A non-linear mixed effect modelling approach for metabolite correction of the arterial input function in PET studies

► We apply the Non-Linear Mixed Effects Modelling approach for PET metabolite correction. ► We compare the method with standard approach in both simulation and measured data. ► Non-Linear Mixed Effects provides a superior description of parent plasma fraction. ► Non-Linear Mixed Effects demonstrates to be robust in the presence of outliers. ► Plasma metabolite modelling impacts on PET tissue kinetic quantification.