title: Accuracy in gamma camera measurements of point source velocities.
abstract: Mucociliary clearance is impaired in many diseases of the respiratory system. We have developed a method for measuring tracheal mucus velocity by the dynamic study of a single point source of radioactivity deposited in the trachea by cricothyroid injection. Preliminary results suggest that patients with airways disease have very low tracheal mucus velocities (<2 mm x min(-1)). The aim of this experiment was to explore the ability of current scintillation detection systems to track a single point as it moves in a dynamic study in small increments and at low velocity (movements of the order of 1 mm). Background noise was estimated to contribute an error in positioning of 0.16 mm (1 standard deviation). Overall errors in velocity were estimated at 0.2 mm x min(-1). This suggests that standard instrumentation in use in most nuclear medicine departments has the capacity to measure accurately velocities as low as 1 mm x min(-1).
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, NSW, Australia. lucy@rfu.crg.cs.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rutland
authors.forename: R U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: de Iongh
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Wall
mesh_terms: D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging