Masakazu Yasui

[Whole-body transmission scintigraphy using a line source].

Transmission scanning was proposed to be a useful adjunct to conventional emission scanning for accurately keying radionuclide deposition to radiographic anatomy. After introduction of a scintillation camera, transmission whole-body scintigraphy using a flood source has been performed in a patient with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Recently immunoscintigraphy with radiolabeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibodies has become popular and transmission whole-body scintigraphy has been re-evaluated to make diagnosis for laterality of metastases. However, there are several problems to handle a flood source for preparation and shielding. We developed a special line source for transmission whole-body scintigraphy. The line source is composed of a plastic tube (inner diameter: 3 mm) with three-way stop in a U-shaped metal. There are several advantages to use this line source as compared to a flood one; (1) a small volume of radioactive solution (less than 5 ml), (2) easy preparation and setting, and (3) less radiation. Moreover good quality of transmission image is obtained using this line source.

Attenuation correction of SPECT imaging by dual energy method. Quantification of 111In-labeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibody localization.

Application of radiolabeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibodies for diagnosis and therapy has made remarkable progress in the past few years. Quantification of radiopharmaceutical localization is required adequate attenuation correction in SPECT imaging. Attenuation correction by transmission CT (TCT) data is one of the best method at present time. However, if a patient is moved between TCT and SPECT, this method is no more applicable. We developed a new attenuation correction algorithm by dual energy method, using 99mTc and 111In because of similarity of these linear attenuation coefficients. The new algorithm uses data of TCT with an external source of 99mTc, and requires another data from SPECT of 111In labeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibody, which are simultaneously obtained. TCT results in an attenuation map, which then serves as input into the final intrinsic correction algorithm to uncorrected SPECT data. In chest phantom experiment, the attenuation corrected SPECT images revealed nearly same distribution of actual radioactivity of 111In as compared to that of uncorrected one.