title: Dual photon absorptiometry for bone mineral measurements using a gamma camera.
abstract: A gamma camera was equipped with a special collimator and arm assembly for bone mineral measurements with dual photon absorptiometry (DPA). The system was evaluated in vitro and in vivo and compared both with a rectilinear DPA and a dual energy X-ray (DEXA) system. All 3 systems showed a linear response in measurements of 4 vials, containing different amounts of hydroxyapatite. Phantom measurements with the gamma camera system showed a precision of 1.6% to 2.8%. Results obtained in 8 healthy volunteers with rectilinear and gamma camera systems were well correlated (R2 = 0.78). With the photon beam directed from posterior to anterior, the separation of vertebrae was easy with the gamma camera system. We conclude that bone mineral measurements can be made with a gamma camera for assessment of fracture risk and in the decision process whether a patient needs treatment or not. For follow-up, the precision of DPA with a gamma camera is inadequate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valkema
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prpic
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blokland
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Camps
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Papapoulos
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Bijvoet
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Pauwels
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008961:Models, Structural; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D005682:Gadolinium