RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Whole-Body Parametric Imaging of 18F-FDG PET Using uEXPLORER with Reduced Scanning Time JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 622 OP 628 DO 10.2967/jnumed.120.261651 VO 63 IS 4 A1 Yaping Wu A1 Tao Feng A1 Yizhang Zhao A1 Tianyi Xu A1 Fangfang Fu A1 Zhun Huang A1 Nan Meng A1 Hongdi Li A1 Fengmin Shao A1 Meiyun Wang YR 2022 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/63/4/622.abstract AB Parametric imaging of the net influx rate (Ki) in 18F-FDG PET has been shown to provide improved quantification and specificity for cancer detection compared with SUV imaging. Current methods of generating parametric images usually require a long dynamic scanning time. With the recently developed uEXPLORER scanner, a dramatic increase in sensitivity has reduced the noise in dynamic imaging, making it more robust to use a nonlinear estimation method and flexible protocols. In this work, we explored 2 new possible protocols besides the standard 60-min one for the possibility of reducing scanning time for Ki imaging. Methods: The gold standard protocol (protocol 1) was conventional dynamic scanning with a 60-min scanning time. The first proposed protocol (protocol 2) included 2 scanning periods: 0–4 min and 54–60 min after injection. The second proposed protocol (protocol 3) consisted of a single scanning period from 50 to 60 min after injection, with a second injection applied at 56 min. The 2 new protocols were simulated from the 60-min standard scans. A hybrid input function combining the population-based input function and the image-derived input function (IDIF) was used. The results were also compared with the IDIF acquired from protocol 1. A previously developed maximum-likelihood approach was used to estimate the Ki images. In total, 7 cancer patients imaged using the uEXPLORER scanner were enrolled in this study. Lesions were identified from the patient data, and the lesion Ki values were compared among the different protocols. Results: The acquired hybrid input function was comparable in shape to the IDIF for each patient. The average difference in area under the curve was about 3%, suggesting good quantitative accuracy. The visual difference between the Ki images generated using IDIF and those generated using the hybrid input function was also minimal. The acquired Ki images using different protocols were visually comparable. The average Ki difference in the lesions was 2.8% ± 2.1% for protocol 2 and 1% ± 2.2% for protocol 3. Conclusion: The results suggest that it is possible to acquire Ki images using the nonlinear estimation approach with a much-reduced scanning time. Between the 2 new protocols, the protocol with dual injection shows the greatest promise in terms of practicality.