Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography

Abstract Background 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET) is considered the gold standard method for non-invasive measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, previously published average CBF values in healthy subjects have varied greatly and the cause of these variations remains unclea...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elin Bäck, My Jonasson, Elin Lindström, Andreas Tolf, Joachim Burman, Lieuwe Appel, Mark Lubberink
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:EJNMMI Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00760-5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849434152438333440
author Elin Bäck
My Jonasson
Elin Lindström
Andreas Tolf
Joachim Burman
Lieuwe Appel
Mark Lubberink
author_facet Elin Bäck
My Jonasson
Elin Lindström
Andreas Tolf
Joachim Burman
Lieuwe Appel
Mark Lubberink
author_sort Elin Bäck
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET) is considered the gold standard method for non-invasive measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, previously published average CBF values in healthy subjects have varied greatly and the cause of these variations remains unclear. This study investigates how image reconstruction methods and spatial resolution affect CBF measurements with 15O-water PET. Methods Eight healthy subjects each underwent dynamic 15O-water PET scans with continuous arterial blood sampling. Images were reconstructed using two different algorithms; ordered subset expectation maximisation and block sequential regularised expectation maximalisation with varying reconstruction parameters. CBF was estimated for the whole brain, grey matter, and central white matter. Reconstruction-specific effective spatial resolution was estimated using phantom measurements and simulations. Results The mean whole brain CBF was 0.48 mL/cm3/min and showed little dependence on the image reconstruction method. Grey matter CBF varied between 0.52 and 0.57 mL/cm3/min, and central white matter CBF between 0.20 and 0.28 mL/cm3/min. Regional CBF showed great dependence on effective spatial resolution with a negative correlation between grey matter CBF and resolution (r = -0.96) and a positive correlation between central white matter and resolution (r = 0.93). Conclusion This study concludes that grey matter and central white matter CBF, but not whole brain CBF measured with quantitative 15O-water PET is reconstruction method dependent, mainly due to varying spatial resolution with consequent partial volume effects. Variations in published CBF values cannot be explained solely by reconstruction methods or spatial resolution.
format Article
id doaj-art-a3d3ac81b1d04066a7e5552afa465045
institution Kabale University
issn 2197-7364
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series EJNMMI Physics
spelling doaj-art-a3d3ac81b1d04066a7e5552afa4650452025-08-20T03:26:47ZengSpringerOpenEJNMMI Physics2197-73642025-06-0112111510.1186/s40658-025-00760-5Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomographyElin Bäck0My Jonasson1Elin Lindström2Andreas Tolf3Joachim Burman4Lieuwe Appel5Mark Lubberink6Molecular Imaging and Medical Physics, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityMolecular Imaging and Medical Physics, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityMolecular Imaging and Medical Physics, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityTranslational Neurology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityTranslational Neurology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityMolecular Imaging and Medical Physics, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityMolecular Imaging and Medical Physics, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala UniversityAbstract Background 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET) is considered the gold standard method for non-invasive measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, previously published average CBF values in healthy subjects have varied greatly and the cause of these variations remains unclear. This study investigates how image reconstruction methods and spatial resolution affect CBF measurements with 15O-water PET. Methods Eight healthy subjects each underwent dynamic 15O-water PET scans with continuous arterial blood sampling. Images were reconstructed using two different algorithms; ordered subset expectation maximisation and block sequential regularised expectation maximalisation with varying reconstruction parameters. CBF was estimated for the whole brain, grey matter, and central white matter. Reconstruction-specific effective spatial resolution was estimated using phantom measurements and simulations. Results The mean whole brain CBF was 0.48 mL/cm3/min and showed little dependence on the image reconstruction method. Grey matter CBF varied between 0.52 and 0.57 mL/cm3/min, and central white matter CBF between 0.20 and 0.28 mL/cm3/min. Regional CBF showed great dependence on effective spatial resolution with a negative correlation between grey matter CBF and resolution (r = -0.96) and a positive correlation between central white matter and resolution (r = 0.93). Conclusion This study concludes that grey matter and central white matter CBF, but not whole brain CBF measured with quantitative 15O-water PET is reconstruction method dependent, mainly due to varying spatial resolution with consequent partial volume effects. Variations in published CBF values cannot be explained solely by reconstruction methods or spatial resolution.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00760-515O-waterCerebral blood flowImage reconstructionNeuroimagingPositron emission tomography
spellingShingle Elin Bäck
My Jonasson
Elin Lindström
Andreas Tolf
Joachim Burman
Lieuwe Appel
Mark Lubberink
Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
EJNMMI Physics
15O-water
Cerebral blood flow
Image reconstruction
Neuroimaging
Positron emission tomography
title Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
title_full Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
title_fullStr Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
title_full_unstemmed Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
title_short Impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15O-water positron emission tomography
title_sort impact of image reconstruction on cerebral blood flow measured with 15o water positron emission tomography
topic 15O-water
Cerebral blood flow
Image reconstruction
Neuroimaging
Positron emission tomography
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00760-5
work_keys_str_mv AT elinback impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT myjonasson impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT elinlindstrom impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT andreastolf impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT joachimburman impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT lieuweappel impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography
AT marklubberink impactofimagereconstructiononcerebralbloodflowmeasuredwith15owaterpositronemissiontomography