Hybrid SPECT/MSCT 3D computational preoperative simulation in breast cancer surgery

Abstract

Hybrid imaging combining CT and SPECT is becoming a state of the art nuclear medicine technique. Advantages of hybrid imaging are improved quality of the images using CT data for attenuation correction based on true transmission density data in an individual patient, and CT and SPECT fusion images providing accurate localization of the tracer uptake. Accurate localization of increased tracer uptake is very important especially in the diagnostic of tumors. For this purpose a software developed for generating 3D models from standard DICOM images, obtained from CT and SPECT, and then merging these 3D objects, provides us with the exact location of sentinels nodes. This is certainly very helpful for a surgeon performing biopsy. The ability of SPECT/CT to improve diagnostic accuracy, especially specificity, has a great potential in further development of nuclear medicine techniques in evaluation of tumors.