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 degradation 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 to smaller movements of the head. We have developed an opto-electronic motion tracking system based upon commercially available technology that is capable of very accurate real-time measurements of the position and orientation of the patient´s bead. These positions are transformed to the reference frame of the PET scanner. And could potentially be used to provide motion correction of list-mode emission data on an event-by-event basis