Quantitative lymphoscintigraphy for diagnostics and therapy of upper limb lymphedema
Inspection by lymphoscintigraphy is potentially the method searched for. Its potential for examination of upper limbs is, however, inhibited by the lack of a reliable quantitative evaluation when upper limbs are examined. The main reason is number of measurements limited both by the time-capacity of the gamma camera and by the ability of a patient to undergo a series of measurement in long time intervals.
The general aim of this project is to develop new automated lymphedema diagnostics based on combination of scintigraphy quantification and other indicators available. This task can be divided into two tasks:
- To develop routinely applicable quantitative evaluation of the state of upper limbs. The Bayesian paradigm, in conjunction with a simplified model of the diffusion dynamics, is used to obtain reliable quantitative evaluations for the first time. Among the resulting benefits are:
- a procedure for tuning the measurement conditions,
- an assessment of deviations between limbs,
- the possibility of lymphedema staging assessment.
- To combine developed scintigraphy quantification with the rest clinical and qualitative scintigraphy findings into one global automated lymphedema stage classifier in order to increase the accuracy of diagnostics. The advantages of such global classifier are:
- a maximum information available for the decision,
- a minimized impact of skill of inspecting expert on the disease assessment,
- the possibility to evaluate the relevance of subset of features on the disease assessment; The relevance of the developed quantification in the combined diagnostics can be verified in this way.
Diagnostic value of the developed combined lymphedema diagnostics will be tested on the real data within the full diagnostic-therapeutic cycle and compared with conclusions of alternative diagnostic evaluations.
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Support of grants
- IGA MZČR-NC7601-3/2003.