Karen ZIG (LAMIA) : Improving process for attenuation scintigraphic images
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is a commonly used exam nowadays, especially in oncology. This examination allows the detection of gamma radiation emitted by radioactive atoms injected in a living organism. At the time of the examination, a digital image representing the tracer distribution in the patient’s body, is provided by the acquisition system. This image, called a scintigraphy, is used to analyze the patient’s organs and their function. However, in some cases, the images from the device don’t allow a precise visualization of organ activity. Indeed, there is a attenuation of the pixel intensity of the image. Without attenuation correction, the deeper the structures,the more its activity is underestimated. Many methods have been proposed in the literatureto solve these attenuation problems, some of them are now implemented directly in the acquisition devices. However, these methods are not accessible. In this work, we propose an algorithm based on gamma ray simulation and an analytical method using the map of attenuation coefficients. This process allows image enhancement from the TEMP exam.