PET-CT에서 감쇠보정 영상과 비감쇠보정 영상을 통한 Metal Artifact 보정에 대한 고찰

김준,김재일,이홍재,김진의,Kim, June,Kim, Jae-II,Lee, Hong-Jae,Kim, Jin-Eui 대한핵의학기술학회 2016 핵의학 기술 Vol.20 No.2

최근엔 대부분의 PET-CT영상의 감쇠보정은 많은 강점을 가지고 있는 CT를 기반으로 사용하고 있다. 하지만 CT 검사때 metal artifact가 발생하게 된다면, PET 영상에서 영향을 주게 된다. 이에 본 논문에서는 감쇠보정 영상의 count와 비감쇠보정 영상의 count의 비를 통하여 보정계수($e^{-{\mu}x}$)을 구하였고 이를 통해 측정 SUV에 대입하여 실제 SUV를 추정하는 방법에 대하여 고찰해보았다. 실험장비로는 본원에서 사용하고 있는 Biograph mCT S(40)_SIMENS을 촬영 장비로 이용하였고, phantom은 micro phantom을 사용하였다. 팬텀 실험방법은 micro phantom에 metal artifact를 발생시켜 촬영한 뒤 감쇠보정 영상과 비 감쇠보정 영상으로 재구성하였다. 그리고 SIMENS 사의 Sygo.via VA11A 프로그램을 이용 감쇠보정 영상과 비 감쇠보정 영상의 count를 측정하고 이를 통해 보정계수를 구하여 Metal artifact 발생 부위와 Metal artifact 발생 직전 부위의 보정계수를 비교 분석해 보았다. 임상영상에서는 본원에 내원한 환자 10명($66{\pm}15$세)의 데이터를 이용하여 여러 장기의 평균 보정계수를 계산하였고, Metal artifact가 발생한 연부조직의 보정계수와 metal artifact가 발생하기 직전의 연부조직의 보정계수를 비교 분석하였다. 분석결과 phantom 실험에서는 밝은 artifact 부분에서의 보정 계수는 Metal artifact가 발생하지 않은 부분에서의 보정계수보다 평균 12%증가 되게 나타났다. 어두운 artifact 부분에서의 보정계수는 발생하지 않은 부분에서의 보정계수보다 6% 감소 되게 나타났다. 또한 phantom 실험결과 본 논문에서 사용한 식을 이용한 추정 SUV가 실제 SUV와 유의미한 차이가 없다는 것을 확인 할 수 있었다. 임상영상에서는 normal 장기의 보정계수를 계산 하였고, 이를 이용한 각 장기의 평균 보정계수를 계산하여 그래프를 작성하였다. 그리고 이 결과 값을 통해 CT number가 큰 조직 일수록 보정계수도 커지는 상호 비례 관계를 확인 할 수 있었다. 또한 metal artifact시 밝은 artifact 부분의 연부조직 보정계수는 metal artifact가 발생 하지 않은 연부조직 보정계수에 비해 평균 20% 증가, 그리고 어두운 artifact 부분은 10% 감소된 것으로 나타났다. 그래프로 작성한 soft tissue 평균값과 비교 하였을 때는 metal artifact가 발생 하지 않은 연부조직에 비해 밝은 artifact 부위는 평균 19% 증가 어두운 artifact 부위는 평균 9% 감소 된 것으로 나타났다. 즉 경우에 따라 각 개인의 보정계수를 계산 할 필요 없이 그래프로 작성한 평균값을 간편하게 활용 할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다. 이와 같이 실험결과로 보아 본 논문에서 제시하였던 감쇠보정 영상과 비 감쇠보정 영상에서의 count의 비를 통해 metal artifact가 발생하지 않는 부위의 보정계수와 발생한 부위의 보정계수를 구하고, 이를 활용하여 측정 SUV에 대입하여 실제 SUV를 추정하는 방법 역시 metal artifact 발생 부위의 더 정확한 정량분석 위하여 고려 해볼 수 있는 대안이 될 수 있을 것이라 사료 된다. Purpose Because of many advantages, PET-CT Scanners generally use CT Data for attenuation correction. By using CT based attenuation correction, we can get anatomical information, reduce scan time and make more accurate correction of attenuation. However in case metal artifact occurred during CT scan, CT-based attenuation correction can induce artifacts and quantitative errors that can affect the PET images. Therefore this study infers true SUV of metal artifact region from attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected image count ratio. Materials and Methods Micro phantom inserted $^{18}F-FDG$ 4mCi was used for phantom test and Biograph mCT S(40) is used for medical test equipment. We generated metal artifact in micro phantom by using metal. Then we acquired both metal artifact region of correction factor and non metal artifact region of correction factor by using attenuation correction image count -to- non attenuation correction image count ratio. In case of clinical image, we reconstructed both attenuation corrected images and non attenuation corrected images of 10 normal patient($66{\pm}15age$) who examined PET-CT scan in SNUH. After that, we standardize several organs of correction factor by using attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio. Then we figured out metal artifact region of correction factor by using metal artifact region of attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio And we compared standard organs correction factor with metal artifact region correction factor. Results according to phantom test results, metal artifact induce overestimation of correction factor so metal artifact region of correction factors are 12% bigger than the non metal artifact region of correction factors. in case of clinical test, correction factor of organs with high CT number(>1000) is $8{\pm}0.5%$, correction factor of organs with CT number similar to soft tissue is $6{\pm}2%$ and correction factor of organs with low CT number(-100>) is $3{\pm}1%$. Also metal artifact correction factors are 20% bigger than soft tissue correction factors which didn't happened metal artifact. Conclusion metal artifact lead to overestimation of attenuation coefficient. because of that, SUV of metal artifact region is overestimated. Thus for more accurate quantitative evaluation, using attenuation correction image count -to-non attenuation correction image count ratio is one of the methods to reduce metal artifact affect.

Quantitative Imaging with Low-dose CT in the PET/CT System

Sora Nam,김희중,유아람,최효민,이창래,박혜석 한국물리학회 2009 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.55 No.4

The use of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) systems in clinical applications has rapidly increased. Not only has their diagnostic value increased due to their superior statistical noise characteristics but also compared to a single-modality PET system, they have shortened the acquisition time for the attenuation correction. Most commercially available PET/CT systems use the CT scan for the attenuation correction instead of the transmission scan, which uses a radioactive source, such as 137Cs or 67Ge. The effective dose of the CT attenuation correction, however, is up to 118 times larger than that of the radioactive isotope attenuation correction. As such, an increased dose is expected during the CT scan. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of PET images that have been reconstructed using a CT attenuation map at various CT tube currents. Image data were obtained, using a 3-D Hoffman brain phantom and a cylindrical phantom, for both the GE DSTe PET/CT and the Philips GEMINI PET/CT systems. The CT data that were used to create an attenuation map were acquired at various tube currents and at doses from a diagnostic dose to an ultra-low dose. The CT image quality was evaluated by measuring the standard deviation (SD) of the cylindrical phantom filled with water. The PET image quality was evaluated by computing the activity ratio of the gray and the white matter in the 3-D Hoffman brain phantom images. In addition, the coefficient of variance (COV) was calculated to evaluate the CT and the PET images. The SDs of the CT data and the COVs of the CT images decreased when the tube current was increased. The activity ratios of the gray and the white matter with a ventricle area in the PET images remained almost constant for the CT attenuation maps at various tube currents. The DSTe and GEMINI systems’ activity ratios were approximately 3.76 ± 0.03 and 3.86 ± 0.03, respectively. The COVs of the PET images were almost the same in spite of the fact that the PET images’ attenuations were corrected by using different CT data. The results indicated that the quality of the PET images whose attenuations were corrected using low-dose CT was comparable to that of the PET images whose attenuations were corrected using diagnostic-dose CT. In conclusion, if the CT exam does not require a high-quality diagnostic CT, the use of low-dose CT rather than diagnostic-dose CT is recommended. The use of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) systems in clinical applications has rapidly increased. Not only has their diagnostic value increased due to their superior statistical noise characteristics but also compared to a single-modality PET system, they have shortened the acquisition time for the attenuation correction. Most commercially available PET/CT systems use the CT scan for the attenuation correction instead of the transmission scan, which uses a radioactive source, such as 137Cs or 67Ge. The effective dose of the CT attenuation correction, however, is up to 118 times larger than that of the radioactive isotope attenuation correction. As such, an increased dose is expected during the CT scan. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of PET images that have been reconstructed using a CT attenuation map at various CT tube currents. Image data were obtained, using a 3-D Hoffman brain phantom and a cylindrical phantom, for both the GE DSTe PET/CT and the Philips GEMINI PET/CT systems. The CT data that were used to create an attenuation map were acquired at various tube currents and at doses from a diagnostic dose to an ultra-low dose. The CT image quality was evaluated by measuring the standard deviation (SD) of the cylindrical phantom filled with water. The PET image quality was evaluated by computing the activity ratio of the gray and the white matter in the 3-D Hoffman brain phantom images. In addition, the coefficient of variance (COV) was calculated to evaluate the CT and the PET images. The SDs of the CT data and the COVs of the CT images decreased when the tube current was increased. The activity ratios of the gray and the white matter with a ventricle area in the PET images remained almost constant for the CT attenuation maps at various tube currents. The DSTe and GEMINI systems’ activity ratios were approximately 3.76 ± 0.03 and 3.86 ± 0.03, respectively. The COVs of the PET images were almost the same in spite of the fact that the PET images’ attenuations were corrected by using different CT data. The results indicated that the quality of the PET images whose attenuations were corrected using low-dose CT was comparable to that of the PET images whose attenuations were corrected using diagnostic-dose CT. In conclusion, if the CT exam does not require a high-quality diagnostic CT, the use of low-dose CT rather than diagnostic-dose CT is recommended.

Brain SPECT 영상의 Attenuation Correction 방법들에 대한 비교

조진우,김창호,나수경,이귀원,Jo, Jin U,Kim, Chang Ho,Na, Soo Kyung,Lee, Gui Won 대한핵의학기술학회 2012 핵의학 기술 Vol.16 No.2

이 연구의 목적은 Brain SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography)의 Non-attenuation correction (AC-non) 영상에 대한 attenuation correction(AC) 방법 중 Chang's method와 CT based attenuation correction(AC-CT) 사이의 count를 비교하기 위함이다. phantom study는 증류수로 채워진 hoffman 3D phantom에 $^{99m}Tc$ 37Mbq을 투여하였고, patient study는 normal volunteer에 $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO 750Mbq를 정맥주입하고 Siemens사의 Symbia T6로 Brain SPECT 영상을 획득하였고 뇌 정량 분석을 하였다. 각각의 방법들을 적용한 transverse image는 같은 위치에서 재구성 되었으며 각각 10, 20, 30번째 slice에서 6개의 region of interest(ROI)를 그려 AC-non 과 AC-CT 그리고 Chang's method의 count를 비교하였다. phantom study에서 AC-non, AC-CT, Chang's method의 각각 평균 count는 $4606.8{\pm}511.3$, $16794.6{\pm}2429.4$, $8752.6{\pm}896.5$이었으며 patient study에서 $5460.8{\pm}519.6$, $15320{\pm}1171.6$, $12795{\pm}1422.1$이었다. phantom study에서 AC-CT와 AC-non 사이의 비는 3.70이고 Chang's method와 AC-non 사이의 비는 1.92였으며 patient study에서는 각각 2.85, 2.38이었다. 우리는 이 연구를 통하여 AC-CT가 Chang's method보다 더 높은 AC을 해준다는 걸 알 수 있었다. 그리고 Chang's method는 patient study에서의 AC 값이 phantom study에서의 AC값보다 더 높다는 것을 알 수 있었다. brain SPECT/CT를 시행하는 경우 scatter correction을 같이 시행하고 bone에 의한 감쇠 정보를 반영할 수 있는 AC-CT가 chang's method보다 정확하다 할 수 있겠다. Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare count between Chang's method and CT-based attenuation correction (AC-CT) among the attenuation correction (AC) methods for non-attenuation correction (AC-non) images of Brain SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography). Materials and Methods : We injected $^{99m}Tc$ 37Mbq in a Hoffman 3D phantom filled with distilled water in the phantom study, and injected intravenously $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO 740Mbq in a normal volunteer in the patient study, and then obtained Brain SPECT images with Symbia T6 of Siemens and conducted quantitative brain analysis. Transverse images to which each method was applied were rebuilt at the same position, and 6 regions of interest (ROI) were drawn on each of Slice No. 10, 20 and 30 and then the counts of AC-non, AC-CT and Chang's method were compared. Results : The mean counts of AC-non, AC-CT and Chang's method were $4606.8{\pm}511.3$, $16794.6{\pm}2429.4$, and $8752.6{\pm}896.5$, respectively, in the phantom study and $5460.8{\pm}519.6$, $15320{\pm}1171.6$ and $12795{\pm}1422.1$, respectively, in the patient study. In the phantom study, the ratio of AC-CT to AC-non was 3.70 and the ratio of Chang's method to AC-non was 1.92, and in the patient study, they were 2.85 and 2.38, respectively. Conclusion : From this study, we found that AC-CT makes higher AC than Chang's method. In addition, when Chang's method was used, AC in the patient study was higher than that in the phantom study. These results need to be considered also in other examinations.

단일광자방출단층촬영 영상에서 산란 및 감쇠 보정에 의한 절대방사능 측정

이정림,최창운,임상무,홍성운 ( Jeong Rim Lee,Chang Woon Choi,Sang Moo Lim,Seong Wun Hong ) 대한핵의학회 1998 핵의학 분자영상 Vol.32 No.4

Purpose: The pvrpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of radioactivity quantitation in Tc-99m SPECT by using combined scatter and attenuation correction. Materials and Methods: A cylindrical phantom which simulates tumors (T) and normal tissue (B) was filled with varying activity ratios of Tc-99m. We acquired emission scans of the phantom using a three-headed SPECT system (Trionix, Inc.) witb two energy windows (photopeak window: 126 154 keV and scatter window: 101 123 keV). We performed the scatter correction with dual-energy window subtraction method (k=0.4) and Chang attenuation correction. Three sets of SPECT images were reconstructed using combined scatter and attenuation correction (SC+AC', attenuation correction (AC) and without any correction (NONE). We compared T/B ratio, irnage contrast [(T-B)/(T+B)) and absolute radioactivity with true values. Results: SC+AC images had the highest mean values of T/B ratios. Image contrast was 0.92 in SC+AC, which was close to the true value of 1, and higher than AC (0.77) or NONE (0.80). Errors of true activity by SPECT images ranged from 1 to 11% for SC+AC, 22-47% for AC, and 2 16% for NONE in a phantom which was located 2.4cm from the phantom surface. In a phantom located 10,0cm from the surface, SC+AC underestimated by ?4%, NON.E 40%. However, AC overestimated by 10%. Conclusion: We conclude that accurate SPECT activity quantitation of Tc-99m distribution can be achieved by dual window scatter correc.tion combined with attenuation correction. (Korean J Nucl Med 1998;32:382-90)

PET/MRI에 있어 MRI 조영제가 PET에 미치는 영향

김재일,김인수,이홍재,김진의,Kim, Jae Il,Kim, In Soo,Lee, Hong Jae,Kim, Jin Eui 대한핵의학기술학회 2014 핵의학 기술 Vol.18 No.1

PET/MRI에서는 MRI의 진단적 가치를 높이기 위해 T1 조영제를 사용하고 있다. PET의 감쇠 보정을 위해 T1 시컨스 계열인 VIBE DIXON은 조영제에 직접적으로 영향을 미치지만, 실제 ${\mu}-map$과 감쇠 보정된 PET 영상에는 큰 변화가 없었다. 그러므로 PET/MRI 검사시 조영제 사용은 PET 데이터 얻기 전 후 언제든 사용할 수 있을 것이다. Purpose: Integrated PET/MRI has been developed recently has become a lot of help to the point oncologic, neological, cardiological nuclear medicine. By using this PET/MRI, a ${\mu}-map$ is created some special MRI sequence which may be divided parts of the body for attenuation correction. However, because an MRI contrast agent is necessary in order to obtain an more MRI information, we will evaluate to see an effect of SUV on PET image that corrected attenuation by MRI with contrast agent. Materials and Methods: As PET/MRI machine, Biograph mMR (Siemens, Germany) was used. For phantom test, 1mCi $^{18}F-FDG$ was injected in cylinderical uniformity phantom, and then acquire PET data about 10 minutes with VIBE-DIXON, UTE MRI sequence image for attenuation correction. T1 weighted contrast media, 4 cc DOTAREM (GUERBET, FRANCE) was injected in a same phatnom, and then PET data, MRI data were acquired by same methodes. Using this PET, non-contrast MRI and contrast MRI, it was reconstructed attenuation correction PET image, in which we evanuated the difference of SUVs. Additionally, for let a high desity of contrast media, 500 cc 2 plastic bottles were used. We injected $^{18}F-FDG$ with 5 cc DOTAREM in first bottle. At second bottle, only $^{18}F-FDG$ was injected. and then we evaluated a SUVs reconstructed by same methods. For clinical patient study, rectal caner-pancreas cancer patients were selected. we evaluated SUVs of PET image corrected attenuastion by contrast weighted MRI and non-contrast MRI. Results: For a phantom study, although VIBE DIXON MRI signal with contrast media is 433% higher than non-contrast media MRI, the signals intensity of ${\mu}-map$, attenuation corrected PET are same together. In case of high contrast media density, image distortion is appeared on ${\mu}-map$ and PET images. For clinical a patient study, VIBE DIXON MRI signal on lesion portion is increased in 495% by using DOTAREM. But there are no significant differences at ${\mu}-map$, non AC PET, AC-PET image whether using contrast media or not. In case of whole body PET/MRI study, %diff between contras and non contrast MRAC at lung, liver, renal cortex, femoral head, myocardium, bladder, muscle are -4.32%, -2.48%, -8.05%, -3.14%, 2.30%, 1.53%, 6.49% at each other. Conclusion: In integrated PET/MRI, a segmentation ${\mu}-map$ method is used for correcting attenuation of PET signal. although MRI signal for attenuation correciton change by using contrast media, ${\mu}-map$ will not change, and then MRAC PET signal will not change too. Therefore, MRI contrast media dose not affect for attenuation correction PET. As well, not only When we make a flow of PET/MRI protocol, order of PET and MRI sequence dose not matter, but It's possible to compare PET images before and after contrast agent injection.

SPECT/CT에서 CT감쇠보정에 따른 영상의 질 평가

조성욱,김계환,성용준,이형진,김진의,Cho, Sung Wook,Kim, Gye Hwan,Sung, Yong Joon,Lee, Hyung Jin,Kim, Jin Eui 대한핵의학기술학회 2013 핵의학 기술 Vol.17 No.2

SPECT/CT는 SPECT와 CT를 결합하여 감약에 의한 왜곡된 영상을 CT의 감쇠보정을 이용하여 구현할 수 있는 장점이 있다. 감쇠보정을 이용한 SPECT/CT 영상은 우수한 의료 영상 정보를 제공하며 정확한 영상을 비교 및 판독할 수 있어서 영상의 진단적 가치가 높은 것으로 평가된다. 이 연구에서는 phantom 실험 및 환자의 영상을 이용하여 CT 감쇠보정 전후의 차이를 살펴보고자 한다. 2012년 7월부터 9월까지 본원 핵의학과에서 검사를 시행한 환자와 phantom을 이용하여 영상의 대조도와 공간분해능, 심근의 관류 점수를 연구하였다. NEMA IEC, Jaszczak phantom으로 영상의 대조도, triple line phantom으로 영상의 공간분해능, anthropomorphic torso phantom을 사용하여 심근의 관류 점수를 평가하였다. 또한 환자들의 검사 영상을 통하여 CT 감쇠보정 전후를 핵의학 전공의 3명, 5년 이상 근무한 방사선사 5명의 blind test를 통하여 영상을 평가해 보았다. IEC phantom에서 각 구별로 CT 감쇠보정 전후의 대조도 분석 결과 감쇠보정 전보다 최소 33.6%, 최대 89.8% 향상되었고, Jaszczak phantom의 경우 대조도가 최소 9.9%, 최대 27.8%, triple line phantom에서 수평의 경우 분해능이 4.4%, 수직의 경우 분해능이 4.6%로 평균 약 4.5%, anthropomorphic torso phantom의 경우 심근 하벽에서의 관류 점수가 29.4%로 향상된 것을 알 수 있었다. 그리고 환자를 대상으로 한 실험에서는 $^{131}I$, bone SPECT/CT의 blind test 결과 감쇠보정 후 영상의 질이 향상되었음을 알 수 있었다. CT 감쇠보정을 통한 SPECT/CT 영상의 질을 평가한 결과 SPECT 영상에서 대조도와 공간분해능이 향상됨을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 CT를 이용한 감쇠보정은 병소의 해부학적 위치를 정확히 검출할 수 있고, 보다 나은 영상을 기대할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다. Purpose: SPECT/CT, a combination of SPECT and CT, is capable of expressing the results of attenuation correction on images biased by automatic program. As a result, this research evaluates the usefulness of images with CT attenuation correction, using various phantoms and images of patients. Materials and Methods: From July of 2012 to September of 2012, this research was conducted on the contrast, spatial resolution, and images of patients. We studied the contrast with IEC body phantom and Jaszczak phantom, while the spatial resolution was evaluated with NEMA triple line phantom. Further, a comparative study was carried out on the quality of the images, on the difference between the images before and after the CT attenuation correction. Results: Compared the differences between the contrast before and after the CT attenuation correction in IEC body phantom. The contrast was improved by 33.6% at minimum, 89.8% at maximum. In case of Jaszczak Phantom, the contrast was enhanced by 9.9% at minimum, 27.8% at maximum. In NEMA Triple line phantom, the resolution was raised by 4.5% in average: 4.4% in horizontal, 4.5% in vertical. In Anthropomorphic Torso Phantom, the perfusion score of the interior wall with the most severe attenuation was measured to be 29.4%. In the experiment carried out on myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT patients, 9% improvement was discovered in the interior wall, where the most dramatic attenuation occurred, after the CT attenuation correction. Conclusion: SPECT/CT proved its clinical usefulness by enabling the acquisition of images with enhanced contrast and spatial resolution compare to the ones resulted from SPECT.

Generation of PET Attenuation Map for Whole-Body Time-of-Flight ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MRI Using a Deep Neural Network Trained with Simultaneously Reconstructed Activity and Attenuation Maps

Hwang, Donghwi,Kang, Seung Kwan,Kim, Kyeong Yun,Seo, Seongho,Paeng, Jin Chul,Lee, Dong Soo,Lee, Jae Sung Society of Nuclear Medicine 2019 The Journal of nuclear medicine Vol.60 No.8

<P>We propose a new deep learning–based approach to provide more accurate whole-body PET/MRI attenuation correction than is possible with the Dixon-based 4-segment method. We use activity and attenuation maps estimated using the maximum-likelihood reconstruction of activity and attenuation (MLAA) algorithm as inputs to a convolutional neural network (CNN) to learn a CT-derived attenuation map. <B>Methods:</B> The whole-body <SUP>18</SUP>F-FDG PET/CT scan data of 100 cancer patients (38 men and 62 women; age, 57.3 ± 14.1 y) were retrospectively used for training and testing the CNN. A modified U-net was trained to predict a CT-derived μ-map (μ-CT) from the MLAA-generated activity distribution (λ-MLAA) and μ-map (μ-MLAA). We used 1.3 million patches derived from 60 patients’ data for training the CNN, data of 20 others were used as a validation set to prevent overfitting, and the data of the other 20 were used as a test set for the CNN performance analysis. The attenuation maps generated using the proposed method (μ-CNN), μ-MLAA, and 4-segment method (μ-segment) were compared with the μ-CT, a ground truth. We also compared the voxelwise correlation between the activity images reconstructed using ordered-subset expectation maximization with the μ-maps, and the SUVs of primary and metastatic bone lesions obtained by drawing regions of interest on the activity images. <B>Results:</B> The CNN generates less noisy attenuation maps and achieves better bone identification than MLAA. The average Dice similarity coefficient for bone regions between μ-CNN and μ-CT was 0.77, which was significantly higher than that between μ-MLAA and μ-CT (0.36). Also, the CNN result showed the best pixel-by-pixel correlation with the CT-based results and remarkably reduced differences in activity maps in comparison to CT-based attenuation correction. <B>Conclusion:</B> The proposed deep neural network produced a more reliable attenuation map for 511-keV photons than the 4-segment method currently used in whole-body PET/MRI studies.</P>

Iterative Simultaneous Attenuation Correction and Activity Estimation for Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography

이남용,Kim You Suk,Lim Hyun Keong,최용 한국물리학회 2020 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.77 No.8

An accurate quantitative estimation of the radioactive tracer distribution in positron emission tomography (PET) requires correction of the observed emission data for the attenuation factors. For this purpose, transmission data, provided by X-ray computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are often used to measure the attenuation rate in observed PET data. In this paper, we propose an iterative simultaneous attenuation correction and activity estimation method without transmission data. In each iteration, the proposed method disperses the attenuation effect in the time-of-flight (TOF) PET sinogram in each line-of-response to the current iterates for the activity estimate, then uses that iterate to update the attenuation rate in the TOF PET sinogram, and finally use that updated attenuation rate in computing the next iterates. The simulation result shows that the proposed method corrects attenuation artifact accurately and produces activity estimates comparable to reconstructed ones from attenuation-free data.

Deconvolution Based Attenuation Correction for Time-Of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography

이남용 한국물리학회 2017 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.71 No.7

For an accurate quantitative reconstruction of the radioactive tracer distribution in positron emission tomography (PET), we need to take into account the attenuation of the photons by the tissues. For this purpose, we propose an attenuation correction method for the case when a direct measurement of the attenuation distribution in the tissues is not available. The proposed method can determine the attenuation factor up to a constant multiple by exploiting the consistency condition that the exact deconvolution of noise-free time-of-flight (TOF) sinogram must satisfy. Simulation studies shows that the proposed method corrects attenuation artifacts quite accurately for TOF sinograms of a wide range of temporal resolutions and noise levels, and improves the image reconstruction for TOF sinograms of higher temporal resolutions by providing more accurate attenuation correction.

SPECT/CT에서 감쇠 보정 및 위치 정보의 유용성 평가

최종숙,정우영,신상기,조시만,Choi, Jong-Sook,Jung, Woo-Young,Shin, Sang-Ki,Cho, Shee-Man 대한핵의학기술학회 2008 핵의학 기술 Vol.12 No.2

목적 : 융합 SPECT/CT가 기존 SPECT에 비해 병소의 해부학적 위치를 정확히 판단할 수 있는지 정성 평가하고, CT 감쇠 보정이 SPECT 영상에 미치는 효과를 알아보아 SPECT/CT의 유용성을 제시하고자 한다. 실험재료 및 방법 : 1. 융합 영상의 평가 : 2008년 1월(月)부터 8월(月)까지 Precedence 16 혹은 Symbia T2에서 $^{131}I$-MIBG, Bone, $^{111}In$-Octreotide, Meckel 게실, Parathyroid MIBI 등을 SPECT/CT 시행한 환자를 대상으로 하였고, SPECT/CT영상을 융합한 것과 하지 않은 것을 비교하여 정성 평가하였다. 2. 감쇠보정의 평가 : Symbia T2로 2008년 6월에서 8월까지 $^{201}Tl$ 심근 검사를 한 환자 38명을 대상으로 Cedars-Sinai의 QPS를 이용하여 산출하였다. Ant, Inf, Lat, Septum, Apex로 5개부분으로 분류하고, 각 부분에 대한 관류의 상태를 백분율로 산출했다. CT AC와 Non AC를 평균${\pm}$표준편차로 각 부분에 대한 관류 상태를 비교하고 차이를 분석하였다. 결과 : 1. 융합 영상의 평가 : 에너지가 높은 $^{131}I$ SPECT의 경우 병소와 주위 조직 간의 섭취율 차이로 인해 (주위 조직이 saturation 됨) 병소의 위치 파악이 어려웠으나 CT로 융합한 결과 해부학적 위치를 정확히 평가할 수 있었다. 또한 멕켈게실이나 $^{111}In$과 같이 장이나 장기쪽에 질환을 찾는 경우에는 그 우수성이 더욱 뛰어 났다. Bone SPECT/CT는 척추간의 구별을 확실히 할 수 있어 임상의가 정확한 결과를 제시하는데 도움을 준다. 2. 감쇠 보정의 평가 : 감쇠 보정 전후의 관류 백분율의 차이가 Ant, Lat에서는 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었으나(p>0.05), Inferior, Apex, Septum에서는 유의한 차이가 있었다(p<0.05). 차이를 보이는 값 중 Inferior Wall에서 CT AC perfusion : $76.84{\pm}6.52%$, Non AC perfusion : $68.58{\pm}7.55%$로 CT 보정에 의한 차이가 $8.26{\pm}4.95%$로 가장 크게 측정되었다(t=10.29, p<0.01). 결론 : SPECT에 CT가 부착되면서 병변의 기능적 활성도를 나타내는 분자학적 영상은 물론 병변의 해부학적 위치 정보를 보다 정확하게 확인할 수 있게 되었다. 이것은 비정상적 부위를 찾아내는 것에 그치지 않고 복잡한 인체 부위에서 정상군과 비정상군을 분리하는데 많은 도움을 주게 되었다. 따라서 임상의는 하나의 검사 영상으로 진단과 치료계획을 동시에 시행할 수 있을 것이다. 또한 감쇠가 잘 되는 흉곽 부위 안에 있는 심근 검사에는, CT로 보다 정확한 감쇠 보정을 할 수 있기 때문에 SPECT 검사 시 관심부위의 관류 상태를 더욱 신뢰할 수 있어 치료 예후의 정당성을 입증할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. Purpose: We make a qualitative analysis of whether Fusion SPECT/CT can find lesion's anatomical sites better than existing SPECT or not, and we want to show the usefulness of SPECT/CT through finding out effects of CT attenuation correction on SPECT images. Materials and Method: 1. The evaluation of fusion images: This study comprised patients who was tested $^{131}I$-MIBG, Bone, $^{111}In$-Octreotide, Meckel's diverticulum, Parathyroid MIBI with Precedence 16 or Symbia T2 from 2008 Jan to Aug. We compared SPECT/CT image with non fusion image and make a qualitative analysis. 2. The evaluation of attenuation correction: We classified 38 patients who was tested 201Tl myocardial exam with Symbia T2 into 5 sections by using Cedars Sinai' QPS program - Ant, Inf, Lat, Septum, Apex. And we showed each section's perfusion states by percentage. We compared the each section's perfusion-states differences between CT AC and Non AC by average${\pm}$standard deviation. Results: 1. The evaluation of fusion images : In high energy $^{131}I$ cases, it was hard to grasp exact anatomical lesions due to difference between regions and surrounding lesions' uptake level. After combining with CT, we could grabs anatomical lesion more exactly. And in meckel's diverticulum case or to find lesions around bowels or organs with $^{111}In$ cases, it demonstrates its superiority. Bone SPECT/CT images help to distinguish between disk spaces certainly and give correct results. 2. The evaluation of attenuation correction: There is no significant difference statistically in Ant and Lat (p>0.05), but there is a meaningful difference in Inferior, Apex and Septum (p<0.05). AC perfusion at inferior wall in the 5 sections of myocardium: The perfusion difference between Non AC perfusion image ($68.58{\pm}7.55$) and CT corrected perfusion image ($76.84{\pm}6.52$) was the largest by $8.26{\pm}4.95$ (p<0.01, t=10.29). Conclusion: Nuclear medicine physicians can identify not only molecular image which shows functional activity of lesions but also anatomical location information of lesions with more accuracy using the combination of SPECT and CT systems. Of course this combination helps nuclear medicine physician find out the abnormal parts. Moreover combined data sets help separate between normal group and abnormal group in complicated body part. So clinicians can carry out diagnosis and treatment planning at the same time with a single test image. In addition, when we examine a myocardium in thorax where attenuation can occur easily, we can trust perfusion more in a certain region in SPECT test because CT provides the capability for accurate attenuation correction. In these reasons, we think we can prove the justice after treatment fusion image.