Abstract
We compared tomographic scintimammography performed using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission coincidence imaging (PECI) and positron emission tomography (PET). A female thorax phantom was used. Activities of the myocardium, thorax and breasts were adjusted to emulate the count rate observed with patients. Hollow plastic spheres, imitating hot lesions (1.5-20ml), filled with radioactive saline were inserted in the center of each breast. Specific activities of internal organs were adjusted to emulate the count rate observed with patients. SPECT data were acquired with Tc-99m using gamma cameras with NaI(Tl) detectors. A modified FBP (CODE) reconstruction algorithm was used to render SPECT tomographic images. PECI (Siemens E.CAM with NaI(Tl)) and PET (GE Advance with BGO) data were acquired using F-18 FDG. Vendor supplied reconstruction algorithms were used. The reconstructed hot lesions contrast and resolution were investigated. Image quality obtained can be ranked as follows: (1) PET(BGO), (2) PECI(NaI), (3) SPECT(NaI) In conclusion, assuming comparable uptake values of Tc-99m-sestamibi and F-18 FDG, PET seems to be a superior methodology in visualization of breast lesion as compared to SPECT and PECI. All these tomographic methods appear to be promising adjunct to x-ray mammography in difficult to interpret cases.
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