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Fundamentals of Image Processing in Nuclear Medicine

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Basic Sciences of Nuclear Medicine

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Abstract

Since most Nuclear Medicine procedures are, by their very nature, image-oriented, a knowledge of the fundamentals of image processing is beneficial. In general, image processing allows a user to extract useful physiological and functional parameters from Nuclear Medicine procedures; parameters that would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible to measure. In this chapter, we explore such topics as: image creation and presentation, image interpolation, image filtering, region of interest analysis, image segmentation, three-dimensional displays, principles of image registration, and finally image normalization. We also give examples of the applications of these principles to typical nuclear medicine images and the parameters that can be derived from such applications. In the end, we hope to help the reader understand how difficult it would be to work with any kind of imaging modality without computational aids and the concepts of image processing discussed in this chapter.

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Acknowledgments

David Cooke and James Galt would like to acknowledge the significant contributions of their friend, colleague, and co-author; Tracy L. Faber, PhD (1960–2012); to this chapter, the field of image processing in nuclear medicine, and particularly to their own knowledge of nuclear medicine and image processing. Dr. Faber is deeply missed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    C. David Cooke, Tracy L. Faber & James R. Galt

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  1. C. David Cooke
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  2. Tracy L. Faber
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  3. James R. Galt
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Correspondence to C. David Cooke .

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  1. Department of Physics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

    Magdy M. Khalil

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Cooke, C.D., Faber, T.L., Galt, J.R. (2021). Fundamentals of Image Processing in Nuclear Medicine. In: Khalil, M.M. (eds) Basic Sciences of Nuclear Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65245-6_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65245-6_15

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