TOTEM Study: TOTEM: Total Body PET - Exploring new iMaging protocols for clinical research

A single Total Body PET scanner now operating in the UK can capture a patient’s entire body in one go, rather than stitching together multiple scans. This new machine is faster and delivers a lower radiation dose, but no one has yet agreed on the best way to use it or interpret the data it produces. The TOTEM study will test different scanning protocols on patients undergoing routine clinical PET scans, then refine the methods for acquiring and analysing the images. The team will also apply machine learning to speed up data processing. If successful, the work will establish standardised, evidence-based protocols that minimise scan time, radiation exposure, and analysis time. That could make Total Body PET practical for wider clinical research—for example, tracking how a drug distributes through the entire body in a single snapshot, or studying slow-moving biological processes that conventional PET cannot capture. The project is not about a new treatment or device; it is about creating the technical foundation needed to use a powerful new imaging tool safely and consistently.