Optimization of SPECT/CT imaging protocols for quantitative and qualitative 99mTc SPECT

EJNMMI Physics

Table 2 Effect of examined parameters on AC_rec, HSRC and SNR. The results are exemplified for the largest sphere volume in comparison to a reference protocol^a.

Parameter of variation	ΔAC_rec	p^b	ΔHSRC	p^b	ΔSNR	p^b
Parameter of variation	(kBq/ml)	p^b	ΔHSRC	p^b	ΔSNR	p^b
SCF: 0.41	+ 6.7	< 0.0001	+ 0.08	< 0.0001	+ 1.1	n.s.^d
Iteration set: 4i/10s	+ 4.1	< 0.0001	+ 0.05	< 0.0001	− 8.2	< 0.0001
Iteration set: 5i/15s	+ 5.6	< 0.0001	+ 0.07	< 0.0001	− 11.9	< 0.0001
Iteration set: 24i/10s	+ 6.6	< 0.0001	+ 0.08	< 0.0001	− 17.9	< 0.0001
Acquisition: NEMA^c	− 0.9	0.04	− 0.01	0.04	+ 0.6	n.s.^d

Analysis performed for the largest sphere. For residual spheres see supplementary Table 1.
^aClinical standard for diagnostic imaging and reconstruction (60 projections with 20 s/projection, SCF_1.10, 2i/10s, Butterworth postfilter)
^bANOVA post hoc test
^cNEMA acquisition protocol (120 projections and 10 s/projection)
^dNot significant, tested by ANOVA
SCF scatter weighting factor, AC_rec mean reconstructed activity concentration, HSRC hot spot recovery coefficient, SNR signal-to-noise ratio