Whole-Body Dynamic Positron Emission and Computed Tomography (WBD-PET/CT): Latest Developments, Challenges and Opportunities

Whole-body dynamic positron emission tomography/computed tomography (WBD-PET/CT) has transformed medical imaging, enabling the fusion between (i) detailed anatomical maps of the human body and (ii) quantitative multi-parametric functional maps of specific biochemical and physiological processes across the human body beyond the semi-quantitative limitations of static PET/CT imaging. Latest developments in systems hardware, particularly with the introduction of long-axial-field-of-view (LAFOV) and Time-of-Flight (TOF) PET scanners and low-dose CT scanners, and in data analysis, primarily with direct parametric PET image reconstruction and Artificial Intelligence, offer unprecedented opportunities towards the wide clinical adoption of the superior quantitative accuracy and precision of WBD-PET/CT imaging overcoming current challenges, such as data acquisition complexity and long scan durations. This review aims to summarize the latest developments, current challenges, and emerging opportunities in WBD-PET/CT, emphasizing its potential to broaden the diagnostic and theranostic role of PET/CT in clinical practice.