TestDose: A nuclear medicine software based on Monte Carlo modeling for generating gamma camera acquisitions and dosimetry

Villoing, Daphnée; McKay, Erin; Ferrer, Ludovic; Cremonesi, Marta; Botta, Francesca; Ferrari, Mahila; Bardiès, Manuel

doi:10.1118/1.4934828

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…For the NaI(Tl)‐SPECT scanner model, a back compartment (Glass, density: 2.5 g/cm 3 ) was simplified to represent photomultipliers and associated electronics, and overall intrinsic spatial blurring of 2.5 mm FWHM was implemented corresponding to the effects of crystal and the back compartment. This simplified model was previously validated with medium‐energy isotopes (under 300 keV) 25–27 . We set the CZT and NaI(Tl) detectors as a sensitive detector in the GATE simulation, and then each SD detector was used to store energy deposition, positions of interaction, origin of the particle, and types of interaction regarding interactions taking place inside the detector.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This simplified model was previously validated with medium-energy isotopes (under 300 keV). [25][26][27] We set the CZT and NaI(Tl) detectors as a sensitive detector in the GATE simulation, and then each SD detector was used to store energy deposition, positions of interaction, origin of the particle, and types of interaction regarding interactions taking place inside the detector. And the SD detectors were able to track and store all information inside the detectors and convert the signals without any dead time for the detectors.…”

Section: C Monte Carlo Simulation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of a variable‐aperture full‐ring SPECT system using large‐area pixelated CZT modules: A simulation study for brain SPECT applications

et al. 2021

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Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanners using cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) offer compact, lightweight, and improved imaging capability over conventional NaI (Tl)-based SPECT scanners. The main purpose in this study is to propose a full-ring SPECT system design with eight large-area CZT detectors that can be used for a broad spectrum of SPECT radiopharmaceuticals and demonstrate the performance of our system in comparison to the reference conventional NaI(Tl)-based two-head Anger cameras. Methods: A newly designed full-ring SPECT system is composed of eight large-area CZT cameras (128 mm × 179.2 mm effective area) that can be independently swiveled around their own axes of rotation independently and can have radial motion for varying aperture sizes that can be adapted to different sizes of imaging volume. Extended projection data were generated by conjoining projections of two adjacent detectors to overcome the limited field-of-view (FOV) by each CZT camera. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluated this new system design with digital phantoms including a Derenzo hot rod phantom and a Zubal brain phantom. Comparison of performance metrics such as spatial resolution, sensitivity, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and contrast-recovery ratio was made between our design and conventional SPECT scanners having different pixel sizes and radii of rotation (one clinically well-known type and two arbitrary types matched to our proposed CZT-SPECT geometries). Results: The proposed scanner could result in up to about three times faster in acquisition time over conventional scan time at same acquisition time per step. The spatial resolution improvement, or deterioration, of our proposed scanner compared to the clinical-type scanner was dependent upon the location of the point source. However, there were overall performance improvements over the three different setups of the conventional scanner particularly in volume sensitivity (approximately up to 1.7 times). Overall, we successfully reconstructed the phantom image for both 99m Tc-based perfusion and 123 I-based dopamine transporter (DaT) brain studies simulated for our new design. In particular, the striatal/background contrast-recovery ratio in 3-to-1 reference ratio was over 0.8 for the 123 I-based DaT study. Conclusions: We proposed a variable-aperture full-ring SPECT system using combined pixelated CZT and energy-optimized parallel-hole collimator modules and evaluated the performance of this scanner using relevant digital phantoms and MC simulations. Our studies demonstrated the potential of our new full-ring CZT-SPECT design, showing reduced acquisition time and improved sensitivity with acceptable CNR and spatial resolution.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: C Monte Carlo Simulation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a variable‐aperture full‐ring SPECT system using large‐area pixelated CZT modules: A simulation study for brain SPECT applications

et al. 2021

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“…the collimator (holes, septa and collimator cover), crystal and the back-compartment (light guide, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and associated electronics). The GE Infinia Hawkeye SPECT/CT gamma camera model was derived from the previous work of Garcia et al [4]. This dual headed gamma camera model was designed according to the manufacturer's specifications and consists of 9.5 mm NaI crystal with an aluminium cover, a medium energy lead collimator, glass back-compartment and lead shield [12].…”

