Toshiba develops gamma camera upgrades

Toshiba's nuclear medicine division is adding enhancements to its line of gamma cameras.The Tustin, CA, vendor is planning to extend its transmission-emissionartifact-correction technique from its triple-head gamma camerasto its dual-head systems, according to Steve Sickels, divisionmanager.

Toshiba displayed transmission-emission attenuation correctionas a work-in-progress at last year's Radiological Society of NorthAmerica meeting. The technique was shown on Toshiba's triple-headGCA-9300A camera, but Toshiba also has an active R&D programin Japan to bring the technology to the dual-head GCA-7200A, accordingto Sickels. The dual-head version, which is also a work-in-progress,will involve a combination of a stationary line source of radioactivityand collimation, he said. GCA-7200A is an opposable dual-headcamera.

Toshiba also has a program in the works to develop 511-keVcollimators for SPECT imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), Sickelssaid.