The UC Davis Department of Radiology has been awarded a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to develop a new hybrid imaging method aimed at improving disease detection and monitoring.

Current PET/CT systems combine positron emission tomography, which highlights areas of high cellular activity, with single-energy computed tomography, which provides anatomical detail. While effective, conventional CT in this setting captures X-rays at only one energy level, limiting its ability to distinguish between different types of tissue.

The UC Davis approach, called PET-enabled dual-energy CT, uses PET scan data itself to generate a second, high-energy CT image. Merging this with the standard CT image produces dual-energy imaging, which can better differentiate tissue composition, such as distinguishing cancerous from healthy tissue or assessing changes in bone marrow, without additional radiation or new equipment.
“This is a major step forward compared to other possible solutions,” said Guobao Wang, professor of radiology and principal investigator. “We’re using the PET scan’s own data to create a second, high-energy CT image. When combined with the regular CT scan, it enables dual-energy imaging that provides a much clearer picture and more detailed information about tissue composition.”

The team is validating the method using EXPLORER, a total-body PET scanner developed by UC Davis Health and United Imaging Healthcare. Researchers say the technique could be integrated into many existing PET/CT systems, expanding access to advanced hybrid imaging without costly hardware upgrades.

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