Effects of data-driven respiratory gating on visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers in FDG PET/CT examinations

Sep 23, 2026

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Data-driven respiratory gating (DDG) is introduced to enhance PET image quality without external hardware or prolonged acquisition time. This study evaluates its impact on visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers by comparing DDG reconstruction with standard free-breathing (STD) PET. In 223 FDG PET/CT lesions, lesion blurring and conspicuity are graded, SUVmax and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) are quantified, and texture features are assessed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Materials and methods

FDG PET/CT imaging

Annals of Nuclear Medicine (2025) 39:450–457 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-025-02017-8](https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-025-02017-8) Effects of data‑driven respiratory gating on visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers in FDG PET/ CT examinations Mitsuaki Tatsumi1 · Naomi Morita2 · Akira Kida2 · Risa Momoi2 · Kayako Isohashi1,3 · Atsuya Okada2 · Noriyuki Tomiyama1,3 Received: 1 November 2024 / Accepted: 8 January 2025 / Published online: 23 January 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Objective Data-driven respiratory gating (DDG) has recently been introduced to improve image quality in the PET portion of PET/CT examinations. The latest DDG system does not require any external equipment or extended examination time. In this study, we investigated the effects of the new DDG system on the visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers, comparing the results with those obtained using the standard free-breathing (STD) PET protocol. Methods A total of 223 cancer lesions (138 breast and 85 upper abdominal) evaluated with FDG PET/CT were included in this study. PET images were reconstructed using the STD and DDG algorithms. Lesion blurring and conspicuity were each visually graded on a three-point scale. The longest diameter (LD), SUVmax, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of the lesions were used for quantitative analysis. % change in SUVmax or MTV was calculated from the metrics in STD and DDG images. Fifty-six texture features (TFs) were also evaluated. Visual scores and quantitative metrics were compared between STD and DDG images. % change in SUVmax or MTV was compared in the lesion location groups or in the high and low groups based on LD, SUVmax, or MTV in STD images. Results Visual scores for lesion blurring and conspicuity were both significantly higher in DDG than in STD PET images. SUVmax and MTV were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in DDG than in STD images. An increase in SUVmax and a decrease in MTV were observed in 96% and 86% of all lesions, respectively. Group analysis revealed that % change in SUVmax was greater in the upper abdominal than the breast lesions and % change in MTV was greater in the high LD and high MTV groups than in the low LD and low MTV groups, respectively. Quantitative changes in TFs were observed between STD and DDG images for most of the features. Conclusion This study demonstrated that DDG improved visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers in FDG PET/CT examinations. DDG PET images exhibited an increase in SUVmax, a decrease in MTV, and changes in TFs. keywords PET · Data-driven respiratory gating · Breast · Liver · Pancreas · Abdomen * Mitsuaki Tatsumi[m-tatsumi@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp](m-tatsumi@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp) 1 Department of Radiology, The University of Osaka Hospital, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan 2 Jinsenkai MI Clinic, Toyonaka, Japan 3 Department of Radiology, The University of Osaka Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan Introduction In chest and abdominal imaging, respiratory motion causes image degradation, and various attempts have been made to overcome this problem. Breath holding is a simple method, but it is not suitable for PET imaging, which requires relatively long data acquisition time. Respiratory gating methods have been used for PET imaging as alternatives [1] . However, traditional gating methods require dedicated devices, which limits their widespread adoption. Recently, deviceless data-driven respiratory gating (DDG) methods have been developed and have gained attention [1–3] . The latest DDG system does not even require extended examination time. Although some reports have demonstrated the usefulness of DDG in evaluating lung cancer [3–6], there are few reports on breast and upper abdominal cancers, which are also affected by respiration. In this study, we investigated the effects of the new DDG system on the visual

FAQs

What is data-driven respiratory gating (DDG) and why was it studied?

DDG is a respiratory motion correction approach designed to improve PET image quality without requiring external equipment or extended examination time. The study investigates how DDG affects visualization and quantification of breast and upper abdominal cancers.

How many lesions were included and what imaging protocol was compared?

The study included 223 cancer lesions (138 breast and 85 upper abdominal) assessed with FDG PET/CT. It compared reconstructed images using the standard free-breathing (STD) protocol versus DDG algorithms.

What were the key quantitative differences between DDG and STD PET images?

DDG produced significantly higher SUVmax and significantly lower MTV compared with STD. Most lesions showed increased SUVmax and decreased MTV, and group analyses indicated location- and size-dependent differences.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia