Optimized dynamic framing for PET-based myocardial blood flow estimation

An optimal experiment design methodology was developed to select the framing schedule to be used in dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) for estimation of myocardial blood flow using Rb-82. A compartment model and an arterial input function based on measured data were used to calculate a D-optimality criterion for a wide range of candidate framing schedules. To validate the optimality calculation, noisy time-activity curves were simulated, from which parameter values were estimated using an efficient and robust decomposition of the estimation problem. D-optimized schedules improved estimate precision compared to non-optimized schedules, including previously published schedules. To assess robustness, a range of physiologic conditions were simulated. Schedules that were optimal for one condition were nearly-optimal for others. The effect of infusion duration was investigated. Optimality was better for shorter than for longer tracer infusion durations, with the optimal schedule for the shortest infusion duration being nearly optimal for other durations. Together this suggests that a framing schedule optimized for one set of conditions will also work well for others and it is not necessary to use different schedules for different infusion durations or for rest and stress studies. The method for optimizing schedules is general and could be applied in other dynamic PET imaging studies.