• Andrew Quon, Sandy Napel, Christopher F Beaulieu, and Sanjiv S Gambhir.
• Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Radiology and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5281, USA. aquon@stanford.edu
• J. Nucl. Med. 2006 Jul 1; 47 (7): 1081-7.

UnlabelledThe objective of this pilot project was to devise a new image acquisition and processing technique to produce PET/CT images rendered in 3-dimensional (3D) volume that can then be reviewed in several 3D formats such as virtual bronchoscopy and colonoscopy "fly-throughs" and external "fly-arounds."MethodsWe tested the new imaging and processing protocol on 24 patients with various malignancies to determine whether it could dependably acquire and reformat standard tomographic 2-dimensional PET/CT images into 3D renderings.ResultsThis new technique added helpful information to the diagnostic interpretation for 2 of the 24 patients. Further, in the 6 patients undergoing mediastinoscopy, bronchoscopy, or endoscopy, 3D imaging helped in preprocedural planning.ConclusionIn this initial study, we demonstrated both the feasibility of rendering PET/CT images into 3D volumes and the potential clinical utility of this technique for diagnostic lesion characterization and preprocedural planning.

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