Amplitude-based data selection for optimal retrospective reconstruction in micro-SPECT

• Published in: Physics in medicine & biology 2013-04, Vol.58 (8), p.2657-2674
• Main Authors: Breuilly, M, Malandain, G, Guglielmi, J, Marsault, R, Pourcher, T, Franken, P R, Darcourt, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amplitude-based gating and rodents; Animals; Computer Science; Engineering Sciences; Female; image-based motion detection; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Mice; Peritoneal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Peritoneal Neoplasms - physiopathology; Rats; Respiration; respiratory motion; Retrospective Studies; Signal and Image Processing; SPECT; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - methods
• ISSN: 0031-9155; 1361-6560
• DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/58/8/2657

Respiratory motion can blur the tomographic reconstruction of positron emission tomography or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images, which subsequently impair quantitative measurements, e.g. in the upper abdomen area. Respiratory signal phase-based gated reconstruction addresses this problem, but deteriorates the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and other intensity-based quality measures. This paper proposes a 3D reconstruction method dedicated to micro-SPECT imaging of mice. From a 4D acquisition, the phase images exhibiting motion are identified and the associated list-mode data are discarded, which enables the reconstruction of a 3D image without respiratory artefacts. The proposed method allows a motion-free reconstruction exhibiting both satisfactory count statistics and accuracy of measures. With respect to standard 3D reconstruction (non-gated 3D reconstruction) without breathing motion correction, an increase of 14.6% of the mean standardized uptake value has been observed, while, with respect to a gated 4D reconstruction, up to 60% less noise and an increase of up to 124% of the SNR have been demonstrated.