IMAGE REGISTRATION OF SPECT AND CT IMAGES USING AN EXTERNAL FIDUCIARYBAND AND 3-DIMENSIONAL SURFACE FITTING IN METASTATIC THYROID-CANCER

Image registration of I-131 SPECT with CT scans was performed in a pat ient with metastatic thyroid carcinoma using an external fiduciary ban d and a three-dimensional surface-fitting algorithm. Areas of metastat ic disease taking up I-131 were accurately localized to the liver, lun gs and vertebral bodies; providing information that could not be obtai ned by planar or SPECT images alone. Based on these findings, further invasive diagnostic procedures were not performed, therefore considera bly altering management in this patient. This approach to image regist ration has immediate clinical utility in the registration and interpre tation of SPECT studies with corresponding CT or MRI scans.