Sizing Up SPECT/CT
Great article on SPECT/CT and it's increased usage and value in interpretations.
Manufacturers expect single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT to outpace dedicated standalone SPECT systems in the near future. This surge comes as early adopters of the combination scanners tout their patient care benefits in major medical journals. Encouraged by this reception, manufacturers and clinicians are exploring additional SPECT/CT applications and developing new hardware and software upgrades.
"Most clinicians recognize the clinical benefits of SPECT/CT, including improved localization and attenuation correction," said Nathan Hermony, general manager for GE Healthcare's SPECT/CT business.
Many clinicians have indicated a preference for SPECT/CT in evaluating prostate cancer, endocrine tumors and sentinel node imaging, where a SPECT-only study may be considered more difficult to interpret. "The same study performed with SPECT/CT includes easily identifiable anatomical landmarks from the CT," says Hermony.
SPECT/CT's use in characterizing bone scan lesions, for example, is improving specificity, said Horace Hines, PhD, chief technology officer for the nuclear medicine division of Philips Healthcare. "The bone scan is very sensitive in detecting bone lesions, but it is not specific," said Dr. Hines. "A high-resolution CT image of the lesion provides information on the cause of the abnormality, so SPECT/CT is the ideal combination to improve diagnostic information." Continue reading...
Manufacturers expect single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT to outpace dedicated standalone SPECT systems in the near future. This surge comes as early adopters of the combination scanners tout their patient care benefits in major medical journals. Encouraged by this reception, manufacturers and clinicians are exploring additional SPECT/CT applications and developing new hardware and software upgrades.
"Most clinicians recognize the clinical benefits of SPECT/CT, including improved localization and attenuation correction," said Nathan Hermony, general manager for GE Healthcare's SPECT/CT business.
Many clinicians have indicated a preference for SPECT/CT in evaluating prostate cancer, endocrine tumors and sentinel node imaging, where a SPECT-only study may be considered more difficult to interpret. "The same study performed with SPECT/CT includes easily identifiable anatomical landmarks from the CT," says Hermony.
SPECT/CT's use in characterizing bone scan lesions, for example, is improving specificity, said Horace Hines, PhD, chief technology officer for the nuclear medicine division of Philips Healthcare. "The bone scan is very sensitive in detecting bone lesions, but it is not specific," said Dr. Hines. "A high-resolution CT image of the lesion provides information on the cause of the abnormality, so SPECT/CT is the ideal combination to improve diagnostic information." Continue reading...
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