• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.13-20
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• 2011

Purpose: The limited FOV(Field of View) of CT (Computed Tomography) can cause truncation artifact at external DFOV (Display Field of View) in PET/CT image. In our study, we measured the difference of SUV and compared the influence affecting to the image reconstructed with the extended DFOV. Materials and Methods: NEMA 1994 PET Phantom was filled with $^{18}F$(FDG) of 5.3 kBq/mL and placed at the center of FOV. Phantom images were acquired through emission scan. Shift the phantom's location to the external edge of DFOV and images were acquired with same method. All of acquired data through each experiment were reconstructed with same method, DFOV was applied 50 cm and 70 cm respectively. Then ROI was set up on the emission image, performed the comparative analysis SUV. In the clinical test, patient group shown truncation artifact was selected. ROI was set up at the liver of patient's image and performed the comparative analysis SUV according to the change of DFOV. Results: The pixel size was increase from 3.91 mm to 5.47 mm according to the DFOV increment in the centered location phantom study. When extended DFOV was applied, $_{max}SUV$ of ROI was decreased from 1.49 to 1.35. In case of shifted the center of phantom location study, $_{max}SUV$ was decreased from 1.30 to 1.20. The $_{max}SUV$ was 1.51 at the truncated region in the extended DFOV. The difference of the $_{max}SUV$ was 25.9% higher at the outside of the truncated region than inside. When the extended DFOV was applied, $_{max}SUV$ was decreased from 3.38 to 3.13. Conclusion: When the extended DFOV was applied, $_{max}SUV$ decreasing phenomenon can cause pixel to pixel noise by increasing of pixel size. In this reason, $_{max}SUV$ was underestimated. Therefore, We should consider the underestimation of quantitative result in the whole image plane in case of patient study applied extended DFOV protocol. Consequently, the result of the quantitative analysis may show more higher than inside at the truncated region.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2013

Purpose: In the PET/CT images, various artifacts cause degradation of the quantitative assessment. Most hotspot generated by radiopharmaceutical injection errors cause an artifact and degrade the quality of the images as well as the accuracy of the quantitative evaluation. The purpose of this study is to assess effectiveness of the elimination of the hotspot at the injection sites using shifting the center of DFOV (Display Field of View, DFOV) method and evaluate the quantitative evaluation of result. Materials and Methods: GE Discovery STE 16 (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, USA) and 1994 NEMA phantom were used for imaging acquisition. Phantom was filled with 0.005 MBq/mL of $^{18}F-FDG$. A hotspot was artificially placed on the outside of the phantom. The ratio of hotspot area activity to background area activity was regulated as 200:1. After image acquisition with routine protocol, all of the images were reconstructed using the shifting the center of DFOV method that wasn't overlapped with hotspot. Those images obtained before and after applying the shifting reconstruction method were compared. ROIs (Region Of Interests) were set in the hotspot areas, meanSUVs and standard deviations were calculated. Percentage differences were calculated with those meanSUVs and standard deviations. The evaluation on the effects of the shifting reconstruction method was done by comparison of the meanSUVs and the standard deviations, which were calculated for background areas unaffected by hotspot. Results: In the areas of unaffected by hotspot, meanSUVs before and after applying the shifting of center of DFOV method were $0.67{\pm}0.06g/mL$ and $0.65{\pm}0.06g/mL$, respectively. In the artifact areas affected by hotspot, meanSUVs before and after applying the shifting of center of DFOV method were $0.32{\pm}0.08g/mL$ and $0.56{\pm}0.12g/mL$, respectively. The percentage differences of the area adjacent to the hotspot and the area distant from the hotspot were 65.3% and 97.4%, respectively. Conclusion: In the PET/CT images, meanSUV was improved by 32.1% when the effect of artifact was removed with application of the shifting the center of DFOV methode. In other areas unaffected by artifacts, meanSUVs were not significantly different after applying DFOV center shift method. As shown in the result, adverse effects of hotspot made by swelling in the injection site can be reduced by applying DFOV center shift method. Therefore, DFOV center shift method can be applied for the more precise quantitative evaluation, and contribute to the increase of the diagnostic value of the images.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2008

Purpose: There have been something difficulties in locating focuses and quantitative analysis in case of pediatric patients because of the relatively small body compared to adults. This author of this study, therefore, evaluated the usefulness of DFOV (Display Field Of View) according to its changes in PET/CT image reconstruction by means of the phantom experiment and pediatric patients examination. Materials & Methods: 0.023 MBq/cc of $^{18}F$-FDG was put into the uniform NU2-94 phantom, and then emission scan was acquired for 10 minutes. For reconstruction, DFOV values were changed to 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, and 25 cm respectively. As for patient images, 20 patients who were diagnosed as the one or suspicion of the children tumor are targeted from Oct 2007 to Jan 2008. For image reconstruction, 50 cm was the basis of DFOV, and the value was adjusted to DFOV 45 cm to 25 cm respectively. In the phantom and the reconstruction image of pediatric patients, the changes in pixel size and $SUV_{max}$ according to DFOV changes were analyzed. Results: As DFOV decreased to 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, and 25 cm by means of the phantom, the pixel size was changed to 3.906, 3.515, 3.125, 2.734, 2.343, and 1.953 mm respectively. Besides, as a result of reconstruction DFOV in images of pediatric patients to 50, to 25 cm, the different values of $SUV_{max}$ are shown as 3.3, 7.3, 12, 14, 18% and 2.6, 4.3, 5.0, 7.0, 10.0% on respectively when 50 cm was the standard. Conclusion: In $SUV_{max}$ using the phantom, as DFOV decreased every 5 cm, the mean value gradually increased. With 50 cm as the standard, the increase rates were 3.7, 6.5, 11.2, 19.5, and 32.1% respectively. As for pediatric patients image too, as DFOV decreased, the rates increased as in the phantom experiment. In image reconstruction, since DFOV decrease regardless of matrix size change reduced the pixel size, the image quality can be improved. This would be more useful than reconstruction and enlarge images of pediatric patients in the same way of examining adults. However, when the value of 35 cm DFOV was applied, this may result in truncated artifact, and thus the application should be properly controlled. Change of DFOV may produce better image for pediatric patients, but changes of SUV values according to DFOV change should be considered in reading.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.163-173
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• 2014

When evaluating the spatial resolution images and evaluation of low contrast resolution using CT standard phantom, and might present a automated quantitative evaluation method for minimizing errors by subjective judgment of the evaluator be, and try to evaluate the usefulness. 120kVp and 250mAs, 10mm collimation, SFOV(scan field of view) of 25cm or more than, exposure conditions DFOV(display field of view) of 25cm, and were evaluated the 24 passing images and 20 failing images taken using a standard reconstruction algorithm by using the Nuclear Associates, Inc. AAPM CT Performance Phantom(Model 76-410). Quantitative evaluation of low contrast resolution and spatial resolution was using an evaluation program that was self-developed using the company Mathwork Matlab(Ver. 7.6. (R2008a)) software. In this study, the results were evaluated using the evaluation program that was self-developed in the evaluation of images using CT standard phantom, it was possible to evaluate an objective numerical qualitative evaluation item. First, if the contrast resolution, if EI is 0.50, 0.51, 0.52, 0.53, as a result of evaluating quantitatively the results were evaluated qualitatively match. Second, if CNR is -0.0018~-0.0010, as a result of evaluating quantitatively the results were evaluated qualitatively match. Third, if the spatial resolution, as a result of using a image segmentation technique, and automatically extract the contour boundary of the hole, as a result of evaluating quantitatively the results were evaluated qualitatively match.