Molecular Imaging of Small Animals PET using Monte Carlo Simulations

This work is based on the use of a simulation system dedicated for small animal PET imaging. GATE, a Monte Carlo simulation platform based on the Geant4 libraries, is well suited for modelling microPET syst ems like the microPET® FOCUS 220 and to implement realistic phantoms, such as the MOBY phantom, and radioactive distribution maps obtained from real exams. We used the validated microPET® FOCUS 220 simulation model, with GATE, to produce real simulated PET mouse exams. Results from simulated real studies of the mouse body using (18F)fluoride and the 2-Deoxy-(18F)fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) imaging protocols are presented. These simulations i nclude the injections of real radioactive doses into the a nimal and the use of real time frames. We also simulate the r espiratory mouse motion during an FDG PET exam using the model proposed in the dynamic MOBY phantom. The qualitative and quantitative results from simulated data are in good agreement with the experimental data. .