Wearable total-body electromagnetic motion tracking technology/sensor for artifact-free ultra-high resolution PET scanner

Background

Patient motion during Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging poses a significant challenge, as even subtle movements can degrade image quality, reduce spatial resolution, and lead to quantitative inaccuracies, thereby impacting diagnostic accuracy and treatment assessment. Existing methods for motion correction typically involve either data-driven or device-based strategies. Data-driven approaches, which utilize the acquired PET data itself, offer the benefit of not requiring additional hardware but often provide limited accuracy, particularly for complex or small-amplitude motions, as their performance is heavily dependent on the characteristics of the PET data. In contrast, device-based methods employ external tracking hardware to directly measure patient movement, potentially offering superior accuracy. However, these approaches introduce the complexity of integrating additional equipment into the imaging environment and managing potential interference or setup challenges.

Technology

Researchers at Stony Brook University developed an invention that employs a device-based method for PET motion correction using high-accuracy electromagnetic (EM) motion tracking sensors. These sensors are bonded to the patient's body and track motion in six Degrees-of-Freedom by interacting with an electromagnetic dipole field generated by a dedicated EM source. The system achieves tracking speeds up to 960 Hz with high resolution. The acquired motion data is synchronized with PET coincidence data, both in list-mode, to perform subsequent motion-compensated image reconstruction.