Creation and application of a simulated database of dynamic [18f]MPPF PET acquisitions incorporating inter-individual anatomical and biological variability.

During the process of validation of a new tracer, estimation of performance and validation of processing algorithms have to be investigated with data sets representative of the ground truth. Because this ground truth is hardly accessible in positron emission tomography (PET), validations of processing algorithms often rely on the use of simulated data sets. Considering that Monte Carlo simulators are very time consuming and are not very easy to use, the building of publicly available databases of simulated PET volumes are becoming highly desirable. We present here the methodology employed for the creation of a database of simulated dynamic [18F]MPPF-PET data, including inter-individual anatomical and biological variability which meets the criteria of a gold standard database as defined by Lehmann: reliance, equivalence, independence, relevance, significance. The assessment of the realism of the built database against actual MPPF PET data is also presented here. Whereas the database was specifically created for the investigations of quantification of activity and binding of ligand-receptor with the [18F]MPPF PET tracer, it may serve the community with countless purposes. The full strength of this database, does not only stem from the knowledge of important information such as the true activity map and underlying anatomical data, but also from the possibility to fully control the biological difference between sets of simulated PET data. Indeed, time activity curves included in the simulated data sets are controlled by a multicompartmental model of ligand-receptor exchanges. This latter feature is of a great interest in the context of the improvement of the detectability of biological variation in PET.