Standardized uptake value in normal bone using stand-alone SPECT with 99mTc hydroxymethylene diphosphonate.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the feasibility of standardized uptake value (SUV) measurement and availability of bone single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images using a stand-alone SPECT system.

METHODS

30 patients with prostate cancer without bone metastases underwent 99mTc-HMDP bone SPECT using a stand-alone system. SUVmax, SUVpeak, and SUVmean were measured with standardized VOIs at C6, Th6, L3, S1, the sternum, femoral necks, iliac wings, and scapular spines. Associations with age, height, weight, and BMI were assessed using Pearson's correlation.

RESULTS

Across sites, mean±SD SUVmax, SUVpeak, and SUVmean were 2.53±0.96, 2.38±0.89, and 2.03±0.76. SUVmax ranged from 1.41±0.30 (femoral neck) to 3.55±0.74 (ilium). Regional coefficients of variation were 21-27%, and SUVs were lower than values reported for SPECT/CT. Age correlated positively with SUVmax in the sacrum and scapula and slightly negatively in the lumbar spine and sternum. Height correlated positively with sternum SUVmax and negatively with sacrum and scapula SUVmax. Weight and BMI correlated negatively with SUVmax in the sacrum, femoral neck, ilium, and scapula; BMI was also negatively correlated in the lumbar spine.

CONCLUSION

Bone SUVs measured with SPECT-only were lower than SPECT/CT but showed modest between-patient variability, supporting the feasibility of quantitative bone SPECT using a stand-alone system.