Monte Carlo simulation methods are especially useful in studying a variety of problems difficult to calculate by experimental or analytical approaches. Nowadays, they are extensively applied to simulate nuclear medicine instrumentations such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) for assisting system design and optimizing imaging and processing protocols. The goal of this paper is to address the practical issues, a potential user of Monte Carlo simulations for nuclear medicine can encounter, to help them to choose a code. This review introduces the different types of Monte Carlo codes currently available for nuclear medicine, comments main features and properties for a code to be proper for a given purpose, and discusses current research trends in Monte Carlo codes.
Nuclear Medicine ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

This study was aimed to analyze the value of the SPECT MPI to myocardial ischemia and cardiac function parameters in the CAD prognosis assessment. A total of 890 patients with suspected CAD underwent adenosine loading stress gated SPECT. At a mean follow-up of (2.3 +/- 0. 4) year, a total of 37 adverse events occurred, including 12 cardiac deaths and 25 nonfatal myocardial infarctions. Univariate Cox analysis showed that diabetes (wald 6.95, P < 0.01), SSS (wald 24.31, P < 0.001), EF (wald 17.14, P < 0.001), ESV (wald 8.58, P < 0.01) and EDV (wald 7.95, P < 0.01) were significant predictors of MACEs. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that SSS (wald 6.69, P < 0.05) and EF (wald 4.70, P < 0.05) were independent predictors. According to the results, SSS and EF are both independent predictors of MACEs.
Adenosine ; Aged ; Cardiac-Gated Single-Photon Emission Computer-Assisted Tomography ; methods ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; methods ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

With the development of molecular imaging technology, incorporate multiple modes of medical imaging imaging techniques of SPECT/CT and PET/CT technology with a certain degree of development. But compared to SPECT/CT and PET/CT technologies, SPECT/CT far earlier than PET/CT technology to clinical applications, due to a variety of factors influence SPECT/CT far PET/CT clinical applications to grow faster. This article highlights the progress and problems of SPECT/CT technology.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The rapid development of medical imaging technologies has greatly enhanced the utility of nuclear medicine imaging modalities over the last decade. Hybrid imaging technology merging computed tomography (CT) with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET) allows superimposing the physiologic data obtained by SPECT or PET on the detailed anatomy of CT, yielding a better understanding of the disease status and improving diagnostic performance. However, the conventional whole body bone scan and three phase bone scan still have their own distinct role as diagnostic imaging, reflecting the changes of bone metabolism in benign and malignant diseases, including rheumatic diseases. A review of each nuclear medicine imaging technique and clinical applications in various conditions of rheumatic diseases will be presented in this article.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Metabolism ; Nuclear Medicine* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Rheumatic Diseases* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is an active area of drug development as a highly specific and highly potent therapeutic modality that can be applied to many types of late-stage cancers. In order to properly evaluate its safety and efficacy, understanding biokinetics of alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals is essential. Quantitative imaging of alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals is often possible via imaging of gammas and positrons produced during complex decay chains of these radionuclides. Analysis of the complex decay chains for alpha-emitting radionuclides (Tb-149, At-211, Bi-212 (decayed from Pb-212), Bi-213, Ra-223, Ac- 225, and Th-227) with relevance to imageable signals is attempted in this mini-review article. Gamma camera imaging, single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography, bremsstrahlung radiation imaging, Cerenkov luminescence imaging, and Compton cameras are briefly discussed as modalities for imaging alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals.
Electrons ; Luminescence ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radioisotopes ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are modern imaging techniques that allow for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of hemodynamic changes in cerebrovascular diseases. SPECT has been becoming an indispensable method to investigate regional cerebral blood flow because equipment and isotope are easily available in most general hospitals. Acetazolamide stress SPECT has also been proved to be useful to evaluate the cerebrovascular reserve of occlusive cerebrovascular diseases and to select surgical candidate. PET has gained wide spread clinical use in the evaluation of the hemodynamic and metabolic consequences of extracranial or intracranial arterial obstructive disease despite its complexity and limited availability. PET has been established as an invaluable tool in the pathophysilogy investigation of acute ischemic stroke. The potentials, limitations, and clinical applications of SPECT and PET in various cerebrovascular diseases will be discussed in this article with reviews of literatures.
Acetazolamide ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Hospitals, General ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Stroke ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Nuclear imaging studies have been used for individualized treatment planning, and to optimize management in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Nuclear imaging studies demonstrate whole body distribution of radioactive tracer and are complementary to radiological studies as they give functional information. Recently, hybrid imaging modalities such as single photon emission computed tomography (CT) with integrated CT and positron emission tomography with integrated CT allow the rapid and efficient fusion of functional and anatomical images, and provide diagnostic information that influence management decision in patients with DTC. This article reviewed nuclear imaging studies and hybrid imaging modalities used in patients with DTC, and future perspectives of functional molecular imaging of the thyroid cancer.
Chimera ; Humans ; Molecular Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Bone scintigraphy using 99mTc-labeled phosphate agents has long been the standard evaluation method for whole skeletal system. However, recent shortage of 99mTc supply and advanced positron emission tomography (PET) technology evoked the attention to surrogate radiopharmaceuticals and imaging modalities for bone. Actually, fluorine-18 (18F) was the first bone seeking radiotracer before the introduction of 99mTc-labeled agents even though its clinical application failed to become pervasive anymore after the rapid spread of Anger type gamma camera systems in early 1970s. However, rapidly developed PET technology made us refocus on the usefulness of 18F as a PET tracer. Early study comparing 18F-Na PET scan and planar bone scintigraphy reported that PET has higher sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of metastatic bone lesions than planar bone scan. Subsequent reports comparing between PET and both planar and SPECT bone image also revealed better results of PET scan in similar study groups. Rapid clinical application of PET/CT also accumulated considerable amount of experiences in skeletal evaluation and this modality is known to have better diagnostic power than stand alone PET system as well as bone scan. Furthermore 18F-Na PET/CT revealed better or at least equal results in detection of primary and metastatic bone lesions compared with CT and MRI. Therefore, it is obvious that 18F-Na PET/CT has potential to become new imaging modality for practical skeletal evaluation so continuous and careful evaluation of this modality and radiopharmaceutical must be required.
Anger ; Gamma Cameras ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Correct localization of epileptogenic zone is important for the successful epilepsy surgery. Both ictal perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and interictal F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) can provide useful information in the presurgical localization of intractable partial epilepsy. These imaging modalities have excellent diagnostic sensitivity in medial temporal lobe epilepsy and provide good presurgical information in neocortical epilepsy. Also provide functional information about cellular functions to better understand the neurobiology of epilepsy and to better define the ictal onset zone, symptomatogenic zone, propagation pathways, functional deficit zone and surround inhibition zones. Multimodality imaging and developments in analysis methods of ictal perfusion SPECT and new PET ligand other than FDG help to better define the localization.
Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy* ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Neurobiology ; Perfusion ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

No abstract available.
Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography*