Standardized uptake value (SUV) image
Steps to compute SUV image:
1. Prepare the single-frame image
The PET image must contain only one (late) frame. If necessary, the frame number and times can be viewed witheframe.
If PET image contains more than one frame, the selected frames can be summed together using
Alternatively, to separate one (late) frame from a dynamic study, use esplit.
2. Check the units
Make sure that the radioactivity units in the image are cancelled out in the SUV calculation. If necessary, convert the units in image or injected dose.
3. Calculation
For the SUV computation, program ecatcalc can be used to divide the image by injected dose normalized to body weight, lean body weight, or body surface area. The command could be e.g.
ecatcalc ua0789static.img / 0.253 ua0789suv.imgAll the mentioned commands can be given in MS Windows command prompt windowor Solaris terminal window on either SUN or PC platform.
4. Regional SUV (if needed)
Regional quantitative SUV values can then be calculated from the SUV images as usual. SUV images can also be compared directly with SPM, or visually in presentations or scientific publications.
Alternative analysis pathways
SUV can also be calculated from regional TACs
Regional SUV can be calculated from regional time-activity curves (DFT files) with dftsuv.
Regional SUV can be calculated in ADW
It is strongly recommended to use ADW software to analyze PET-CT follow-up studies, when SUV is the only paramater of interest.
