dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaPerformance of three-photon PET imaging: Monte Carlo simulations
| Authors | Krzysztof Kacperski, Nicholas M. Spyrou |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0507083 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0507083 |
| DOI | 10.1088/0031-9155/50/23/019 |
Abstract
We have recently introduced the idea of making use of three-photon positron annihilations in positron emission tomography. In this paper the basic characteristics of the three-gamma imaging in PET are studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations and analytical computations. Two typical configurations of human and small animal scanners are considered. Three-photon imaging requires high energy resolution detectors. Parameters currently attainable by CdZnTe semiconductor detectors, the technology of choice for the future development of radiation imaging, are assumed. Spatial resolution is calculated as a function of detector energy resolution and size, position in the field of view, scanner size, and the energies of the three gamma annihilation photons. Possible ways to improve the spatial resolution obtained for nominal parameters: 1.5 cm and 3.2 mm FWHM for human and small animal scanners, respectively, are indicated. Counting rates of true and random three-photon events for typical human and small animal scanning configurations are assessed. A simple formula for minimum size of lesions detectable in the three-gamma based images is derived. Depending on the contrast and total number of registered counts, lesions of a few mm size for human and sub mm for small animal scanners can be detected.
{
"annotation_id": "c0181980-e527-4be4-856b-22b02c738fe7",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:01:00.472000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:01:00.472000Z",
"file_hash": "adc3da3dc8a2bc13160fe92813080e70f0a1b62641cd610d3f085ba061ce3b1c",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "We have recently introduced the idea of making use of three-photon positron\nannihilations in positron emission tomography. In this paper the basic\ncharacteristics of the three-gamma imaging in PET are studied by means of Monte\nCarlo simulations and analytical computations. Two typical configurations of\nhuman and small animal scanners are considered. Three-photon imaging requires\nhigh energy resolution detectors. Parameters currently attainable by CdZnTe\nsemiconductor detectors, the technology of choice for the future development of\nradiation imaging, are assumed. Spatial resolution is calculated as a function\nof detector energy resolution and size, position in the field of view, scanner\nsize, and the energies of the three gamma annihilation photons. Possible ways\nto improve the spatial resolution obtained for nominal parameters: 1.5 cm and\n3.2 mm FWHM for human and small animal scanners, respectively, are indicated.\nCounting rates of true and random three-photon events for typical human and\nsmall animal scanning configurations are assessed. A simple formula for minimum\nsize of lesions detectable in the three-gamma based images is derived.\nDepending on the contrast and total number of registered counts, lesions of a\nfew mm size for human and sub mm for small animal scanners can be detected.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0507083",
"authors": [
"Krzysztof Kacperski",
"Nicholas M. Spyrou"
],
"categories": [
"physics.med-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1088/0031-9155/50/23/019",
"title": "Performance of three-photon PET imaging: Monte Carlo simulations",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0507083"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "3ed7f2b1-c1c6-4970-a4ce-28f4de90e6ce",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}