FDG gamma camera PET equipped with one inch crystal and XCT. Assessment of myocardial viability.
Metabolic imaging with 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is actually considered as the best method to detect and quantitatively assess myocardial tissue viability. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of FDG gamma camera positron emission tomography (GCPET) imaging equipped with one inch NaI crystals in comparison to FDG dedicated PET (dPET) imaging as a "gold standard" in phantom and clinical studies.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent both imaging modalities. Phantom and clinical GCPET imaging were performed with a dual-headed, coincidence based gamma camera equipped with 1 inch thick NaI crystals and an x-ray tube (XCT) for attenuation correction (AC), as well as with a dedicated PET scanner with AC. (99m)Tc tetrofosmin single-photon emission tomography (SPET) studies were performed for assessment of myocardial perfusion, with AC.


RESULTS
Phantom studies showed a significant relation in segmental activity between FDG imaging with AC using GCPET and dPET (r = 0.91, p < 0.001). In clinical studies with AC correlation coefficients of mean segmental FDG uptake and regional defect size were r = 0.87 (p < 0.0001) and r = 0.83 (p < 0.0001), respectively. In regional analysis close agreement was even found in the most attenuated regions of the heart if AC was used in GCPET imaging. The overall agreement for detection of viable myocardium was 81% between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (AC) and 74% between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (NC).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the assessment of myocardial metabolism by means of FDG is feasible with a coincidence based gamma camera equipped with 1 inch thick NaI crystals if AC is performed. The results reveal a close concordance and agreement between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (AC) as compared to FDG-GCPET (NC).
Beheshti
M
M
Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, PET CT Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital Linz, Seilerstaette 4, 4010 Linz, Austria. mohsen.beheshti@bhs.at
Khorsand
A
A
Graf
S
S
Dobrozemsky
G
G
Oezer
S
S
Kletter
K
K
Dudczak
R
R
Pirich
C
C
D000368:Aged; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18