An Implantable Synthetic SPECT Lesion: A Bridge from Phantom to Reality
M. Bret Abbott 1*,
Lars R. Furenlid 1,
Don W. Wilson 1,
Gail D. Stevenson 1,
James M. Woolfenden 1,
and
Harrison H. Barrett 1
1 Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mbamdphd{at}yahoo.com.
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Abstract |
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Small-animal imaging systems are often characterized using phantoms, which may not predict performance in clinical applications. An implantable synthetic SPECT lesion would facilitate characterization of lesion detectability in a living animal. Methods: Anion-exchange columns with bed volumes of 100–300 nL were constructed from medical-grade polyvinyl chloride tubing and resin. The columns were tested in an excised mouse femur and implanted in the femur of a living mouse. Imaging was performed using a prototype dual-modality SPECT/CT system. Results: Activity of 7.4–22.2 MBq (0.2–0.6 mCi) localized within the synthetic lesion. The synthetic lesions were reused multiple times. Mice tolerated the implanted columns without complications for up to 8 wk. Conclusion: A reusable, synthetic SPECT lesion was constructed and implanted in the femur of a living mouse. The synthetic lesion is useful for the development of imaging schemes and for more realistically evaluating imaging-system performance in the context of a living animal.
Key Words:
small-animal SPECT, phantom, synthetic lesion, implantable device
