Dynamic Graded Subtraction: A Simple Method to Background Correct and Display Multicompartmental Radiopharmaceutical Scintigrams

Abstract

A common procedure to enhance the localization of a poorly localized radiopharmaceutical is to mimic and subtract its undesirable component with a second radionuclide of a different photopeak that is physiologic nonspecific. Determination of the exact amount of the nonspecific radionuclide to subtract in a single step, however, is difficult. We describe the use of a simple method to enhance an image of a poorly localized radiopharmaceutical by incrementally subtracting another image of a specific radiopharmaceutical that mimics the objectionable image data and displays the corrected image series in cinematic mode. This method of image correction and dynamic display may be useful for a variety of procedures in which there is a significant nonspecific component of the radiotracer such as in radiolabeled antibodies, or to perform selective compartmental or organ subtraction in the case of a mixed specificity radiopharmaceutical.