Section: Gamma Camera Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The DosiTest project [3,4] was initiated to evaluate the uncertainties associated with each step of the clinical dosimetry workflow and to propose standardised approaches to clinical dosimetry in MRT. The aim is to create a 'virtual' multicentric clinical dosimetry trial by circulating virtual patient datasets to the different participating centres and allowing them to process these datasets according to their dosimetric approach as if they were patients locally enrolled in their own nuclear medicine department.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generation of clinical 177Lu SPECT/CT images based on Monte Carlo simulation with GATE

et al. 2021

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Patient-specific dosimetry in MRT relies on quantitative imaging, pharmacokinetic assessment and absorbed dose calculation. The DosiTest project was initiated to evaluate the uncertainties associated with each step of the clinical dosimetry workflow through a virtual multicentric clinical trial. This work presents the generation of simulated clinical SPECT datasets based on GATE Monte Carlo modelling with its corresponding experimental CT image, which can subsequently be processed by commercial image workstations. Methods: This study considers a therapy cycle of 6.85 GBq 177 Lu-labelled DOTATATE derived from an IAEA-Coordinated Research Project (E23005) on "Dosimetry in Radiopharmaceutical therapy for personalised patient treatment". Patient images were acquired on a GE Infinia-Hawkeye 4 gamma camera using a medium energy (ME) collimator. Simulated SPECT projections were generated based on experimental time points and validated against experimental SPECT projections using flattened profiles and gamma index. The simulated projections were then incorporated into the patient SPECT/CT DICOM envelopes for processing and their reconstruction within a commercial image workstation. Results: Gamma index passing rate (2% − 1 pixel criteria) between 95 and 98% and average gamma between 0.28 and 0.35 among different time points revealed high similarity between simulated and experimental images. Image reconstruction of the simulated projections was successful on HERMES and Xeleris workstations, a major step forward for the initiation of a multicentric virtual clinical dosimetry trial based on simulated SPECT/CT images. Conclusions: Realistic 177 Lu patient SPECT projections were generated in GATE. These modelled datasets will be circulated to different clinical departments to perform dosimetry in order to assess the uncertainties in the entire dosimetric chain.

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“…For example, GATE is one of major contributors to the OpenDose collaboration that aims at providing the community with free resources for Nuclear Medicine dosimetry (Chauvin et al 2020) 28 . Indeed, the possibility to perform in the same framework imaging and dosimetry studies is important, such as in hadrontherapy monitoring (Jan et al 2012, Gueth et al 2013, Huisman et al 2016, Hilaire et al 2016 or in the assessment of uncertainties associated with clinical molecular radiotherapy dosimetry (Garcia et al 2015) 29 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced Monte Carlo simulations of emission tomography imaging systems with GATE

et al. 2021

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Built on top of the Geant4 toolkit, GATE is collaboratively developed for more than 15 years to design Monte Carlo simulations of nuclear-based imaging systems. It is, in particular, used by researchers and industrials to design, optimize, understand and create innovative emission tomography systems. In this paper, we reviewed the recent developments that have been proposed to simulate modern detectors and provide a comprehensive report on imaging systems that have been simulated and evaluated in GATE. Additionally, some methodological developments that are not specific for imaging but that can improve detector modeling and provide computation time gains, such as Variance Reduction Techniques and Artificial Intelligence integration, are described and discussed.

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TestDose: A nuclear medicine software based on Monte Carlo modeling for generating gamma camera acquisitions and dosimetry

Abstract: The proposed platform offers a generic framework to implement any scintigraphic imaging protocols and voxel/organ-based dosimetry computation. Thanks to the modular nature of TestDose, other imaging modalities could be supported in the future such as positron emission tomography.

Cited by 12 publications

References 25 publications

Evaluation of a variable‐aperture full‐ring SPECT system using large‐area pixelated CZT modules: A simulation study for brain SPECT applications

Evaluation of a variable‐aperture full‐ring SPECT system using large‐area pixelated CZT modules: A simulation study for brain SPECT applications

Generation of clinical 177Lu SPECT/CT images based on Monte Carlo simulation with GATE

Advanced Monte Carlo simulations of emission tomography imaging systems with GATE

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