Annihilation density distribution calculations for medically important positron emitters.

The effect of positron range on the image-plane resolution of tomographic images is evaluated through calculations based on a model which employs beta-decay energy spectra and an empirical range formula. Predicted range distribution functions are compared with published measurements for three medically important positron emitters: (11 )C, (68)Ga, and (82)Rb. The effect of tomographic slice thickness on point-source annihilation distribution functions is also demonstrated. Line-spread functions are calculated using the model, for the above isotopes as well as for (18)F, (15)O, and (13)N. Image-plane resolution predictions are made for high-resolution positron cameras for various positron emitting isotopes with end-point energies up to 4 MeV.