Method and apparatus for information acquistion, processing, and display within a medical camera system

• US 5,431,161 A
• Filed: 04/15/1993
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Adam Laboratories Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Edward M., Wong, Stanley H., Hudson, Robert C., Ryals, Carl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US08/048,751
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 364/413.13, 364/413.14, 364/413.15, 364/413.22, 382/6, 382/16, 382/19
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0275 using tracers, e.g. dye dilution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A system for acquisition, processing and display of gated SPECT imaging data for use in diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in nuclear medicine. The present invention provides a physician with two parameters for evaluating CAD: information relating to the distribution of blood flow within the myocardium (perfusion) and information relating to myocardium wall motion (function). One aspect of the present invention provides the physician with a display of functional images representing quantitative information relating to both perfusion and function with respect to selected regions of interest of the subject heart at end-diastole and end-systole segments of the cardiac cycle. The functional display consists of arcs of varied width depending on wall motion and color coded to illustrate degrees of myocardial perfusion for different pie shaped sections of a selected region of interest within a given short axis slice of reconstructed volume data. The present invention also provides a series of display images allowing facilitated access, display, and comparison of the numerous image frames of the heart that may be collected during gated SPECT sessions. The present invention also offers the ability to define and recall parameter files representative of data acquisition and processing parameters and protocol for use in gated SPECT studies. The invention also includes a semi-list processing mode to increase efficiency of data acquisition within a camera computer system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease, said apparatus comprising:

a processor controlled first display means for displaying a graphical representation of myocardial perfusion for a selected section of myocardium, said representation of said myocardial perfusion displayed in a first area;

a processor controlled second display means for displaying a graphical representation of myocardial wall movement for said selected myocardium section, said representation of said myocardial wall movement displayed in said first area;

a processor coupled to control said first and second display means for receiving information detected from said selected section of myocardium, said processor also for computing myocardial perfusion ratios and myocardial wall movement for said selected section of myocardium; and

said first and said second display means simultaneously displaying said respective myocardial perfusion and said myocardial wall movement graphical representations on a display screen.

2. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 1 wherein said myocardial perfusion is represented graphically as a perfusion ratio and wherein said graphical representation of said myocardial perfusion is a color value that is provided from a color lookup table indexed by said perfusion ratio computed by said processor and wherein said first area adopts said color value.

3. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 1 wherein said processor further comprises means for displaying a graphical representation of perfusion ratios for individual subsections of said selected section of myocardium for each of a plurality of dataframes within a dataset.

4. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 1 wherein said graphical representation of said myocardial wall movement is a width of said first area.

5. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 1 wherein:

said myocardial perfusion is represented graphically as a perfusion ratio and wherein said graphical representation of said myocardial perfusion is a color value that is provided from a color lookup table indexed by said perfusion ratio and wherein said first area adopts said color value; and

wherein said graphical representation of said myocardial wall movement is a width of said first area.

6. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 5 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections and wherein each arc section of said plurality of arc sections displays myocardial perfusion and wall movement graphical representations for a different selected section of myocardium.

7. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 5 and further comprising:

an acquisition processor;

a memory unit coupled to said acquisition processor;

at least one detector unit for detecting image events and for supplying image information for storage into said memory Unit; and

a second processor coupled to said memory unit, said second processor for parsing said image events wherein;

(i) said second processor is for receiving individual data event words for an entire R--R interval to form a current data event word set;

(ii) said second processor is for storing said data event words in list form for an entire R--R interval in a buffer of said memory unit; and

(iii) said second processor is for indicating, within unique locations with said current data event set, a start address for a subsequent data event word set and a count number representative of the duration of said R--R interval of said current data event word set.

8. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 1 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections.

9. An apparatus for displaying quantitative information used in diagnosing heart disease, said information based on images of a tomographically reconstructed volume of the heart, said apparatus comprising:

a selector responsive to a user input for selecting a selected section of myocardium;

a processor for computing a myocardial perfusion ratio for said selected section of myocardium;

said processor also for computing a wall movement factor for said section of myocardium;

a display device coupled to said processor for displaying both a quantitative graphical representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio and a quantitative graphical representation of said myocardial wall movement factor in a first area of said display device wherein said first area is associated with said selected section of myocardium.

10. An apparatus for displaying quantitative information as described in claim 9 wherein said quantitative representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio is a color or a color shade that is provided from a lookup table indexed by said perfusion ratio and filled into said first area.

11. An apparatus for displaying quantitative information as described in claim 10 wherein said quantitative representation of said myocardial wall movement factor is a width of said first area.

