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Development of a generic thresholding algorithm for the delineation of 18 FDG-PET-positive tissue: application to the comparison of three thresholding models

2009; IOP Publishing; Volume: 54; Issue: 22 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1088/0031-9155/54/22/010

1361-6560

Sébastien Vauclin, Kaya Doyeux, Sébastien Hapdey, Agathe Edet-Sanson, Pierre Véra, Isabelle Gardin,

Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques

An iterative generic algorithm has been developed to compare three thresholding models used to delineate gross tumour volume on (18)F-FDG PET images. 3D volume was extracted and characteristic parameters were measured. Three fitting models using different parameters were studied: model 1 (volume, contrast), model 2 (contrast) and model 3 (SUV). The calibration was performed using a cylindrical phantom filled with hot spheres. To validate the models, two other phantoms were used. The calibration procedure showed a better fitting model for model 1 (R(2) from 0.94 to 1.00) than for model 3 (0.95) and model 2 (0.69). The validation study shows that model 3 yielded large volume measurement errors. Models 1 and 2 gave close results with no significant differences. Model 2 was preferred because it presents less error dispersion and needs fewer characteristic parameters, making it easier to implement. Our results show the importance of developing a generic algorithm to compare the performances of fitting models objectively and to validate results on other phantoms than the ones used during the calibration process to avoid methodological biases.