Development of an automatic ROI setting program for input function determination in 99mTc-ECD non-invasive cerebral blood flow quantification.
Non-invasive quantitative measurements are useful for clinical study as these are simple and pain-free procedures. A new non-invasive semi-automatic quantitative measurement method, the improved brain uptake ratio (IBUR) method using (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT, has recently been reported. If an automatic ROI setting algorithm could be developed to determine the input function for the IBUR method, analysis of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) can be completed within a few min without recourse to complex techniques, through a fully automatic rCBF analysis program. The purpose of this study was to develop an automatic input function determination program for (99m)Tc-ECD non-invasive cerebral blood flow quantification and to confirm the feasibility of use of this program. The images of 15 consecutive patients who underwent both (99m)Tc-ECD chest RI angiography and SPECT examinations were used for development of the automatic arterial input function program. The images of 69 consecutive patients were used for validation of the program. The coincidence ratio between the ROI automatic method and the manual setting method was 98%. The mean difference in the ROI location was ±6.4 mm in the X direction and ±8.6 mm in the Y direction. Individual rCBF values obtained using these independent techniques were also reasonably well correlated (r = 0.95). The total time for the IBUR analysis using the automatic method is 2-3 min as compared to 20-30 min for the current analysis method. This technique improves the throughput of nuclear medical examinations.
Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kuhonji 4-24-1, Kumamoto 862-0796, Japan.
Shinichiro
S
Masunaga
Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kuhonji 4-24-1, Kumamoto 862-0796, Japan.
Yoshikazu
Y
Uchiyama
Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kuhonji 4-24-1, Kumamoto 862-0796, Japan.
Asato
A
Ofuji
National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Jigyouhama 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Fukoka 810-8563, Japan.
Rieko
R
Nagaoka
National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Jigyouhama 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Fukoka 810-8563, Japan.
Taeko
T
Tomimatsu
Daiyukai General Hospital, Sakura 1-9-9, Ichinomiya City, Aichi 491-8551, Japan.
Akiko
A
Iwata
Cyclotron Research Center, Iwate Medical University, 348-58 Tomegamori, Takizawa, Iwate 020-0173, Japan.
Toshiaki
T
Sasaki
Fujifilm RI Pharma Co.,Ltd., Kyobashi 14-1 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031, Japan.
Akihiro
A
Takaki
Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kuhonji 4-24-1, Kumamoto 862-0796, Japan. Electronic address: shigekii@kumamoto-u.ac.jp.
Shigeki
S
Ito
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D001331:Automation; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; C059659:technetium Tc 99m bicisate; D003545:Cysteine
(99m)Tc-ECD SPECT; Automatic rCBF analysis; Non-invasive quantification