. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Aug 1.

Published in final edited form as: Clin Transl Imaging. 2014 Jul 30;2(4):295–303. doi: 10.1007/s40336-014-0071-1

Table 1.

Comparison of methods for quantitating PET tracer uptake

Method	Required input	Measures (units)	Advantages	Disadvantages
Nonlinear regression (compartmental analysis)	Blood clearance curve & tissue uptake curve (injection to ~60 min)	Tracer flux, Ki, (mL/min/cm³) Transport, K₁, (mL/min/cm³)	Uptake independent of background; Estimates tracer delivery to lesion	Dynamic 60 min PET scan; Sophisticated analysis software

Linear regression (graphical analysis)	Blood clearance curve (injection to ~60 min) & tissue uptake curve (~20 to 60 min)	Tracer flux, Ki, (mL/min/cm³)	Uptake independent of background; Graphical approach calculates uptake	Dynamic 60 min PET scan; Assumes tracer binds irreversibly

Target-to-background	Target & background max or mean activity (5–10 min period)	Target-to-background ratio (unitless)	Less background dependent; Algebraic estimate	Can be difficult to identify normal background area

Standard uptake value	Max or mean activity concentration (5–10 min period), injected dose activity, body habitus measure	SUV with weight, lean body mass, or body surface area (g/mL or cm²/mL)	Algebraic estimate	More background dependent (issue when uptake is low relative to background)

Activity concentration	Max or mean activity concentration (5–10 min period)	Activity concentration (kBq/mL)	One measure	Most background dependent & hard to compare values