Scatter Compensation Techniques in PET

PET is intrinsically a quantitative imaging modality that offers the possibility of quantitative assessment of tracer concentration in vivo. This quantification is valid only if accurate corrections for the physical degrading factors are performed. This article addresses the problem of Compton scattering as the dominant photon interaction process in biologic tissues for PET energies. It discusses the impact of scattered radiation detection on both image quality and the quantitative accuracy of reconstructed images. It also gives an overview of scatter compensation techniques and evaluation strategies used for the assessment of these correction methods.