title: Initial experience with a prototype dual-crystal (LSO/NaI) dual-head coincidence camera in oncology.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo performance of a prototype dual-crystal [lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)/sodium iodide (NaI)] dual-head coincidence camera (DHC) for PET and SPET (LSO-PS), in comparison to BGO-PET with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in oncology. This follows earlier reports that LSO-PS has noise-equivalent counting (NEC) rates comparable to partial ring BGO-PET, i.e. clearly higher than standard NaI DHCs. Twenty-four randomly selected oncological patients referred for whole-body FDG-PET underwent BGO-PET followed by LSO-PS. Four nuclear medicine physicians were randomised to read a single scan modality, in terms of lesion intensity, location and likelihood of malignancy. BGO-PET was considered the gold standard. Forty-eight lesions were classified as positive with BGO-PET, of which LSO-PS identified 73% (95% CI 60-86%). There was good observer agreement for both modalities in terms of intensity, location and interpretation. Lesions were missed by LSO-PS in 13 patients in the chest ( n=6), neck ( n=3) and abdomen ( n=4). The diameter of these lesions was estimated to be 0.5-1 cm. Initial results justify further evaluation of LSO-PS in specific clinical situations, especially if a role as an instrument of triage for PET is foreseen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Urvi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Otto S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boellaard
authors.forename: Emile F I
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Comans
authors.forename: Pieter G H M
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Raijmakers
authors.forename: Rik J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pijpers
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Gerrit J J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Teule
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Lingen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008187:Lutetium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017640:Silicates; D012974:Sodium Iodide; D014159:Transducers; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017640:Silicates; C477682:lutetium orthosilicate; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D008187:Lutetium; D012974:Sodium Iodide