nuclearCT

nuclearCT is a term used to describe the integration of nuclear medicine imaging data with computed tomography (CT) to provide combined functional and anatomical information. It encompasses both hardware–hardware fusion in hybrid scanners and software approaches that co-register or jointly reconstruct radiotracer distributions with CT anatomy.

In clinical practice, fused PET/CT and SPECT/CT are common manifestations of nuclearCT concepts, enabling precise localization of radiotracer uptake, attenuation correction, and improved diagnostic confidence. Some uses emphasize unified reconstruction algorithms that estimate activity maps and attenuation relationships within a single framework rather than as separate steps.

Technical methods include CT-derived attenuation maps for PET or SPECT reconstruction, rigid or deformable image registration, and potential joint or iterative reconstruction approaches. Challenges include aligning dynamic processes with static CT, managing radiation exposure, and ensuring robust performance across scanners and patient motion.

Applications span oncology, neurology, and cardiology, supporting tumor staging, treatment planning, and assessment of metabolic or perfusion changes. NuclearCT can improve lesion detection, therapy monitoring, and cross-modality correlation between structure and function.

Status and terminology vary by field. While PET/CT and SPECT/CT are established standards, the term nuclearCT is often used to describe evolving integration approaches and research prototypes that push beyond conventional fusion toward simultaneous or more tightly coupled reconstruction.

Overall, nuclearCT reflects an approach to fuse functional and anatomical imaging to enhance interpretation and clinical decision making.