12. An apparatus for displaying quantitative information as described in claim 9 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections.

13. An apparatus for displaying information as described in claim 12 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections and wherein each arc section of said plurality of arc sections displays a representation of a myocardial perfusion ratio and a wall movement factor for an individual section of said selected section of myocardium.

14. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease, said quantitative image information based on data obtained using gated SPECT techniques, said apparatus comprising:

a display system displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;

said display system also displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;

a selection device for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image;

a processor coupled to communicate to said display system and to said selection device, said processor for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest; and

wherein

said display system also displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising graphical representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors for said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

15. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 wherein said first and second images of said myocardial structure are slices of tomographically reconstructed volumes of the head:

at diastole and systole, respectively.

16. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 15 wherein said slices are image frames of a short axis orientation.

17. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 wherein said region of interest of said first image and said region of interest of said second image are each divided into a plurality of individual sections and wherein a section pair comprises sections of each region of interest that correspond to a same portion of said myocardial structure.

18. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 17 wherein said regions of interest are each divided into a number of pie shaped sections of equal area.

19. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 18 wherein said number of pie shaped sections is 8 or 16.

20. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 17 further comprising a memory device coupled to said processor and wherein:

said processor is also for computing a first average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a first section of a section pair;

said processor is also for computing a second average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a second section of said section pair; and

said processor is also for computing a perfusion ratio for said section pair by dividing said first average by said second average, said processor also for storing said perfusion ratio into said memory device.

21. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 17 further comprising a memory device coupled to said processor and wherein:

said processor is also for computing a location of a first center of mass for a first section of a section pair;

said processor is also for computing a location of a second center of mass for a second section of said section pair; and

said processor is also for computing said wall movement factors based on the difference of radial distances between said first center of mass and said region of interest of said first image and said second center of mass and said region of interest of said second image, said processor also for storing said wall movement factors into said memory device.

22. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 17 wherein said display system further comprises a display screen and wherein:

said processor controls said display system to display a plurality of arc sections on said display screen comprising said functional display ring, wherein each arc section corresponds to an individual section pair;

said processor controls said display system to display coloring in individual arc sections depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

said processor controls said display system to display a varying radial width of said each arc section depending on a wall movement factor for said each arc section.

23. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 further comprising a memory device coupled to said processor and wherein:

said processor is also for computing said wall movement factors by computing average maximum pixel intensity values for sections of said region of interest of said first image and for sections of said region of interest of said second image; and

said processor is also for computing said perfusion ratios by dividing said average maximum pixel intensity values of corresponding sections of the same myocardial structure, said processor also for storing said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors into said memory device.

24. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 further comprising a memory device coupled to said processor and wherein:

said processor is also for computing centers of mass for sections of said region interest of said first image and for sections of said region of interest of said second image; and

said processor is also for computing said wall movement factors by computing displacements of centers of mass relative to said regions of interest for corresponding sections of a same myocardial structure, said processor also for storing said wall movement factors into said memory device.

25. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 wherein representations of said perfusion ratios utilize color coding and wherein said representations of said wall movement factors utilize variable widths.

26. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 14 wherein said display system further comprises a display screen and wherein:

said processor controls said display system to display a plurality of arc sections on said display screen comprising said functional display ring;

said processor controls said display system to display coloring in individual am sections depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

said processor controls said display system to display a varying radial width of said each arc section depending on a wall movement factor for said each arc section.

27. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease, said quantitative image information based on data obtained using gated SPECT techniques, said apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;

means for displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;

means for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image, said region of interest of said first image and said region of interest of said second image each divided into a plurality of individual sections and wherein a section pair comprises sections of each region of interest that correspond to a same portion of said myocardial structure;

means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest; and

means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising a plurality of arc sections color coded for representing perfusion ratios and of variable radial width for representing wall movement factors.

28. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 27 wherein said first and second images of said myocardial structure are short axis slices of tomographically reconstructed volumes of the heart at diastole and systole respectively.

29. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 27 wherein said means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises:

means for computing a first average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a first section of a section pair;

means for computing a second average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a second section of said section pair;

find

means for computing a perfusion ratio for said section pair by dividing said first average by said second average.

30. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 29 wherein said means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises:

means for computing a first center of mass for a first section of a section pair;

means for computing a second center of mass for a second section of said section pair; and

means for computing said wall motion factor based on the difference of radial distances between said first center of mass and said region of interest of said first image and said second center of mass and said region of interest of said second image.

