SlicerPET: A workflow based software module for PET/CT guided needle biopsy

TL;DR

SlicerPET is a workflow-based software module that integrates PET/CT imaging to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of needle biopsies in cancer diagnosis.

Contribution

It introduces SlicerPET, an open-source, user-friendly module that facilitates PET/CT guided needle biopsies within interventional suites.

Findings

Enhanced localization of malignancies using PET/CT guidance

Improved diagnostic yield of biopsies with the new workflow

Open source implementation for wider adoption

Abstract

Biopsy is commonly used to confirm cancer diagnosis when radiologically indicated. Given the ability of PET to localize malignancies in heterogeneous tumors and tumors that do not have a CT correlate, PET/CT guided biopsy may improve the diagnostic yield of biopsies. To facilitate PET/CT guided needle biopsy, we developed a workflow that allows us to bring PET image guidance into the interventional CT suite. In this abstract, we present SlicerPET, a user-friendly workflow based module developed using open source software libraries to guide needle biopsy in the interventional suite.