Automated three-dimensional quantification of myocardial perfusion and brain SPECT

To allow automated and objective reading of nuclear medicine tomography, we have developed a set of tools for clinical analysis of myocardial perfusio n tomography (PERFIT) and Brain SPECT/PET (BRASS). We exploit algorithms fo r image registration and use three-dimensional (3D) "normal models' for ind ividual patient comparisons to composite datasets on a "voxel-by-voxel basi s" in order to automatically determine the statistically significant abnorm alities. A multistage, 3D iterative inter-subject registration of patient i mages to normal templates is applied, including automated masking of the ex ternal activity before final fit. In separate projects, the software has be en applied to the analysis of myocardial perfusion SPECT, as well as brain SPECT and PET data. Automatic reading was consistent with visual analysis; it can be applied to the whole spectrum of clinical images, and aid physici ans in the daily interpretation of tomographic nuclear medicine images. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.