Voxel-based quantitative analysis of brain images from F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography with a Block-Matching algorithm for spatial normalization

Abstract : Purpose of the Report. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) is widely used for the quantitative analysis of brain images from F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET). SPM requires an initial step of spatial normalization to align all images to a standard anatomical model (the template), but this may lead to image distortion and artefacts, especially in cases of marked brain abnormalities. This study aimed at assessing a Block-Matching (BM) normalization algorithm, where most transformations are not directly computed on the overall brain volume but through small blocks, a principle that is likely to minimize artefacts