Guided block matching and 4-D transform domain filter projection denoising method for dynamic PET image reconstruction

PURPOSE: Dynamic PET is an essential tool in oncology due to its ability to visualize and quantify radiotracer uptake, which has the potential to improve imaging quality. However, image noise caused by a low photon count in dynamic PET is more significant than in static PET. This study aims to develop a novel denoising method, namely the Guided Block Matching and 4-D Transform Domain Filter (GBM4D) projection, to enhance dynamic PET image reconstruction. METHODS: The sinogram was first transformed using the Anscombe method, then denoised using a combination of hard thresholding and Wiener filtering. Each denoising step involved guided block matching and grouping, collaborative filtering, and weighted averaging. The guided block matching was performed on accumulated PET sinograms to prevent mismatching due to low photon counts. The performance of the proposed denoising method (GBM4D) was compared to other methods such as wavelet, total variation, non-local means, and BM3D using computer simulations on the Shepp–Logan and digital brain phantoms. The denoising methods were also applied to real patient data for evaluation. RESULTS: In all phantom studies, GBM4D outperformed other denoising methods in all time frames based on the structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, GBM4D yielded the lowest root mean square error in the time-activity curve of all tissues and produced the highest image quality when applied to real patient data. CONCLUSION: GBM4D demonstrates excellent denoising and edge-preserving capabilities, as validated through qualitative and quantitative assessments of both temporal and spatial denoising performance.