Computer assisted molecular imaging methods and systems

A method for clinical decision support, comprising:

• transmitting data of a molecular image acquired via a molecular imaging system into electronic circuitry, the electronic circuitry comprising a processor system and a memory system in communicative connection with the processor system, the memory system comprising one or more software algorithms saved therein and executable by the processor system, the electronic circuitry being configured to be placed in communicative connection with a database including data for an established lexicon;
• executing at least one of the one or more software algorithms via the processor system to analyze the data of the molecular image to determine whether at least one area indicative of a lesion is present or absent in the molecular image;
• and
• if it is determined that at least one area indicative of a lesion is present, executing at least one of the one or more software algorithms via the processor system to measure a characteristic of at least one of (i) a background parenchyma of the molecular image and (ii) the at least one area indicative of a lesion, and to assess, via comparison to the established lexicon upon communication with the database storing data of the established lexicon, a diagnostic significance of the at least one area indicative of a lesion based upon the characteristic which is measured;
• and
• transmitting the diagnostic significance to a clinical user.

A system, comprising:

• a molecular imaging system comprising a detector system, and
• electronic circuitry in communicative connection with the molecular imaging system, the electronic circuitry comprising a memory system in which one or more software algorithms are stored, and a processor system in operative connection with the memory system to execute the one or more software algorithms, upon transmission of data of a molecular image from the detector system of the molecular imaging system to the electronic circuitry during acquisition of the molecular image, to (i) perform one or more analyses of the molecular image over time during acquisition of the molecular image, (ii) determine in each of the one or more analyses whether at least one area indicative of a lesion is present or absent in the molecular image, and (iii) after determining that at least one area indicative of a lesion is present or absent in the molecular image in at least one of the one or more analyses of the molecular image, perform at least one of:
• (i) causing transmission to a user of the molecular imaging system of a recommendation that the molecular image acquisition be stopped before a scheduled end of the molecular image acquisition to limit the duration of the molecular image acquisition, and
• (ii) causing transmission of a signal to the molecular imaging system to stop the image acquisition automatically before a scheduled end of the image acquisition to limit the time of image acquisition.