1. Changing the threshold values during the Ictal and interictal SPECT CoRegistration will cause the Siemens scan image (top) to more closely match the NeuroLogical inSPira image (bottom). Thresh hold changes used did not increase the similarity of the Siemens SPECT scanner to the NeuroLogica inSPira images. Presence, or lack of, small areas of blood profusion could indicate it being an artifact. Future Studies: A new process to reconcile the image difference between the two gamma camera and the 72 photomultiplier SPECT scanners. Through new processing procedures. Additional Image filtering programs. Comparing SISCOM Results From Two Different SPECT Scanners Melissa Zagorski, RET Fellow 2011 Lake View High School, Chicago RET Mentor: Dr. Marvin Rossi, MD, PhD NSF- RET Program AbstractBackground HypothesisMaterials and Methods NSF Grant # EEC-0743068 Dr. Andreas Linninger, RET Program Director Dr. Marvin Rossi, Research Mentor Rush Research Assistants – Forrest Jacoby, Brian Quinn, Natasha Khan and Ryan Hanson Rush Epilepsy Center staff. University of Illinois- Chicago Acknowledgements Who: Lake View High School students What: Modeling the ISCOM process. When: Summer 2011 Why: Exposure of cutting edge research inspires students to study science in the future Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scanners use gamma ray cameras. The Siemens Scanner has two gamma ray cameras and NeuroLogica inSPira has 72 gamma ray photomultipliers. The images from the two scanners are similar, but differences of intensity, shape and exact location of areas of large blood profusion are apparent, smaller areas of blood profusion often do not correlate. These differences could impact treatment decisions. It is to be determined the significance of these differences. Validation of the results are being tested through the Subtraction Ictal SPECT CO-registered to MRI (SISCOM) process and intraoperative recording of EEG (ECoG) signals at the cortical surface of the brain. The results of this study indicate that the differences are not due to the SISCOM thresh holding process and ECoG is now in the process of determining the significance of the different images. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disease; it is the general diagnosis given for unprovoked recurrent seizures. It occurs when a hyper synchronous electrical charge flows through the brains normal non- synchronous electric circuit, causing a storm of electrical activity resulting in seizures of various levels of severity 1. Epilepsy can be caused by brain injury or illness, although half the cases the cause is unknown. Three million people in the United States have epilepsy, of those approximately 500,000 of those are medically resistant to medication 1. In the Chicago land area 130,000 people have epilepsy and about 40,000 are medically resistant 2. Other treatments are available these include other medication, surgery and implantable devices. In order to determine the location for surgery or implantation a series of SPECT scans are made and through the process of SISCOM areas of increased blood profusion are determined. Together with observations and EEG the primary site of seizures is located and appropriate treatment can be implemented Ictal and Interictal SPECT CoRegistraction Binary Thresh holding SPECT Image Normalization SPECT Image Subtraction MRI Brain Extraction for CoRegistration to SPECT Subtraction CoRegistration between MRI and SPECT Subtraction Increasing (top) and decreasing (bottom) the threshold values changed the brightness, size, shape and exact location of large areas of large blood profusion. Small areas of blood profusion continued to not correlate between the different images.. Results ConclusionTeaching Module Plan References 1. www.epilepsyfoundation.org/ 2. www.epilepsychicago.org/