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This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Wendler, T. Articles by Navab, N. PubMed Articles by Wendler, T. Articles by Navab, N.

Combined ultrasound and gamma probe imaging for examination of thyroid nodules

¹ Chair for Computer Aided Medical Procedures (CAMP); ² Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany

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Objectives: The combination of ultrasonography and scintigraphy is indicated for thyroid patients with low TSH and palpable nodules. However, in case of multiple nodules the referencing between anatomical findings and "hot" and "cold" spots can lead to false negative detections. In order to reduce the number of false positive detections, the idea of combining ultrasound and gamma probe in one navigation suite was introduced recently. Here we present phantom experiments as proof-of-concept for this technology towards more confident thyroid diagnostic.

Methods: The gamma probe and ultrasound device are referenced in the same coordinate system by a spatial localization system in real-time (60 fps). In a novel visualization ultrasound image is enhanced by the gamma probe data overlay at the correct position, the current radiation count rate is encoded by different colors. An experiment was designed with 10 implanted wax spheres (5 "hot" and 5 "cold", 5mm diameter) in an ultrasound phantom. The system was evaluated by 8 persons, the assignment was to mark and classify detected nodules.

Results: Within 80 identified nodules there were only one false negative and one false positive (97.5% sensitivity and specificity). The mean time taken to find and classify all nodules in the 15x15 cm2 phantom was 23.1 min, with a standard deviation of 5.3 min.

Conclusions: The results show that a combination of real-time functional and anatomical information for intra-operative usage is possible. Thus they encourage further investigation within nodule classification for thyroid. The use of fully fused complementary imaging technologies can facilitate and improve the confidence and reliability in cancer treatment.

This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Wendler, T. Articles by Navab, N. PubMed Articles by Wendler, T. Articles by Navab, N.