31. An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 27 wherein said means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure comprises:

means for displaying a plurality of arc sections comprising said functional display ring, wherein each arc section corresponds to an individual section pair;

means for coloring each arc section depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

means for varying radial width of said each arc section depending on a wall movement factor for said each arc section.

32. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques, said system comprising:

(a) bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface;

(b) means for tomographically reconstructing image data acquired from said gated SPECT nuclear camera system; and

(c) means for displaying information based on said reconstructed image data, said means for displaying comprising;

means for displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;

means for displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;

means for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image;

means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest; and

means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors of said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

33. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques as described in claim 32 wherein said region of interest of said first image and said region of interest of said second image are each divided into a plurality of individual sections and wherein a section pair comprises sections of each region of interest that correspond to a same portion of said myocardial structure.

34. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques as described in claim 33 wherein said regions of interest are each divided into a number of pie shaped sections of equal area.

35. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques as described in claim 33 wherein said means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises:

means for computing a first average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a first section of a section pair;

means for computing a second average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a second section of said section pair; and

means for computing a perfusion ratio for said section pair by dividing said first average by said second average.

36. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques as described in claim 33 wherein said means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises:

means for computing a first center of mass for a first section of a section pair;

means for computing a second center of mass for a second section of said section pair; and

means for computing said wall motion factor based on the difference of radial distances between said first center of mass and said region of interest of said first image and said second center of mass and said region of interest of said second image.

37. A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques as described in claim 33 wherein said means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure comprises:

means for displaying a plurality of arc sections comprising said functional display ring, wherein each arc section corresponds to an individual section pair;

means for coloring each arc section depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

means for varying radial width of said each arc section depending on a wall movement factor for said each arc section.

38. A computer implemented method for rendering information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display screen, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

selecting a myocardium section from a tomographically reconstructed volume;

determining myocardial perfusion and myocardial wall movement of said selected myocardium section;

displaying in a first area on said display screen a representation of said myocardial perfusion for said selected section of myocardium; and

displaying simultaneously in said first area a representation of said myocardial wall movement for said selected myocardium section.

39. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 38 wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of:

determining a perfusion ratio for said selected myocardium section; and

determining a wall displacement factor for said selected myocardium section.

40. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 39 wherein said step of displaying said myocardial perfusion comprises the step of filling said first area with a color value corresponding to said perfusion ratio.

41. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 39 wherein said step of displaying said myocardial perfusion ratio comprises the step of filling said first area with a color shade value corresponding to said perfusion ratio.

42. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 39 wherein said step of displaying said myocardial wall movement comprises the step of assigning and displaying a width of said first area according to said wall displacement factor.

43. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 39 wherein said step of displaying said myocardial perfusion comprises the step of filling said first area with a color shade value corresponding to said perfusion ratio and wherein said step of displaying said myocardial wall movement comprises the step of assigning and displaying a width of said first area according to said wall displacement factor.

44. A computer implemented method for rendering information as described in claim 38 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections.

45. A computer implemented method for displaying information as described in claim 43 wherein said first area is an arc section of a functional display ring comprised of a plurality of arc sections and further comprising the step of displaying myocardial perfusion and wall movement representations for a different selected section of myocardium in each arc section of said plurality of arc sections.

46. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display device, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

acquiring a raw gSPECT image dataset, said raw gSPECT image dataset comprising data configured by projection angle and gated in segments across a cardiac cycle;

processing said raw gSPECT image dataset to produce a tomographically reconstructed volume for each gated segment; and

displaying on said display device a plurality of section arcs coupled together to form a functional display ring based on a particular slice of said reconstructed volume, said step of displaying a plurality of section arcs comprising the steps of;

filling each arc section with a color depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

adjusting a width of said each arc section based on a wall motion factor for said each arc section.

47. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display device as described in claim 46 further comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying an ED slice of image data from a reconstructed volume for an end-diastole segment;

selecting an ED region of interest for said ED slice of image data, said ED region of interest comprising ED sections;

displaying an ES slice of image data from a reconstructed volume for an end-systole segment;

selecting an ES region of interest for said ES slice of image data, said ES region of interest comprising ES sections wherein individual ED sections and individual ES sections comprise section pairs;

computing a perfusion ratio for each section pair of said ED and ES regions of interest based on dividing averaged maximum pixel intensities for pixels of said each section pair; and

computing a wall movement factor for each section pair of said ED and ES regions of interest based on displacements of centers of mass for said pixels of said each section pair.

48. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display screen, said information obtained using gated SPECT imaging techniques and tomographic reconstruction procedures, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving a computed ratio for myocardial perfusion for a selected section of myocardium;

receiving a computed wall movement factor for myocardial wall movement for said selected section of myocardium;

displaying in a first area on said display screen a color representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio for said selected section of myocardium; and

displaying a width of said first area of a particular dimension based on said myocardial wall movement factor for said selected myocardium section.

