WUSTL: PET/CT scanner

2023: PET/full-body CT scanner introduced, which is inexpensive and displays noiseless images

On June 24, 2023, American researchers at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) reported the development of a new system that combines positron emission (PET) and computer (CT) tomography capabilities. The solution is designed to scan the whole body to detect malignancies.

The hybrid technique of radionuclide diagnosis of PET/CT is widely used in oncology around the world. The technology allows detecting changes and determining the location of neoplasms in the patient's organs and tissues. In some cases, such examinations use a contrast agent to improve the accuracy of computed tomography: this improves the visualization, for example, of blood vessels or intestines. In addition, PET/CT is used to assess patient response to therapeutic interventions. However, experts note, diagnostic accuracy decreases when lesions are very small. The new system allows you to bypass this limitation.

PET/full-body CT scanner presented, which is inexpensive and displays images without noise

The device uses two high-resolution PET detectors, which are located outside the axial field of view of the scanner - as an "external" unit. The system receives high-resolution data as the patient undergoes whole-body PET, and specialized software analyzes and reconstructs the captured metrics. As a result, it becomes possible to diagnose even very small formations. Another advantage of the solution is its relatively low cost.

Additional high resolution data can improve overall image quality and reduce statistical noise. This provides an improvement in the diagnostic accuracy of whole-body clinical PET/CT, "said Yuan-Chuan Tai, MD, PhD, assistant professor of radiology at Washington University in St. Louis.[1]

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