SHAPE-PRESERVING 3-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY OF MYOCARDIAL SCINTIGRAPHIC DATA

A three-dimensional display has been developed which is specifically s uited to the visualization of myocardial single photon emission tomogr aphic (SPET) data. A set of radial maxima voxels, representative of th e whole left ventricle uptake and shape is first extracted by cylindri cal and spherical sampling of the short axis slices. A three-dimension al representation of these voxels is then obtained, with hues depictin g the uptake amount and shades (i.e. intensity and saturation) depicti ng the shape. This technique is suitable for Tl-201 and Tc-99(m)-hexak is-2-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile (Tc-99(m)-sestamibi) myocardial images . It is proposed as an aid to interpreting myocardial SPET as it enabl es the physician to distinguish simultaneously the actual shape, the e xtent and the severity of perfusion defects on a single frame.