Value of image fusion using single photon emission computed tomography with integrated low dose computed tomography in comparison with a retrospective voxel-based method in neuroendocrine tumours

Eur Radiol. 2005 Jul;15(7):1456-62. doi: 10.1007/s00330-004-2590-z. Epub 2004 Dec 31.

Abstract

The objective was the evaluation of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with integrated low dose computed tomography (CT) in comparison with a retrospective fusion of SPECT and high-resolution CT and a side-by-side analysis for lesion localisation in patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Twenty-seven patients were examined by multidetector CT. Additionally, as part of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), an integrated SPECT-CT was performed. SPECT and CT data were fused using software with a registration algorithm based on normalised mutual information. The reliability of the topographic assignment of lesions in SPECT-CT, retrospective fusion and side-by-side analysis was evaluated by two blinded readers. Two patients were not enrolled in the final analysis because of misregistrations in the retrospective fusion. Eighty-seven foci were included in the analysis. For the anatomical assignment of foci, SPECT-CT and retrospective fusion revealed overall accuracies of 91 and 94% (side-by-side analysis 86%). The correct identification of foci as lymph node manifestations (n=25) was more accurate by retrospective fusion (88%) than from SPECT-CT images (76%) or by side-by-side analysis (60%). Both modalities of image fusion appear to be well suited for the localisation of SRS foci and are superior to side-by-side analysis of non-fused images especially concerning lymph node manifestations.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Indium Radioisotopes
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / diagnostic imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / diagnostic imaging*
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / secondary
  • Octreotide / analogs & derivatives
  • Pentetic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Substances

  • Indium Radioisotopes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • SDZ 215-811
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Octreotide