AI-based automatic patient positioning in a digital-BGO PET/CT scanner: efficacy and impact.

Background: A recently released digital solid-state positron emission tomography/x-ray CT (PET/CT) scanner with bismuth germanate (BGO) scintillators provides an artificial intelligence (AI) based system for automatic patient positioning. The efficacy of this digital-BGO system in patient placement at the isocenter and its impact on image quality and radiation exposure was evaluated.

Method: The digital-BGO PET/CT with AI-based auto-positioning was compared (χ, Mann-Whitney tests) to a solid-state lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (digital-LYSO) PET/CT with manual patient positioning (n = 432 and 343 studies each, respectively), with results split into groups before and after the date of a recalibration of the digital-BGO auto-positioning camera.

An extended bore length solid-state digital-BGO PET/CT system: design, preliminary experience, and performance characteristics.

Purpose: A solid-state PET/CT system uses bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) scintillating crystals coupled to silicon photomultipliers over an extended 32 cm axial field-of-view (FOV) to provide high spatial resolution and very high sensitivity. Performance characteristics were determined for this digital-BGO system, including NEMA and EARL standards.

Methods: Spatial resolution, scatter fraction (SF), noise equivalent count rate (NECR), sensitivity, count rate accuracy, and image quality (IQ) were evaluated for the digital-BGO system as per NEMA NU 2-2018, at 2 sites of first clinical install.

[IS MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING INTERPRETATION HARDER WITH X-RAY BEAM HARDENING ARTIFACT?].

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a well-established imaging modality for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and for prognostication. In recent years, the management of heart failure has developed tremendously including implantation of defibrillators for prevention of malignant tachyarrhythmias and resynchronizing therapy for the improvement of clinical symptoms and left ventricular function. Cardiac magnetic resonance and computed tomography are imaging modalities that are negatively affected by the presence of metallic devices.

[18F-FDG-PET/CT AS A TOOL FOR DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW-UP OF INFLAMMATORY DISEASES OF LARGE BLOOD VESSELS].

Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-Positron Emission Tomography (PET) / Computed Tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is a well-established functional-anatomical imaging technique mostly used in oncology. In addition, it was found to have an important role in the diagnosis and follow-up of large vessel vasculitis mainly when combined with computed tomography angiography. Large vessel vasculitis is a disease mainly affecting large blood vessels and has two major groups: Takayasu arteritis (TA) and Giant cell arteritis (GCA).