title: Quantitative SPECT/CT: SPECT joins PET as a quantitative imaging modality.
abstract: The introduction of combined modality single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT cameras has revived interest in quantitative SPECT. Schemes to mitigate the deleterious effects of photon attenuation and scattering in SPECT imaging have been developed over the last 30 years but have been held back by lack of ready access to data concerning the density of the body and photon transport, which we see as key to producing quantitative data. With X-ray CT data now routinely available, validations of techniques to produce quantitative SPECT reconstructions have been undertaken. While still suffering from inferior spatial resolution and sensitivity compared to positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, SPECT scans nevertheless can be produced that are as quantitative as PET scans. Routine corrections are applied for photon attenuation and scattering, resolution recovery, instrumental dead time, radioactive decay and cross-calibration to produce SPECT images in units of kBq.ml(-1). Though clinical applications of quantitative SPECT imaging are lacking due to the previous non-availability of accurately calibrated SPECT reconstructions, these are beginning to emerge as the community and industry focus on producing SPECT/CT systems that are intrinsically quantitative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, dale.bailey@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Dale L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Kathy P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Willowson
mesh_terms: D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1984 Apr;25(4):490-4
references.pmid: 6400024
references.citation: Eur J Nucl Med. 1980 Aug;5(4):377-82
references.pmid: 7398673
references.citation: Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2007 Sep;34(9):1415-26
references.pmid: 17372731
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1995 Aug;36(8):1476-88
references.pmid: 7629598
references.citation: Eur J Nucl Med. 1991;18(6):374-9
references.pmid: 1879443
references.citation: EJNMMI Res. 2013 Jun 05;3(1):45
references.pmid: 23738809
references.citation: Nucl Med Commun. 2003 Apr;24(4):411-20
references.pmid: 12673170
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2003 Apr;44(4):512-9
references.pmid: 12679393
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 1997 Aug;42(8):1619-32
references.pmid: 9279910
references.citation: IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 1982;1(2):113-22
references.pmid: 18238264
references.citation: Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2010 May;30(3):214-9
references.pmid: 20447182
references.citation: Nucl Med Commun. 1989 Feb;10(2):83-97
references.pmid: 2786613
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2010 Jun;51(6):921-8
references.pmid: 20484423
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1994 Feb;35(2):360-7
references.pmid: 8295011
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 1988 Oct;33(10):1129-40
references.pmid: 3264074
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1987 Dec;28(12):1861-9
references.pmid: 3500288
references.citation: J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1979 Jun;3(3):299-308
references.pmid: 438372
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2013 Jan;54(1):83-9
references.pmid: 23283563
references.citation: Cancer Imaging. 2011 Jun 15;11:56-66
references.pmid: 21684829
references.citation: Eur J Nucl Med. 1998 Jul;25(7):774-87
references.pmid: 9662601
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2010 Oct;51(10):1624-31
references.pmid: 20847163
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2003 Nov 21;48(22):N323-8
references.pmid: 14680275
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1991 Jun;32(6):1278-84
references.pmid: 2045947
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2000 Aug;41(8):1400-8
references.pmid: 10945534
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1984 Aug;25(8):893-900
references.pmid: 6611390
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2008 Sep 7;53(17):4595-604
references.pmid: 18678930
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 1996 Nov;41(11):2481-96
references.pmid: 8938040
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1993 Dec;34(12):2216-21
references.pmid: 8254414
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1987 May;28(5):844-51
references.pmid: 3494829
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1990 Apr;31(4):493-500
references.pmid: 2324825
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 1998 Apr;43(4):857-73
references.pmid: 9572510
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 1998 Jan;39(1):181-9
references.pmid: 9443759
references.citation: Radiology. 1984 May;151(2):477-81
references.pmid: 6709924
references.citation: IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 1994;13(4):601-9
references.pmid: 18218538
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2008 Jun 21;53(12):3099-112
references.pmid: 18495976
references.citation: J Nucl Med. 2012 Aug;53(8):1207-15
references.pmid: 22782315
references.citation: Appl Radiat Isot. 2008 Sep;66(9):1206-12
references.pmid: 18662614