title: Value of image fusion using single photon emission computed tomography with integrated low dose computed tomography in comparison with a retrospective voxel-based method in neuroendocrine tumours.
abstract: The objective was the evaluation of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with integrated low dose computed tomography (CT) in comparison with a retrospective fusion of SPECT and high-resolution CT and a side-by-side analysis for lesion localisation in patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Twenty-seven patients were examined by multidetector CT. Additionally, as part of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), an integrated SPECT-CT was performed. SPECT and CT data were fused using software with a registration algorithm based on normalised mutual information. The reliability of the topographic assignment of lesions in SPECT-CT, retrospective fusion and side-by-side analysis was evaluated by two blinded readers. Two patients were not enrolled in the final analysis because of misregistrations in the retrospective fusion. Eighty-seven foci were included in the analysis. For the anatomical assignment of foci, SPECT-CT and retrospective fusion revealed overall accuracies of 91 and 94% (side-by-side analysis 86%). The correct identification of foci as lymph node manifestations (n=25) was more accurate by retrospective fusion (88%) than from SPECT-CT images (76%) or by side-by-side analysis (60%). Both modalities of image fusion appear to be well suited for the localisation of SRS foci and are superior to side-by-side analysis of non-fused images especially concerning lymph node manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Strahlenheilkunde, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. h.amthauer@charite.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amthauer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Denecke
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rohlfing
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böhmig
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutberlet
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Plöckinger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lemke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D015282:Octreotide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C071632:SDZ 215-811; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D015282:Octreotide