Validation of attenuation correction using transmission truncation compensation with a small field of view dedicated cardiac SPECT camera system.
BACKGROUND
Although attenuation correction (AC) has been successfully applied to large field of view (LFOV) cameras, applicability to small field of view (SFOV) cameras is a concern due to truncation. This study compared perfusion images between a LFOV and SFOV camera with truncation compensation, using the same AC solution.


RESULTS
Seventy-eight clinically referred patients underwent rest-stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using both a SFOV and LFOV camera in a randomized sequence. Blinded images were interpreted by a consensus of three experienced readers. The percentage of normal images for SFOV and LFOV was significantly higher with than without AC (72% vs 44% and 72% vs 49%, both P < .001). Interpretive agreement between cameras was better with than without AC (kappa = 0.736 to 0.847 vs 0.545 to 0.774). Correlation for the summed stress score was higher with than without AC (r (2) = 0.892 vs 0.851, both P < 0.001) while Bland Altman analysis demonstrated narrower limits with than without AC (4.0 to -4.3 vs 5.9 to -5.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Attenuation correction using truncation compensation with a SFOV camera yields similar results to a LFOV camera. The higher interpretive agreement between cameras after attenuation correction suggests that such images are preferable to non-attenuation-corrected images.
Noble
Gavin L
GL
Division of Cardiology, Bend Memorial Clinic, Bend, OR, USA.
Ahlberg
Alan W
AW
Kokkirala
Aravind Rao
AR
Cullom
S James
SJ
Bateman
Timothy M
TM
Cyr
Giselle M
GM
Katten
Deborah M
DM
Tadeo
Glenn D
GD
Case
James A
JA
O'Sullivan
David M
DM
Heller
Gary V
GV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation*