"Flying through" and "flying around" a PET/CT scan: Pilot study and development of 3D integrated 18F-FDG PET/CT for virtual bronchoscopy and colonoscopy.
The objective of this pilot project was to devise a new image acquisition and processing technique to produce PET/CT images rendered in 3-dimensional (3D) volume that can then be reviewed in several 3D formats such as virtual bronchoscopy and colonoscopy "fly-throughs" and external "fly-arounds."


METHODS
We tested the new imaging and processing protocol on 24 patients with various malignancies to determine whether it could dependably acquire and reformat standard tomographic 2-dimensional PET/CT images into 3D renderings.


RESULTS
This new technique added helpful information to the diagnostic interpretation for 2 of the 24 patients. Further, in the 6 patients undergoing mediastinoscopy, bronchoscopy, or endoscopy, 3D imaging helped in preprocedural planning.


CONCLUSIONS
In this initial study, we demonstrated both the feasibility of rendering PET/CT images into 3D volumes and the potential clinical utility of this technique for diagnostic lesion characterization and preprocedural planning.
Quon
Andrew
A
Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Radiology and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5281, USA. aquon@stanford.edu
Napel
Sandy
S
Beaulieu
Christopher F
CF
Gambhir
Sanjiv S
SS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18