Fig. 2

Comparison of the central axial slice of the reconstructed (top) NEMA IQ phantom using: (a) OSEM; (b) OSEM+PRC simplified; (c) OSEM+PRC; (d) PSF; (e) PSF+PRC simplified; and (f) PSF+PRC. The images with similar noise levels measured in the background are marked with dashed boxes. These noise levels were achieved using 2 iterations for OSEM and OSEM+PRC simplified, 8 iterations from OSEM+PRC and PSF, 7 iterations for PSF+PSF simplified, and 15 iterations for PSF+PRC. All reconstructions were with 12 subsets. The OSEM+PRC is producing similar images then the stand-alone PSF; however, more pronounced Gibbs artifacts are produced. (bottom) Small-tumor phantom using: (g) OSEM; (h) OSEM+PRC simplified; (i) OSEM+PRC; (j) PSF; (k) PSF+PRC simplified, and l) PSF+PRC. The images with similar noise levels measured in the background (~ 33%) are marked with dashed boxes. These noise levels were achieved using 2 iterations for OSEM and OSEM+PRC simplified, 9 iterations from OSEM+PRC, 8 iterations for PSF, 7 iterations for PSF+PSF simplified, and 18 iterations for PSF+PRC All reconstructions were with 12 subsets