First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner

Abstract Purpose EasyPET.3D is a preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) scanner with a unique scanning method based on two face-to-face detector modules with two axes of motion. Its performance evaluation is presented using the NEMA NU-4 standards and an animal model. Methods Each detector m...

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Main Authors: Fabiana M. Ribeiro, Pedro M. C. C. Encarnação, Ana L. M. Silva, Pedro M. M. Correia, Afonso X. Pinto, Regina G. Oliveira, José Sereno, Mariana Lapo Pais, Antero Abrunhosa, Ismael F. Castro, Ana C. Santos, João F. C. A. Veloso
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:EJNMMI Physics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00757-0
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author Fabiana M. Ribeiro
Pedro M. C. C. Encarnação
Ana L. M. Silva
Pedro M. M. Correia
Afonso X. Pinto
Regina G. Oliveira
José Sereno
Mariana Lapo Pais
Antero Abrunhosa
Ismael F. Castro
Ana C. Santos
João F. C. A. Veloso
author_facet Fabiana M. Ribeiro
Pedro M. C. C. Encarnação
Ana L. M. Silva
Pedro M. M. Correia
Afonso X. Pinto
Regina G. Oliveira
José Sereno
Mariana Lapo Pais
Antero Abrunhosa
Ismael F. Castro
Ana C. Santos
João F. C. A. Veloso
author_sort Fabiana M. Ribeiro
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Purpose EasyPET.3D is a preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) scanner with a unique scanning method based on two face-to-face detector modules with two axes of motion. Its performance evaluation is presented using the NEMA NU-4 standards and an animal model. Methods Each detector module consists of a 32 × 2 pixelated cerium-doped lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO:Ce) scintillator array with individual crystals of 2.0 × 2.0 × 30 mm3. The crystal arrays are coupled to 1.3 × 1.3 mm2 silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The transaxial field-of-view (FoV) is adjustable up to 48 mm in diameter, and the axial length is 73 mm. The performance characterization includes spatial resolution, sensitivity, count rate, scatter fraction (SF), and image quality (IQ) measurements. Furthermore, mice experiments were conducted to evaluate the in vivo imaging capability. Results Spatial resolution at the FoV centre (CFoV) in radial, tangential, and axial directions was 0.98±0.08, 0.97±0.06 and 0.94±0.08 mm, respectively. An absolute sensitivity of 0.23% was measured at CFoV. The mouse-like phantom SF was 16% (913 cps at 18 MBq). Recovery coefficients in the IQ phantom varied from 21±34% to 85±50% (1 to 5 mm diameter rods, accordingly). The uniformity was 17.6%, and spill-over ratios for water-filled and air-filled chambers were 0.49 and 0.40, respectively. Conclusion EasyPET.3D geometry favours the reduction of parallax error, despite its low sensitivity. The system linearity is suitable for the low range of activities (7–8 MBq) used for mice imaging. The overall performance showed that easyPET.3D has potential for entry-level preclinical applications.
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spelling doaj-art-ea04ec47e5064fde9900bc589d86fab72025-08-20T03:22:03ZengSpringerOpenEJNMMI Physics2197-73642025-05-0112112310.1186/s40658-025-00757-0First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scannerFabiana M. Ribeiro0Pedro M. C. C. Encarnação1Ana L. M. Silva2Pedro M. M. Correia3Afonso X. Pinto4Regina G. Oliveira5José Sereno6Mariana Lapo Pais7Antero Abrunhosa8Ismael F. Castro9Ana C. Santos10João F. C. A. Veloso11Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of CoimbraInstitute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of CoimbraInstitute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of CoimbraRadiation Imaging Technologies Lda. (RI-TE), University of Aveiro Incubator, PCI– Creative Science ParkBiophysics Institute, Faculty of Medicine (FMUC), Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), University of CoimbraInstitute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), Physics Department (DFis), University of Aveiro (UA)Abstract Purpose EasyPET.3D is a preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) scanner with a unique scanning method based on two face-to-face detector modules with two axes of motion. Its performance evaluation is presented using the NEMA NU-4 standards and an animal model. Methods Each detector module consists of a 32 × 2 pixelated cerium-doped lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO:Ce) scintillator array with individual crystals of 2.0 × 2.0 × 30 mm3. The crystal arrays are coupled to 1.3 × 1.3 mm2 silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The transaxial field-of-view (FoV) is adjustable up to 48 mm in diameter, and the axial length is 73 mm. The performance characterization includes spatial resolution, sensitivity, count rate, scatter fraction (SF), and image quality (IQ) measurements. Furthermore, mice experiments were conducted to evaluate the in vivo imaging capability. Results Spatial resolution at the FoV centre (CFoV) in radial, tangential, and axial directions was 0.98±0.08, 0.97±0.06 and 0.94±0.08 mm, respectively. An absolute sensitivity of 0.23% was measured at CFoV. The mouse-like phantom SF was 16% (913 cps at 18 MBq). Recovery coefficients in the IQ phantom varied from 21±34% to 85±50% (1 to 5 mm diameter rods, accordingly). The uniformity was 17.6%, and spill-over ratios for water-filled and air-filled chambers were 0.49 and 0.40, respectively. Conclusion EasyPET.3D geometry favours the reduction of parallax error, despite its low sensitivity. The system linearity is suitable for the low range of activities (7–8 MBq) used for mice imaging. The overall performance showed that easyPET.3D has potential for entry-level preclinical applications.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00757-0PETSmall animal imagingEasyPETPerformance evaluationNEMAInstrumentation
spellingShingle Fabiana M. Ribeiro
Pedro M. C. C. Encarnação
Ana L. M. Silva
Pedro M. M. Correia
Afonso X. Pinto
Regina G. Oliveira
José Sereno
Mariana Lapo Pais
Antero Abrunhosa
Ismael F. Castro
Ana C. Santos
João F. C. A. Veloso
First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
EJNMMI Physics
PET
Small animal imaging
EasyPET
Performance evaluation
NEMA
Instrumentation
title First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
title_full First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
title_fullStr First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
title_full_unstemmed First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
title_short First performance evaluation of easyPET.3D, a high-resolution and cost-effective benchtop preclinical PET scanner
title_sort first performance evaluation of easypet 3d a high resolution and cost effective benchtop preclinical pet scanner
topic PET
Small animal imaging
EasyPET
Performance evaluation
NEMA
Instrumentation
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40658-025-00757-0
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