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Week 07: Positron Emission Tomography

Positron Emission Tomography provides unmatched picomolar molecular sensitivity for measuring metabolic rates, neuroreceptor densities, and protein aggregates. This week covers cyclotrons, radioisotopes, positron annihilation physics, coincidence detection, attenuation correction, and pharmacokinetic modeling.

Interactive Demos & Activities

• PET Pharmacokinetics & Compartment Modeling Studio

  Dynamic PET Simulator · 2-Tissue Reversible/Irreversible Kinetics

  Simulate dynamic tracer kinetics across vascular, free/non-specifically bound, and specifically trapped compartments using a 4th-order Runge-Kutta solver. Fit arterial input functions, compute Time-Activity Curves (TACs), and perform graphical Patlak ($K_i$) and Logan ($V_T$) linear analyses.

• PET Sinogram & Tomographic Reconstruction Workbench

  Tomography · Coincidence LORs, Radon Sinograms, FBP & Iterative MLEM

  Map positron annihilation coincidence lines of response into Radon sinograms. Invert the intrinsic $1/r$ backprojection blurring with Ram-Lak ramp and Hann filters, and run iterative Poisson MLEM with 511 keV tissue attenuation correction.

• Interactive PET Scanner Simulation

  Physics Simulator · Annihilation & LOR Reconstruction

  A Monte Carlo scanner: radiotracer decay, positron range, annihilation into antiparallel 511 keV photons, Compton scatter and attenuation, energy and coincidence timing windows, randoms and dead time, and live sinogram reconstruction by filtered backprojection or iterative MLEM with time-of-flight.

• PET Modality Card Game

  Educational Card Game · Radiotracers & Oncology

  Assemble complete hands connecting radioisotopes ($^{18}\text{F}$, $^{11}\text{C}$, $^{15}\text{O}$, $^{13}\text{N}$), target organs, positron emission through coincidence detection to reconstruction, and clinical applications.

• X-Ray Water Radiolysis Simulator

  High-Energy Radiation Physics · Photon Attenuation

  Explore photoelectric absorption, Compton scattering, and radical generation during high-energy photon interactions in biological tissue.

Topics Covered

• Radioisotopes & Radiochemistry: Short half-lives ($^{11}\text{C} \approx 20\text{ min}$, $^{18}\text{F} \approx 110\text{ min}$), on-site cyclotrons, and synthesis of targeted molecular tracers.
• Coincidence Detection & Annihilation Physics: Positron kinetic energy and range, non-collinear photon emission, true vs. random vs. scattered coincidences, and Time-of-Flight (TOF) PET.
• Quantitative Kinetic Modeling: Standardized Uptake Values (SUV), arterial input functions, compartment modeling, and imaging amyloid-beta and tau in Alzheimer's disease.