Impact of image reconstruction on phase analysis of ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT studies.
OBJECTIVE
Phase analysis (SyncTool) has been developed to assess left-ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony from gated myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT) studies. Conventionally, GSPECT data are reconstructed using filtered backprojection (FBP). This study is intended to determine the impact of various iterative reconstruction methods on SyncTool.


METHODS
Thirty consecutive patients, acquired using a Philips CardioMD system, were enrolled in this study. The GSPECT data were reconstructed using FBP, maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM), MLEM with three-dimensional resolution recovery (Astonish), MLEM with Vantage attenuation correction (AC), and MLEM with Vantage AC and three-dimensional Monte Carlo-based scatter correction (ACSC), respectively. The reconstructed data were then submitted to SyncTool to measure LV dyssynchrony (phase standard deviation and histogram bandwidth). The paired t-test was used to compare the LV dyssynchrony indices given by MLEM, Astonish, AC, and ACSC, respectively, with those given by the FBP.


RESULTS
No statistical significance was observed for any comparison between iterative reconstruction methods and the FBP.


CONCLUSIONS
Reconstruction methods have insignificant impact on the LV dyssynchrony indices, indicating that the standard FBP reconstruction is sufficient for accurate phase analysis, supporting the widespread clinical use of SyncTool in measuring LV dyssynchrony.
Li
Dianfu
D
Division of Nuclear Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China. lidianfu@gmail.com
Zhou
Yanli
Y
Feng
Jianlin
J
Yuan
Donglan
D
Cao
Kejiang
K
Garcia
Ernest V
EV
Chen
Ji
J
D055426:Cardiac-Gated Single-Photon Emission Computer-Assisted Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*