Even though that coil and animal bed materials have been selected carefully to minimize the attenuation of 511 keV gamma rays, their residual attenuation effect can be considered during the PET image reconstruction by providing suitable attenuation maps to the PET reconstruction server. ParaVision 360 provides a basic infrastructure to generate such attenuation maps out of individual attenuation maps of the animal cradles, the RF coils (WiP) and the MR measured attenuation map of the sample itself.

 

During the set-up dialogue of a study, the used animal cradle can be selected, and the corresponding attenuation map is used for attenuation correction. Press the button “Animal Bed” and select the bed from the list of registered animal beds.

 

The RF coil connected to the MR instrument is automatically detected by the instrument, however, loading the corresponding attenuation maps is currently work in progress and is at the time of the release of PV360 not yet fully implemented.