Affiliations: [a] Physics Department, College of Science and Arts at ArRass, Qassim University, ArRass, Saudi Arabia
| [b] Tunis El Manar University, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Nuclear Physics and High Energy Research Unit, Tunis, Tunisia
| [c] Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Mathematics of Oran (LMFAO), University of Oran 1 Ahmed Benbella, Oran, Algeria
Note: [1] The authors gratefully acknowledge Qassim University, represented by the Deanship of Scientific Research, on the material support for this research under the number (3989-alrasscac-2018-1-14-S) during the academic year 1439 AH/2018 AD.
Abstract: In the context of the development of our study (S. Mohammed et al.) entitled “Theoretical calculation of positron-nuclear emulsion image resolution using Geant4 code” published on 2017, this research will evaluate the optimization of the image resolution of the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) when the so-called nuclear emulsion technology is introduced into tumor imaging. Upgraded and more reliable FLUKA Monte-Carlo simulation codes were performed in order to simulate a punctual source of 1 MeV positrons, emitting particles in all directions through a nuclear emulsion medium. Two new methods dedicated for the vertex reconstruction leading to an accurate recognition of the positron source are presented in this work. Moreover, this research focuses on the effects of the technical obstructions that would affect the PET imaging procedures using the nuclear emulsion, such as the scanning microscope efficiency and the actual accuracy of the slope and position measurement of the particle track on the emulsion. Taking such parameters into considerations gave a more precise and realistic estimate of the so-optimized image resolution for the PET medical imaging system.
