Use of Visible Human Data For Patient Dosimetry

描述（由申请人提供）：放射免疫疗法通过注射用带电粒子发射放射性核素标记的单克隆抗体来治疗癌组织。然而，在过去的30年里，核医学一直是在60年代末开始的粗糙的解剖模型上做出回应。最近的数据表明，使用这些模型计算的剂量对于很大一部分患者人群是不正确的。另一方面，来自可视人体计划（VHP）的CT、MR和冷冻切片图像提供了关于人体解剖学的最真实和最完整的数字数据库。因此，据推测，全身患者模型，从可视人体项目的极精细的图像构建，可以显着提高放射剂量测定接受内部管理的放射性同位素治疗的患者。虽然以前的研究已经解决了处理巨大的VHP图像的辐射传输的关键问题，很少有信息存在于如何将最近的进展转化为患者剂量的核医学。为了满足这些需求，提出了一个研究项目，以实现以下具体目标：1）通过对从VHP获得的男性和女性尸体的0.33 mm x 0.33 mm分辨率冷冻切片图像进行处理、分割和分类，开发一个成年男性和一个成年女性患者全身计算模型。2)将这些3-D、高分辨率、分段断层摄影患者模型应用到最先进的辐射传输代码包中，以计算选定的核医学剂量学参数。3)旨在评价内部器官结构的解剖学表现改善对正在接受典型核医学程序的成人患者器官剂量估计的影响程度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Radioimmunotherapy treats cancerous tissues by injecting monoclonal antibodies labeled with charged particle emitting radionuclides. However, for the past 30 years, nuclear medicine has replied on crude anatomic models that originated in late 60's. Recent data show that doses calculated using these models are NOT correct for a very large portion of the patient population. On the other hand, CT, MR and cryosection images from the Visible Human Project (VHP) have provided realistic and most complete digital database on human anatomy. Therefore, it is hypothesized that whole-body patient models, constructed from extremely fine images of the Visible Human Project, can dramatically improve radiation dosimetry for patients undergoing internally administered radioisotope therapy. Although a previous study has solved critical issue on handling huge VHP images for radiation transport, little information exist on how to translate the recent advance into patient dosimetry for nuclear medicine. To address these needs, a research project is proposed to achieve the following Specific Aims: 1) To develop an adult male and an adult female patient whole-body computational model by processing, segmenting and classifying the 0.33 mm x 0.33 mm resolution cryosection images of the male and female cadavers obtained from the VHP. 2) To implement these 3-D, high-resolution, segmented tomographic patient models into the state-of-the-art radiation transport code packages to calculate selected nuclear medicine dosimetric parameters. 3) To evaluate the degrees to which improved anatomical representation of internal organ structures influences estimate of organ dose in adult patients who are undergoing a typical nuclear medicine procedure.