Preliminary Experimental Validation Of A New Image Fusion Software For Three-dimensional Cardiac Image Fusion From Stand-alone SPECT And Multi-slice CT

PARTâ… Preliminary experimental validation of a new image fusion software for three-dimensional integration of SPECT and stand-alone 64-slice CT on phantomsObjective Clinical decisions may be easier to be made while combining the functional information of SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging and the morphological information of CT angiography. The aim of the study is to evaluate the validation of MIPAV software for three-dimensional integration of SPECT with stand-alone 64-slice CT on phantoms. Methods The planar data of PET-CT phantom was acquired with parallel-hole low energy high resolution collimators on a dual-head SPECT system and 64-slice CT, respectively. Integration of SPECT images with CT images was performed on a remote workstation using MIPAV software. After image fusion, doctors assessed the image quality compared with SPECT/CT regarded as a gold standard. Then the way of integration on PET-CT phantom was applied on Mueller phantom in order to verify the feasibility of stand-alone image fusion. Results MIPAV software can be used to integrate successfully of SPECT images with stand-alone CT images on PET-CT phantom. The image quality of integrated modalities was found no significant different compared with SPECT/CT images. In addition, the way of stand-alone image fusion is also available on Mueller phantom, with an excellent image quality. Conclusion 3D integration of SPECT with stand-alone CT images is clinical feasible using MIPAV software. PARTâ…¡Preliminary experimental validation of a new image fusion software for three-dimensional integration of SPECT-MPI and stand-alone 256-slice CTA on patientsObjective Myocardial perfusion imaging with SPECT and 256-slice CT angiography are both established techniques for the noninvasive evaluation of CAD. The aim of the present study is an exploration and a validation of software-based image fusion between SPECT-MPI and stand-alone CTA on patients. Methods Thirty consecutive patients with clinical doubted coronary artery disease on SPECT-MPI, CTA, and DSA were included. The planar data of patients was acquired with parallel-hole low energy high resolution collimators on a dual-head SPECT system,256-slice CT, and DSA, respectively. Feature-based integration of SPECT images with CTA images was performed on a remote workstation using MIPAV software. After image fusion, doctors assessed the image quality compared with DSA regarded as a gold standard and find out whether stand-alone image fusion can eliminate uncertainties in the relationship of perfusion defects and diseased coronary arteries or provide extra valuable diagnosis information. Results MIPAV software can be used to integrate successfully of SPECT images with stand-alone CTA images. These fusion images provide a panoramic view of the myocardium, the regional myocardial perfusion and the coronary artery tree, eliminating the uncertainties in the relationship of perfusion defects and culprit coronary arteries. Extra useful diagnosis information is usually provided by the patients with multiple perfusion abnormalities or multi-stenosed coronary artery diseases (P=0.003<0.05). Conclusion 3D integration of SPECT-MPI with stand-alone CTA images is clinical feasible using MIPAV software, especially providing some more diagnosis information particular for multi-vessel stenosed or multiple perfusion abnormalities of patients, while diagnosing and further guiding the clinical practice on CAD patients.