• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.522-527
• /
• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of bone using Tc-99m MDP in the diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Materials and Methods: Thirty two patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture were included in this study (mean age: $67{\pm}8$, male: 5, female: 27). Seventy nine vertebral fractures were detected (38 thoracic/thoracolumbar lesions and 41 lumbar lesions), which were classified by type of deformity (wedge, biconcave or compression). The patterns and locations of increased uptakes were examined and analyzed. Results: Forty seven wedge fractures, 20 biconcave fractures and 12 compression fractures were found. Diffuse and asymmetric uptakes were common in fractured bodies. More than one uptake were examined in 69 posterior elements of fractured vertebrae (87.3%) including 40 of 47 wedge fractures (85.1%), 17 of 20 biconcave fractures (85.0%) and 12 of 12 compression fractures (100%). Wedge fractures were predominant fracture in thoracic/thoracolumbar spine whereas incidence of biconcave or compression type war similar to that of wedge fracture in lumbar spine (p=0.04). Spinous process uptake was more frequently seen in lumbar lesions than thoracic/thoracolumbar lesions (p=0.009). Facet joint uptake in biconcave fracture was more common in lumbar spine (92.3%) than thoracic/thoracolumbar spine (57.1%). Spinous process uptake in biconcave fracture was also more frequently detected in lumbar spine (p=0.043). Conclusion: Bone SPECT was useful in the evaluation of osteoporotic vertebral fracture, especially posterior elements of vertebrae.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2019

Purpose An examination guide is a useful medium to provide the patient with an overview, pre- and post-test preparation, and precautions of nuclear testing. The design and arrangement of existing written texts and announcements were evaluated to elucidate the comprehension of patients undergoing testing. Materials and Methods Informational material describing bone scanning and $^{201}thallium$ myocardium perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), as a secondary examination, which accounts for the largest portion of gamma imaging at Asan Hospital (Seoul, South Korea), was selected as an improvement target in consultation with a national innovation center. Existing informational material was dispensed to patients scheduled for bone scans from November 2016 to February 2017 and the revised material was issued from March 2017 to May 2017. A survey was conducted of 200 patients who underwent $^{201}thallium$ myocardium perfusion SPECT before and after the revisions (n = 100 each time period) to assess the patients' understanding of the informational material. Results When comparing the use of the conventional vs. revised material, the number of patients who received treatment before bone scanning had decreased from 130 to 60, while the number of those who required additional imaging decreased from 53 to 14. Prior to the revision, 43% of patients underwent testing before preparation and 18% underwent additional testing. The decreased need for additional image acquisition after revision of the informational material resulted in a decrease in acquisition time of about 2 min, from 16.5 to 14.2 min. In the case of $^{201}thallium$ myocardium perfusion SPECT, patient comprehension of all five items surveyed had increased, while the number of patients who had repeatedly asked about various facets of the procedure pre- and post-testing had decreased from 36% to 16% and 31% to 14%, respectively. Conclusion Lower patient comprehension is accompanied by a decrease in image quality due to non-compliance during pre-testing and may lead to repetitive questions from the patient, which may also negatively affect the fatigue and work efficiency of the examiner. Improved readability and visibility of informational material through visualization was correlated with greater patient comprehension as well as improved image quality and acquisition time.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.83-89
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The Wide Beam Reconstruction (WBR) algorithms that UltraSPECT, Ltd. (U.S) has provides solutions which improved image resolution by eliminating the effect of the line spread function by collimator and suppression of the noise. It controls the resolution and noise level automatically and yields unsurpassed image quality. The aim of this study is WBR of whole body bone scan in usefulness of clinical application. Materials and Methods: The standard line source and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) reconstructed spatial resolution measurements were performed on an INFINA (GE, Milwaukee, WI) gamma camera, equipped with low energy high resolution (LEHR) collimators. The total counts of line source measurements with 200 kcps and 300 kcps. The SPECT phantoms analyzed spatial resolution by the changing matrix size. Also a clinical evaluation study was performed with forty three patients, referred for bone scans. First group altered scan speed with 20 and 30 cm/min and dosage of 740 MBq (20 mCi) of $^{99m}Tc$-HDP administered but second group altered dosage of $^{99m}Tc$-HDP with 740 and 1,110 MBq (20 mCi and 30 mCi) in same scan speed. The acquired data was reconstructed using the typical clinical protocol in use and the WBR protocol. The patient's information was removed and a blind reading was done on each reconstruction method. For each reading, a questionnaire was completed in which the reader was asked to evaluate, on a scale of 1-5 point. Results: The result of planar WBR data improved resolution more than 10%. The Full-Width at Half-Maximum (FWHM) of WBR data improved about 16% (Standard: 8.45, WBR: 7.09). SPECT WBR data improved resolution more than about 50% and evaluate FWHM of WBR data (Standard: 3.52, WBR: 1.65). A clinical evaluation study, there was no statistically significant difference between the two method, which includes improvement of the bone to soft tissue ratio and the image resolution (first group p=0.07, second group p=0.458). Conclusion: The WBR method allows to shorten the acquisition time of bone scans while simultaneously providing improved image quality and to reduce the dosage of radiopharmaceuticals reducing radiation dose. Therefore, the WBR method can be applied to a wide range of clinical applications to provide clinical values as well as image quality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.38 no.5 s.250
• /
• pp.323-334
• /
• 2005

Background: Gene therapy is a new and promising option for the treatment of severe myocardial ischemia by therapeutic angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis by using VEGF165 in large animals. Material and Method: Twenty-one pigs that underwent ligation of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF (VEGF) or intramyocardial injection of pCK-Null (Control). Injections were administered 30 days after ligation. Seven pigs died during the trial, but eight pigs from VEGF and six from Control survived. Echo-cardiography was performed on day 0 (preoperative) and on days 30 and 60 following coronary ligation. Gated myocardial single photon emission computed tomography imaging (SPECT) with $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi was performed on days 30 and 60. Myocardial perfusion was assessed from the uptake of $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi at rest. Global and regional myocardial function as well as post-infarction left ventricular remodeling were assessed from segmental wall thickening; left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); end systolic volume (ESV); and end diastolic volume (EDV) using gated SPECT and echocardiography. Myocardium of the ischemic border zone into which pCK plasmid vector had been injected was also sampled to assess micro-capillary density. Result: Micro-capillary density was significantly higher in the VEGF than in Control ($386\pm110/mm^{2}\;vs.\;291\pm127/mm^{2};\;p<0.001$). Segmental perfusion increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 after intramyocardial injection of plasmid vector in VEGF ($48.4\pm15.2\%\;vs.\;53.8\pm19.6\%;\;p<0.001$), while no significant change was observed in the Control ($45.1\pm17.0\%\;vs.\;43.4\pm17.7\%;\;p=0.186$). This resulted in a significant difference in the percentage changes between the two groups ($11.4\pm27.0\%\;increase\;vs.\;2.7\pm19.0\%\;decrease;\;p=0.003$). Segmental wall thickening increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 in both groups; the increments did not differ between groups. ESV measured using echocardiography increased significantly from day 0 to day 30 in VEGF ($22.9\pm9.9\;mL\;vs.\;32.3\pm9.1\;mL;\; p=0.006$) and in Control ($26.3\pm12.0\;mL\;vs.\;36.8\pm9.7\;mL;\;p=0.046$). EF decreased significantly in VEGF ($52.0\pm7.7\%\;vs.\;46.5\pm7.4\%;\;p=0.004$) and in Control ($48.2\pm9.2\%\;vs.\;41.6\pm10.0\%;\;p=0.028$). There was no significant change in EDV. The interval changes (days $30\~60$) of EF, ESV, and EDV did not differ significantly between groups both by gated SPECT and by echocardiography. Conclusion: Intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF165 induced therapeutic angiogenesis and improved myocardial perfusion. However, post-infarction remodeling and global myocardial function were not improved.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.95-103
• /
• 1996

Reverse redistribution(RRD) refers to a perfusion defect that develops or becomes more evident on rest imaging compared with the stress imaging. This phenomenon was not uncommonly noted on myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). However, the clinical significance and pathophysiological mechanism of RRD were unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical significance of RRD on either dipyridamole T1-201 or Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT. RRD was defined as ${\geq}10%$ decrease in relative T1-201 and Tc-99m MIBI uptakes on rest images compared to the stress images or as an appearance of new perfusion defects on rest images. It was observed in both T1-201 (44/463, 9.5%) and Tc-99m MIBI (124/999, 12.4%) myocardial SPECTs similarly, with an overall incidence of 11.5%(168/1462). Many apparent)y unrelated disease groups showed the finding: post-revascularization(53.9%), coronary artery disease(24.6%), myocardial infarction(12.3%), and those with normal coro-nary arteries (9.2%). Clinical and angiographic characteristics of 65 consecutive patients who underwent coronary arteriography in 168 patients who had RRD on myocardial perfusion SPECT were reviewed. Tc-99m MIBI was used in 44 patients, and T1-201 was used in 21 patients. Of the 81 myocardial segments analyzed which showed RRD, 32 segments(39.5%) were in septum, 24(29.5%) in inferior wallL, 12(14.8%) in anterior wall, 7(8.7%) in apex and 6(7.4%) in lateral wall. There was no clear association between RRD and coronary arterial stenosis or Presence of collateral circulations. Ventriculographical wall motion was evaluated in 27 regions with RRD; it was normal in 12 regions, hypokinetic in 12 regions and dyskinetic in 3 regions. In 14 of 21 patients who showed RRD on T1-201 myocardial SPECT, T1-201 reinjection was performed immediately after the 3-4 hour redistribution studies. Ten of 14 (71.4%) showed enhanced T1-201 activity(${\geq}10%$ increased) after reinjection. We conclude that RRD is not related to mode of stress or radiopharmaceuticals. RRD might represent many inhomogeneous pathophysiological processes.