Development and Optimization of a Dedicated, Hybrid Dual-Modality SPECT- CmT System for Improved Breast Lesion Diagnosis

摘要

The overall objective of this project was to implement a dual- modality single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and x-ray computed mammotomography (CmT) system for the detection and staging of breast cancer, monitoring of treatment therapies, and improving surgical biopsy guidance. The sequential acquisition with emission (nuclear) and transmission (x-ray) 3D imaging systems can aid in localizing the radioactive uptake of a tumor from the emission image by using the anatomical structure from the transmission image. In this third and final year, CmT scatter correction was implemented to help in characterizing different materials in vivo in the CmT reconstructed images based on absolute attenuation values. Attenuation correction of SPECT images was also initiated. Different attenuation maps were compared by measuring SNR, contrast, and quantification of radiotracer uptake. Other aspects of the training program were accomplished including the publication of two first author manuscripts in a peer-reviewed journal, presentations at various local and international conferences, and writing of the PhD dissertation.