Attenuation correction for dedicated breast PET using only emission data based on consistency conditions

Accurate attenuation correction is required in dedicated breast PET imaging systems for image artifact removal and quantitative studies. In this study, a method using only emission data based on consistency conditions is proposed for attenuation correction in breast PET imaging systems. The consistency conditions are exploited to evaluate the accuracy of the estimated attenuation distribution and find the appropriate parameters that yield the most consistent attenuation distribution with the measured emission data. We have proved the validity of the method with experimental investigations and single-patient studies using a dedicated breast PET. The results show that the method is capable of accurately estimating the attenuation distribution of a uniform attenuator from the experimental data with various relatively low activities. The results also show that in single-patient studies, the method is robust for the irregular boundary of breast tissue and provides a distinct improvement in image quality.