Positron emission tomography instrumentation: a review and update.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has evolved into a powerful modality for in vivo functional imaging of the brain and the heart. Developments in PET technology and instrumentation have occurred rapidly during the last 20 years and have been driven by the requirements for improved resolution and image quality necessary for clinical and research applications. Clinical applications of PET have now been validated for the heart and the brain, and new research in the mapping of receptor density in the brain is being explored. PET cameras have developed into sophisticated imaging devices capable of both clinical and research applications. This review article updates the previous overview on PET instrumentation written by the authors with an added emphasis on performance evaluation of PET cameras. A short summary of current PET cameras available commercially is included for the purpose of comparing some important specifications between different systems.