Exploration of the total-body PET/CT reconstruction protocol with ultra-low (18)F-FDG activity over a wide range of patient body mass indices

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the image quality and diagnostic performance of different reconstructions over a wide range of patient body mass indices (BMIs) obtained by total-body PET/CT with ultra-low (18)F-FDG activity (0.37 MBq/kg). METHODS: A total of 63 patients who underwent total-body PET/CT with ultra-low activity (0.37 MBq/kg) (18)F-FDG were enrolled. Patients were grouped by their BMIs. Images were reconstructed with the following two algorithms: the ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm (2, 3 iterations), both with time of flight (TOF) and point spread function (PSF) corrections (hereinafter referred as OSEM2, OSEM3) and HYPER Iterative algorithm (β-values of 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6) embedded TOF and PSF technologies (hereinafter referred as HYPER0.3, HYPER0.4, HYPER0.5 and HYPER0.6, respectively). Subjective image quality was assessed by two experienced nuclear medicine physicians according to the Likert quintile, including overall image quality, image noise and lesion conspicuity. The standard deviation (SD) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the liver, and maximum standard uptake value (SUV(max)), peak standard uptake value (SUV(peak)), tumour background ratio (T/N) and the largest diameter of lesions were quantitatively analysed by a third reader who did not participate in the subjective image assessment. RESULTS: Increased noise was associated with increased BMI in all reconstruction groups. Significant differences occurred in the liver SNR among BMI categories of OSEM reconstructions (P < 0.001) but no difference was seen in the HYPER Iterative reconstructions between any of the BMI categories (P > 0.05). With the increase in BMI, overall image quality and image noise scores decreased significantly in all reconstructions, but there was no statistically significant difference of lesion conspicuity. The overall image quality score of the obese group was not qualified (score = 2.7) in OSEM3, while the others were qualified. The lesion conspicuity scores were significantly higher in HYPER Iterative reconstructions and lower in OSEM2 than in OSEM3 (all P < 0.05). The values of SUV(max), SUV(peak) and T/N in HYPER0.3, HYPER0.4 and HYPER0.5 were higher than those in OSEM3. In different reconstructions, there was a correlation between lesion size (median, 1.55 cm; range, 0.7–11.0 cm) and SUV(peak) variation rate compared to OSEM3 (r = 0.388, − 0.515, − 0.495, − 0.464, and − 0.423, respectively, and all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Considering the image quality and lesion analysis in (18)F-FDG total-body PET/CT with ultra-low activity injection, OSEM reconstructions with 3 iterations meet the clinical requirements in patients with BMI < 30. In patients with BMI ≥ 30, it is recommended that the HYPER Iterative algorithm (β-value of 0.3–0.5) be used to ensure consistent visual image quality and quantitative assessment.