Publication Date
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Robert M. Lober, M.D., Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Matthew S. Sherwood, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); David R. Ladle, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Because magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) scanning sessions last long durations, motion blur during scanning constitutes a problem for clinical interpretation. To counteract this, motion-correction algorithms have been developed to reduce smearing between scan slices of MRI, but these algorithms are not commonplace for PET. This feasibility study determined if applying MRI motion-correction algorithms to simultaneously acquired PET data improved PET signal clarity in specific brain regions. Seven subjects received increasing levels of PET tracers while undergoing two separate simultaneous PET/MRI scans. We modified existing fMRI algorithms to apply them to the accompanying PET data. We hypothesized gray matter activity was low due to motion-blurring, and correction would result in increased signal intensity. We evaluated this and other internal brain regions using a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank statistical test. We failed to reject the null hypothesis as no regions showed significant differences between the motion-corrected and raw data.
Page Count
54
Department or Program
Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology
Year Degree Awarded
2021
Copyright
Copyright 2021, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
