Quantitative bone SPECT/CT reconstruction utilizing anatomical information.

Background: Bone SPECT/CT has been shown to offer superior sensitivity and specificity compared to conventional whole-body planar scanning. Furthermore, bone SPECT/CT allows quantitative imaging, which is challenging with planar methods. In order to gain better quantitative accuracy, Bayesian reconstruction algorithms, including both image derived and anatomically guided priors, have been utilized in reconstruction in PET/CT scanning, but they have not been widely used in SPECT/CT studies.

Evaluation of quantitative 123I and 131I SPECT with Monte Carlo-based down-scatter compensation.

Objective: Quantitative I and I single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is hampered by down-scatter from the high-energy peaks. This paper presents a down-scatter compensation method, where down-scatter generated in the patient and gamma camera collimator and detector is modelled using Monte Carlo simulation in the ordered subsets expectation maximization SPECT reconstruction algorithm.

Materials And Methods: The new down-scatter compensation method was compared with conventional triple energy window (TEW) scatter compensation and Gaussian convolution-based forced detection Monte Carlo methods.

Multicenter evaluation of single-photon emission computed tomography quantification with third-party reconstruction software.

Reliable and reproducible quantification is essential in many clinical situations. Previously, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has not been considered a quantitative imaging modality, but recent advances in reconstruction algorithm development have made SPECT quantitative. In this study, we investigate the reproducibility of SPECT quantification with phantoms in a multicenter setting using novel third-party reconstruction software.

Optimisation of reconstruction--reprojection-based motion correction for cardiac SPECT.

Objective: Cardiac motion is a challenging cause of image artefacts in myocardial perfusion SPECT. A wide range of motion correction methods have been developed over the years, and so far automatic algorithms based on the reconstruction--reprojection principle have proved to be the most effective. However, these methods have not been fully optimised in terms of their free parameters and implementational details.

Half-time myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging with attenuation and Monte Carlo-based scatter correction.

Purpose: To test the potential of a new reconstruction algorithm with Monte Carlo-based scatter correction in half-time myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

Materials And Methods: The mathematical four-dimensional NURBS-based Cardiac-Torso phantom and the SIMIND Monte Carlo simulation package were used to simulate full-time and half-time SPECT projection data. The data were reconstructed using the standard ordered subset expectation maximization-based algorithm and the new Monte Carlo-based algorithm.