49. A computer implemented method for displaying information as described in claim 48 wherein said step of displaying a color representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio comprises the steps of:

selecting a display color based on a magnitude of said perfusion ratio; and

filling said first area on said display screen with said selected display color.

50. A computer implemented method for displaying information as described in claim 48 wherein said step of displaying a color representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio comprises the steps of:

selecting a display color shade based on a magnitude of said perfusion ratio; and

filling said first area on said display screen with said selected display color shade.

51. A computer implemented method for displaying information on a display screen used in diagnosing heart disease, said information obtained using gated SPECT imaging techniques and tomographic reconstruction procedures, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving a plurality of computed ratios representing myocardial perfusion for a selected region of myocardium;

receiving a plurality of computed wall movement factors representing myocardial wall movement for said selected region of myocardium;

rendering a functional ring on said display screen, said functional ring comprising a plurality of arc sections, said plurality of arc sections presenting representations of both said computed perfusion ratios and said computed wall movement factors of said selected region of said myocardium.

52. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 51 wherein said step of rendering a functional ring comprises the steps of:

displaying each of said plurality of arc sections with an individual color representation based on an individual perfusion ratio of said plurality of myocardial perfusion ratios; and

displaying each of said plurality of arc sections with an individual arc section width based on an individual wall movement factor of said plurality of computed wall movement factors.

53. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 52 wherein said step of displaying each of said arc sections with an individual color representation comprises the step of filling said each arc section with an individual color obtained from a color lookup table indexed by an individual perfusion ratio.

54. A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 52 wherein said step of displaying each of said plurality of arc sections with an individual width comprises the steps of:

generating an arc section width toward a center of said functional display ring for positive wall movement factors; and

generating an arc section width away from said center of said functional display ring for negative wall movement factors.

55. In a computer system including bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, and an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface, a method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;

displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;

selecting a region of interest of said first image and selecting a region of interest of said second image;

computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest; and

displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors of said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

56. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 55 wherein said first and second images of said myocardial structure are slices of tomographically reconstructed volumes of the heart at diastole and systole respectively.

57. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 55 wherein said steps of selecting said regions of interest comprise the step of:

using a cursor to position a center for a region of interest;

using said cursor to select a radial dimension of said region of interest from said center to encompass said myocardial structure; and

repeating the above two steps to reconfigure a selected region of interest.

58. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 55 further comprising the step of dividing each of said region of interest of said first image and said region of interest of said second image into a plurality of individual sections and wherein a section pair comprises sections of each region of interest that correspond to a same portion of said myocardial structure.

59. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 58 wherein said step of computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises the step of:

computing a first average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a first section of a section pair;

computing a second average by averaging maximum intensity pixels within a second section of said section pair; and

computing a perfusion ratio for said section pair by dividing said first average by said second average.

60. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 58 wherein said step of computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors comprises the steps of:

computing a first center of mass for a first section of a section pair;

computing a second center of mass for a second section of said section pair; and

computing said wall motion factor based on the difference of radial distances between said first center of mass and said region of interest of said first image and said second center of mass and said region of interest of said second image.

61. A method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease as described in claim 58 wherein said step of displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure comprises the steps of:

displaying a plurality of arc sections comprising said functional display ring, wherein each arc section corresponds to an individual section pair;

coloring each arc section depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section; and

varying radial width of said each arc section depending on a wall movement factor for said each arc section.

62. In a computer system including bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, and an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface, a method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

configuring and storing a first set of reconstruction parameters used in tomographical reconstruction processing of raw image information, said first set of reconstruction Parameters defining;

(a) slice thickness; and

(b) reconstruction limits;

configuring and storing a second set of reconstruction Parameters used in tomographical reconstruction processing of raw image information, said second set of reconstruction parameters defining;

(a) slice thickness; and

(b) reconstruction limits, wherein said first and second set of reconstruction parameters are different;

acquiring said raw image information from a camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques;

recalling said stored first set of reconstruction parameters;

reconstructing a first image volume based on said first set of reconstruction parameters and said raw image information;

displaying slices of said first image volume on said computer display means for different imaged segments of a cardiac cycle;

recalling said stored second set of reconstruction parameters;

reconstructing a second image volume based on said second set of reconstruction parameters and said raw image information; and

displaying slices of said second image volume on said computer display means for different imaged segments of a cardiac cycle.