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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Hybrid µCT-FMT imaging and image analysis
Published on: June 4, 2015
Value of combined XCT/SPECT technology for avoiding false positive planar (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy
S Ozer1, G Dobrozemsky, O Kienast
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Aim:
The clinical value of combined XCT/SPECT technology in a single device in patients undergoing (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy was analyzed.
Methods:
31 patients (19 men, 12 women; mean age 55 years, range: 31-79 years) demonstrating focal accumulation in planar (123)I-MIBG scan were further investigated with a double headed gamma camera with an X-ray tomograph mounted on the same gantry (GE Medical Systems, Millennium VG with Hawkeye, Milwaukee, USA) for anatomical definition of the focal (123)I-MIBG uptake. The patients were referred to (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy because of biochemically (81%) and/or clinically (19%) suspected pheochromocytoma.
Results:
In 23 out of 31 patients (74%) the fused images demonstrated physiological accumulation (i. e. intestinal, renal) of (123)I-MIBG. In two patients (6%) suspected adrenal MIBG-accumulation was caused by inhomogeneous liver uptake. In two patients (6%) focal abdominal accumulation was correctly localised in the adrenal glands. Furthermore, the differentiation of bone metastasis from a local recurrence for phaeochromocytoma was accurately possible for two patients (6%). Adrenal lesions mimicking liver foci were correctly localised in the remaining two patients (6%).
Conclusion:
Our study demonstrates the clinical value of XCT/SPECT in a single device in patients demonstrating focal (123)I-MIBG uptake in planar scintigraphy. The combined XCT/SPECT technology provides a higher diagnostic accuracy.
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