderly individuals.

Reference data for distal blood pressure in healthy elderly and middle-aged individuals measured with the strain gauge technique. Part I: resting distal blood pressure.

OBJECTIVE: Most patients referred to our department for distal blood pressure (DBP) determination on suspicion of arterial peripheral vascular disease (apvd) are more than 60 years of age, whereas the only available reference data for resting pressure are based on data from healthy individuals aged between 43 and 57 years. Our aim was to investigate whether newly collected reference data for DBP measured using the strain-gauge technique in healthy subjects older than 60 years and in others between 45 and 58 years were significantly different from the old reference data used in daily practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: . Group I comprised 31 healthy persons aged between 61 and 87 years and group II 14 healthy middle-aged hospital staff members aged between 45 and 58 years. Strict rules of inclusion were followed. RESULTS: For group I, significantly greater gradients (DBP(toe) - systolic arm blood pressure and DBP(toe) - DBP(ankle)) were found in the new reference data compared to the old. No significant difference between the mean values of the gradient (DBP(ankle) - systolic arm blood pressure) was found between the old and new reference data, although the variation was significantly wider in the new reference data; the lower level of normality was therefore -15 mmHg compared to 0 mmHg in the old reference data. For group II, no significant differences between the gradients were found comparing the new and old reference data. CONCLUSION: These new data indicate that reference data gathered from middle-aged subjects should be changed when DBP measurements are used in patients older than 60 years of age.