Abstract
Positron-emission tomography (PET) and single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) are well-established nuclear-medicine imaging methods used in modern medical diagnoses. Combining PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and SPECT with an 111In-labelled ligand provides clinicians with information about the aggressiveness and specific types of tumors. However, it is difficult to integrate a SPECT system with a PET system because SPECT requires a collimator. Herein, we describe a novel method that provides simultaneous imaging with PET and SPECT nuclides by combining PET imaging and Compton imaging. The latter is an imaging method that utilizes Compton scattering to visualize gamma rays over a wide range of energies without requiring a collimator. Using Compton imaging with SPECT nuclides, instead of the conventional SPECT imaging method, enables PET imaging and Compton imaging to be performed with one system. In this research, we have demonstrated simultaneous in vivo imaging of a tumor-bearing mouse injected with 18F-FDG and an 111In-antibody by using a prototype Compton-PET hybrid camera. We have succeeded in visualizing accumulations of 18F-FDG and 111In-antibody by performing PET imaging and Compton imaging simultaneously. As simultaneous imaging utilizes the same coordinate axes, it is expected to improve the accuracy of diagnoses.
Highlights
Positron-emission tomography (PET) and single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) are well-established nuclear-medicine imaging methods used in modern medical diagnoses
The PET events are used for PET imaging by overlaying lines of response (LORs) to visualize the PET tracers, and Compton events are used for Compton imaging by overlaying Compton cones to visualize the SPECT tracers
We have demonstrated simultaneous in vivo imaging with PET and SPECT nuclides of a tumor-bearing mouse using our Compton-PET hybrid camera
Summary
Positron-emission tomography (PET) and single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) are well-established nuclear-medicine imaging methods used in modern medical diagnoses. We describe a novel method that provides simultaneous imaging with PET and SPECT nuclides by combining PET imaging and Compton imaging The latter is an imaging method that utilizes Compton scattering to visualize gamma rays over a wide range of energies without requiring a collimator. It uses conventional PET imaging with coincidence detection of annihilation gamma rays to visualize the PET nuclides. We show the feasibility of such a Compton-PET hybrid camera through simultaneous in vivo imaging with PET and SPECT tracers of a tumor-bearing mouse injected with 18F-FDG (PET tracer) and an 111In-labeled ligand (SPECT tracer)
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