"Flying through" and "flying around" a PET/CT scan: Pilot study and development of 3D integrated F-18-FDG PET/CT for virtual bronchoscopy and colonoscopy JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE Quon, A., Napel, S., Beaulieu, C. F., Gambhir, S. S. 2006; 47 (7): 1081-1087

Abstract

The objective of this pilot project was to devise a new image acquisition and processing technique to produce PET/CT images rendered in 3-dimensional (3D) volume that can then be reviewed in several 3D formats such as virtual bronchoscopy and colonoscopy "fly-throughs" and external "fly-arounds."We tested the new imaging and processing protocol on 24 patients with various malignancies to determine whether it could dependably acquire and reformat standard tomographic 2-dimensional PET/CT images into 3D renderings.This new technique added helpful information to the diagnostic interpretation for 2 of the 24 patients. Further, in the 6 patients undergoing mediastinoscopy, bronchoscopy, or endoscopy, 3D imaging helped in preprocedural planning.In this initial study, we demonstrated both the feasibility of rendering PET/CT images into 3D volumes and the potential clinical utility of this technique for diagnostic lesion characterization and preprocedural planning.

View details for Web of Science ID 000238879300008

View details for PubMedID 16818940