• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2012

Purpose : In myocardial perfusion SPECT, the type of orbit (circular vs. body contouring) that affect the image quality is still on the debate. Presently in the nuclear medicine field, the body contouring orbit acquisition is widely used to improve the image quality on the myocardial perfusion SPECT. But in case of body contouring acquisition using the vertical method with dual detect machine, there is a tendency of increasing the radius. In this research, we compared body contouring orbit acquisition with circular orbit acquisition, so we suggest ideal method that reduces the radius for improving image quality. Materials and Methods : Phantom and clinical studies were performed. The anthropomorphic torso phantom was made on equally with counts from patient's body. The study was performed under six different conditions. To compare image quality according to the radius, we increased radius sequentially per step during circular orbit acquisition. On the other hand, sensors that protect a collision and reduce the radius automatically were used to acquire image during body contouring orbit acquisition. So we compared FWHM value of apex. In clinical studies, we analyzed the 40 patients who were examined by Tl-201 gated myocardial perfusion SPECT in department of nuclear medicine at Asan Medical Center in August 2011. To acknowledge the differences according to the radius, we acquired the results two times using circular orbit acquisition and body contouring orbit acquisition. Results : In phantom study, we analyzed that increase of radius resulted in changes of FWHM value. It was 5.41, 6.24, 6.33, 6.42, 6.93 mm. On the other hand, using the body contouring orbit acquisition, FWHM value was 6.23 mm. In clinical study, difference of average radius between two methods was 2.5 cm (circular orbit acquisition was more close to patients). Conclusion : Through the experiments using Anthropomorphic torso phantom and patients data, we found that FWHM value of circular orbit acquisition was lower than body contouring orbit acquisition. As a result, if the difference of average radius exists approximately 3 cm, circular orbit type acquisition is better than body contouring type acquisition. But clinical investigation is only aimed to average radius, so it needs more investigation in comparison of patient's image.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.67-75
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• 2009

Purpose: As to the analytical method of data, the various programs in which it is used for the quantitative rating of the Tl-201 myocardial perfusion SPECT are reported that there is a difference. Therefore, the measured value error of the mutual program is expected to be generated even if the quantitative analysis is made against data of the same patient. Using quantitative index that able to represent myocardial perfusion defect level, we aimed to determine correlation among three myocardial perfusion analysis programs 4DM (4DMSPECT), QPS (Quantitative Perfusion SPECT), ECT (Emory Cardiac Toolbox) that be used generally in most departments of Nuclear Medicine. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the 145 patients who were examined by Tl-201 gated myocardial perfusion SPECT in department of nuclear medicine at Asan Mediacal Center from December 1th 2008 to February 14th 2008. We sorted as normal group and abnormal group. Normal group consist of 80 patients (Male/Female=38/42, age:$65.1{\pm}9.9$) who have low possibility of cardiovascular disease. And abnormal group consist of 65 patients (Male/Female=45/20, age:$63.0{\pm}8.7$) who were diagnosed cardiovascular disease with reversible perfusion defect or fixed perfusion defect through myocardial perfusion SPECT results. Using the 4DM, QPS, and ECT programs, the total defect extent (TDE) such as LAD, LCX, RCA and the summed stress score (SSS) have been analysed for their correlations and statistical comparison with the paried t-test for the quantitative indices analysed from each group. Results: The correlation of 4DM:QPS, QPS:ECT, ECT:4DM each group result from 145 patients is 0.84, 0.86, 0.82 at SSS, 0.87, 0.84, 0.87 at TDE, and both index showed good correlation. In paired t-test and Bland-Altman analysis results showed no statistically significant difference in the comparison of QPS:ECT at the mean SSS and TDE, 4DM:QPS, ECT:4DM comparative analysis results showed statistically significant difference at SSS and TDE index. The correlation of 4DM:QPS, QPS:ECT, ECT:4DM program results from abnormal group (65 patients) is 0.72, 0.72, 0.70 at SSS and 0.77, 0.70, 0.77 at TDE and TDE and SSS has a good correlation. In abnormal group, paired t-test and Bland-Altman analysis results showed no statistically significant difference at QPS:ECT SSS (p=0.89) and TDE (p=0.23) comparison, 4DM:QPS, ECT:4DM comparative analysis results showed statistically significant difference at SSS and TDE index (p<0.01). In normal group (80 patients), paired t-test and Bland-Altman analysis results showed no statistically significant difference at QPS:ECT SSS (p=0.95) and TDE (p=0.73) comparison. And 4DM:QPS, ECT:4DM comparative analysis results showed statistically significant difference at SSS and TDE index (p<0.01). Conclusions: The perfusion defect of the Tl-201 myocardial perfusion SPECT was analyzed in not only the patient in whom it has the cardiovascular disease but also the patient in whom the possibility of the cardiovascular disease is few. In the comparison of the all group research, the mean of the TDE and SSS, 4DM was lower than QPS and ECT progrms. Each program showed good correlation and the results showed statistically significant difference. However, in this way, it is determined to be compatible about the analysis value in which the large-scale side between the programs uses each program a difference in a clinical in the Bland-Altman analyzed result in spite of the good correlation and cannot use. but, this analyzed result will be able to be usefully used as the reference material for the clinical read and is expected.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.122-126
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• 2014

