Nuclear Angiocardiography: Automated Selection of Regions of Interest for the Generation of Time-Activity Curves and Parametric Image Display and Interpretation

Abstract

An automated method is presented in which regions of interest are selected on the basis of peak concentration times and in which the effects of overlap of left and right sided chambers or vessels are minimized by the automatic elimination of regions which have two distinct peak concentration times, one preceding the pulmonary phase of the study, and the other one following it. As part of the permanent record a set of parametric images is produced in which the progression of the bolus is represented in a pseudo gray scale with later times represented by darker shades. One of the parametric images documents the choice of the regions of interest, from each of which a time-activity curve is automatically generated. Besides providing the basis for these curves, the parametric images often help to clarify the nature of complex cardiac anomalies. Additional significant advantages of the method are minimal operator interaction and bias, and speed of analysis and presentation.