Implementation and performance of an optical motion tracking system for high resolution brain PET imaging

Head motion during PET scanning is widely regarded as a source of image deg radation and resolution loss. Recent improvements in the spatial resolution of state-of-the-art tomographs may be compromised by patient motion during scanning, as these high resolution data will be increasingly susceptible t o smaller movements of the head. We have developed an opto-electronic motio n tracking system based on commercially-available technology that is capabl e of very accurate real-time measurements of the position and orientation o f the patient's head. These positions are transformed to the reference fram e of the PET scanner, and could potentially be used to provide motion corre ction of list-mode emission data on an event-by-event basis.