An implantable synthetic SPECT lesion: a bridge from phantom to reality.
Small-animal imaging systems are often characterized using phantoms, which may not predict performance in clinical applications. An implantable synthetic SPECT lesion would facilitate characterization of lesion detectability in a living animal.


METHODS
Anion-exchange columns with bed volumes of 100-300 nL were constructed from medical-grade polyvinyl chloride tubing and resin. The columns were tested in an excised mouse femur and implanted in the femur of a living mouse. Imaging was performed using a prototype dual-modality SPECT/CT system.


RESULTS
Activity of 7.4-22.2 MBq (0.2-0.6 mCi) localized within the synthetic lesion. The synthetic lesions were reused multiple times. Mice tolerated the implanted columns without complications for up to 8 wk.


CONCLUSIONS
A reusable, synthetic SPECT lesion was constructed and implanted in the femur of a living mouse. The synthetic lesion is useful for the development of imaging schemes and for more realistically evaluating imaging-system performance in the context of a living animal.
Abbott
M Bret
MB
Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Furenlid
Lars R
LR
Wilson
Don W
DW
Stevenson
Gail D
GD
Woolfenden
James M
JM
Barrett
Harrison H
HH
D000818:Animals; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride