Abstract for presentation at 38th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine 2008

Are Two Heads Better Than Three? A Comparative Study of Brain Imaging

  • Culann Farrell, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for P.E.T., Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
  • Dr Sze Lee, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for P.E.T., Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
  • Dr Sam Berlangieri, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for PET, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
  • Dr Aurora Poon, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for P.E.T., Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
  • Dr Graeme O'Keefe, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for P.E.T., Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
  • A/Prof Chris Rowe, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for P.E.T., Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia

    • Objective: The purpose of this experiment was to compare the relative image quality of a Picker IRIX and Phillips Skylight with resolution recovery software in relation to brain scanning.

    Method: Our department routinely uses an IRIX three head gamma camera to acquire brain studies, however we also have a Skylight equipped with Astonish resolution recovery software. A Hoffman brain phantom was prepared with an equivalent clinical amount of 99mTc. This was then scanned on both the IRIX using our standard brain acquisition and processing protocols, then on the Skylight using a number of different acquisition parameters, and processed using Astonish. Every effort was made to emulate the acquisition parameters of the IRIX, before trialling the default and modified Phillips Protocol. Both cameras were fitted with specialised brain imaging pallets and appropriate collimators, Low Energy High Resolution (LEHR) for the IRIX and Vertex General Purpose (VXGP) for the skylight. Chang attenuation correction was applied to all data.
    The images were displayed for subjective assessment of image quality by a number of the physicians within the department using a seven point Leichardt scale.

    Results: The various acquisition parameters produced some image sets with good resolution at the cost of increased noise, while others were too smooth for the physicians to be comfortable with their interpretation. A number of scans fell between these two extremes and were judged to have reached the right balance.

    Conclusion: Both cameras produced comparable diagnostic quality images our physicians felt comfortable reporting.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd