The impact of long axial field of view (LAFOV) PET on oncologic imaging

The development of long axial field of view (LAFOV) positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (PET/CT) scanners might be considered the biggest step forward in PET imaging since it became a mainstream clinical modality. Despite increased capital and maintenance costs and data storage requirements, the improvement in image quality, significantly faster acquisition times and lower radiopharmaceutical administered activities, allow a high quality and more efficient clinical service. This step change in technology overcomes some of the limitations of standard short axial field of view scanners. It allows simultaneous imaging of all body systems, and with the ability to obtain high temporal resolution data, it increases potential research applications, particularly in multisystem disease or for dosimetry measurements of novel radiopharmaceuticals. The improvements in sensitivity and signal-to-noise facilitates the use of tracers with long half-lives and low administered activity (e.g. [⁸⁹Zr]-labelled monoclonal antibodies) or very short half-lives (e.g. [⁸²Rb]), opening up applications that hitherto have been challenging. It is early in the evolution of LAFOV PET/CT and the advantages these systems offer have still to be fully realised in providing additional impact in clinical practice.

In this article we describe the potential advantages of LAFOV PET technology and some of the clinical and research applications where it has been applied as well as some of the future developments that may enhance the modality further.