Purpose: The new reconstruction algorithms (NRA) provided by vendor aim to shorten the acquisition scan time. Whereas depending on the installed version AutoQuant program used for myocardial SPECT quantitative analysis did not contain the normal data that NRA is applied. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to compare the results according to AutoQuant versions in myocardial SPECT applied NRA and half-time scan (HT). Materials and Methods: Rest Tl and stress MIBI data of total 80 (40 men, 40 women) patients were gathered. Data were applied HT acquisition and ASTONISH (Philips) software which is NRA. Modified autoquant of SNUH and old version of AutoQuant (full-time scan) provided by company were compared. Comparison groups were classified as coronary artery disease (CAD), 24 hrs delay and almost normal patients who have a simple pain patient. Perfusion distribution aspect, summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), extent and total perfusion deficit (TPD) of each 25 patient who have above diseases were compared and evaluated. Results: The case of CAD, when using re-edited AutoQuant (HT) SSS and SRS showed about 30% reduction (P<0.0001), Extent showed about 38% reduction and TPD showed about 30% reduction in the tendency (P<0.0001). In the score of the perfusion, especially on the part of infero-medium, infero-apical, lateral-medium and lateral-apical regions were the biggest change. The case of the 24 hrs delay patient SRS (P=0.042), Extent (P=0.018) and TPD (P=0.0024) showed about 13-18% reduction. And the case of simple pain patient, comparison of 4 results showed about 5-7% reduction. Conclusion: This study was started based on expectation that results could be affected by normal patient data. Normal patient data is possible to change by race and gender. It was proved that combination of new reconstruction algorithm for reducing scan time and analysis program according to scan protocol with NRA could also be affected to results. Clinical usefulness of gated myocardial SPECT is possibly increased if each hospital properly collects normal patient data for their scan acquisition protocol.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify clinical usefulness of Wide Beam Reconstruction (WBR) which is called Xpress.cardiac$^{TM}$ to confirm the agreement between segmental perfusion and regional wall motion in myocardium compared to conventional OSEM method. Materials and Methods: Subjects were separated two groups. First group was composed of 20 normal control group. Second group was composed of 10 patients (abnormal group) who had coronary artery disease. Subjects underwent myocardial perfusion SPECT ($^{201}Tl$ rest and $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI stress). Image acquisition and reconstruction were that rest stage was each step per 30, 15 seconds and stress stage was each step per 25, 13 seconds, OSEM and WBR methods were applied. Segmental perfusion and regional wall motion were applied 20-segment model of QPS, QGS algorithm in AutoQuant. Status of perfusion was composed of 5 point scoring system (0=normal, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe hypokinesia, 4=dyskinesia). Status of regional wall motion was also composed of 5 point scoring (0=normal, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe hypokinesia, 4=dyskinesia). We evaluated the agreement between conventional OSEM and WBR through automatic quantification value. Results: The agreement of rest segmental perfusion between conventional OSEM and WBR in normal patients was 99% (396/400, k=0.662, p<0.0001) and one of rest regional wall motion was 83.8% (335/400, k=0.283), the agreement of stress segmental perfusion was 95.8%(383/400, k=0.656), one of stress regional wall motion was 87.3% (349/400, k=0.390). The match rate of rest segmental perfusion in abnormal patients was 83% (166/200, k=0.605, p<0.0001) and one of rest regional wall motion was 55.5% (111/200, k=0.385), the agreement of stress segmental perfusion was 79.5% (159/200, k=0.682), one of stress regional wall motion was 63.5% (127/200, k=0.486). Conclusion: Compared to conventional OSEM, WBR method had a good agreement of segmental perfusion in myocardium in normal and abnormal groups. However regional wall motion showed meaningful low agreement. Although WBR offers high resolution and contrast ratio, it is not useful method for gated myocardial perfusion SPECT.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.364-370
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• 2001

Purpose: In the revascuarization of ischemic dysfunctional myocardium, stunned myocardium was reported to recover function earlier than hibernating myocardium. It was also suggested that stunning and hibernation could be discriminated by reversibility of perfusion impairment on myocardial SPECT. In this study, we investigated the time course of functional recover after CABG according to reversibility of perfusion impairment. Materials and Methods: In 92 patients with coronary artery disease, Tl-201 rest/dipyridamole stress Tc-99m-MIBI gated SPECT was performed before, 3 months after, and 17 months after CABG. Using a 20-segment model, segmental perfusion and systolic thickening were automatically quantified. Perfusion-impaired segments with abnormal thickening were classified by reversibility into reversible (REV) and irreversible (IRREV) groups. The proportions of function-recovered segments were compared between groups and also between 3 months and 17 months in each group. Results: A total of 129 segments were Included In the analysis, and 76 were REV and 53 were IRREV. At 3 months after CABG, 61 segments (80%) in REV group showed functional recovery while 28 segments (53%) in IRREV group did (p<0.001). However, at 17 months after CABG, 60 segments (79%) in REV group and 37 segments (70%) un IRREV group showed functional recovery (p=n.s.). When comparing 3 months and 17 months in each group, REV group showed no difference, while IRREV group showed significant further improvement (p<0.05). Conclusion: In viable myocardium with ischemic myocardial dysfunction, the segments with reversible perfusion impairment recover function earlier after revascularization than irreversible segments.