FUTURE-DEVELOPMENTS IN NUCLEAR-MEDICINE INSTRUMENTATION - A REVIEW

This review article forecasts developments in nuclear medicine instrum entation which are on the horizon. Special attention is paid to the ph ysical properties of detectors and multiple-processor parallel process ing systems needed for fast and high-quality imaging in emission tomog raphy. Advances in detector technology will improve imaging resolution below 5 mm and will increase sensitivity and quantitative accuracy. I n addition, high count rate list-mode acquisition enables `true' four- dimensional datasets. A sandwich-like construction of two different cr ystals allows the simultaneous use of conventional tracers and positro n tracers (multiple emission tomography, MET). Transmission-based atte nuation and scatter compensation with fast iterative reconstruction me thods will further improve image quality. The clinical and scientific importance of improved images and the limits on advances in instrument ation are also reviewed.