# Noninvasive Quantification of Glucose Metabolism in Mice Myocardium Using the Spline Reconstruction Technique

## TL;DR

This study compares different image reconstruction techniques for measuring glucose metabolism in mice hearts using PET scans.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the performance of the Spline Reconstruction Technique against other algorithms in preclinical PET imaging.

## Key findings

- The Spline Reconstruction Technique (SRT) showed similar results to FBP and Tera-Tomo 3D for quantifying glucose metabolism in mice.
- No statistically significant differences were found between MRGlu values obtained using the tested algorithms.
- SRT is a valid alternative for preclinical dynamic PET studies.

## Abstract

The spline reconstruction technique (SRT) is a fast algorithm based on a novel numerical implementation of an analytic representation of the inverse Radon transform. The purpose of this study was to compare the SRT, filtered back-projection (FBP), and the Tera-Tomo 3D algorithm for various iteration numbers, using small-animal dynamic PET data obtained from a Mediso nanoScan® PET/CT scanner. For this purpose, Patlak graphical kinetic analysis was employed to noninvasively quantify the myocardial metabolic rate of glucose (MRGlu) in seven male C57BL/6 mice (n=7). All analytic reconstructions were performed via software for tomographic image reconstruction. The analysis of all PET-reconstructed images was conducted with PMOD software (version 3.506, PMOD Technologies LLC, Fällanden, Switzerland) using the inferior vena cava as the image-derived input function. Statistical significance was determined by employing the one-way analysis of variance test. The results revealed that the differences between the values of MRGlu obtained via SRT versus FBP, and the variants of he Tera-Tomo 3D algorithm were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Overall, the SRT appears to perform similarly to the other algorithms investigated, providing a valid alternative analytic method for preclinical dynamic PET studies.