Accuracy of cardiac PET imaging using post-injection transmission scan.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of cardiac PET with post-injection transmission scans.


METHODS
We performed a phantom study using 18F solution as well as 13N-ammonia PET study of ten patients. The average activities of no myocardial defect phantom model were estimated, and myocardial defect sizes of 12 phantom models were measured by pre- and post-injection transmission methods at various 18F activities. In 13N-ammonia PET at rest and during adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stress studies, measured defect sizes were compared between both methods.


RESULTS
The ratios of average activity estimated by both methods (post/pre value) were almost 1.00 at each 18F activity and segment. Measured defect sizes by both methods showed an excellent correlation with true defect sizes (r = 0.98, p < 0.01 for pre vs. true value: r = 0.98, p < 0.01 for post vs. true value). The mean absolute errors of measurements were minimal up to 3.5% LV, and were similar between both methods. In 13N-ammonia PET, measured defect sizes by both methods also showed a good correlation (r = 0.97, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that cardiac PET imaging with post-injection transmission scan provides information on myocardial tracer activity as well as myocardial defect size as does conventional pre-injection transmission method.
Yoneyama
Tatsuya
T
Department of Biotracer Medicine, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Japan. yoneyama@nmd.m.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Matsunari
Ichiro
I
Kanayama
Sugako
S
Matsudaira
Masamichi
M
Nakajima
Kenichi
K
Taki
Junichi
J
Nekolla
Stephan G
SG
Hisada
Kinichi
K
Tonami
Norihisa
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D009590:Nitrogen Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology
D009590:Nitrogen Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18