title: Accuracy and reproducibility of left ventricular function from quantitative, gated, single photon emission computed tomography using dynamic myocardial phantoms: effect of pre-reconstruction filters.
abstract: We have investigated the accuracy and reproducibility of left ventricular (LV) functions using quantitative, gated, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) software dependent on critical frequencies of pre-reconstruction filters. This study incorporated dynamic myocardial phantoms (myocardial and cone shapes). Gated SPECT of 8-interval sets were pre-filtered with Butterworth filters (critical frequency varying between 0.16 and 1.16 cycles/cm, order 5) and with no filter. Phantoms were repositioned, and SPECT acquisitions were repeated. As the critical frequency increased, the estimated LV volume increased to reach a plateau at the level of the critical frequency, 0.54 cycles/cm. Conversely, the values of ejection fractions, wall motion and wall thickening with different filters which used critical frequency of > or =0.39 cycles/cm remained unchanged. However, LV functions and volumes were underestimated when any pre-reconstruction filter was used. Standard deviations of LV functions after repeated measurements were unaffected by different filters with critical frequencies of > or =0.39 cycles/cm. Standard deviations of LV volume, ejection fraction, wall motion and wall thickening were <2.2 ml, <0.9%, <0.6 mm and <8.7%, respectively. Therefore, with the exception of low critical frequencies, LV functions and volumes were highly reproducible when these routine reconstruction filters were used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Technology, College of Medical Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mabuchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016276:Ventricular Function; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*