The Development of semi-automated radiopharmaceutical dispenser using real-time video processing

This paper presents the development of a semi-automated radiopharmaceutical dispenser using real-time video processing. Typically, a fully-automated radiopharmaceutical dispenser is expensive while a manual dispenser is harmful to operators doe to radiation exposures. In the proposed system, the video camera sends the real-time video signals of the [¹⁸F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose ([¹⁸F]-FDG) volume in a 5-ml syringe to a computer and the volume detection is subsequently performed through video processing using MATLAB. Air is slowly pushed through an extension tube from a micro air pump to the [¹⁸F]-FDG vial until the 5-ml syringe plunger is moved to reach the [18F]-FDG required volume automatically. The computer subsequently displays an automated calculation volume of [¹⁸F]-FDG for the operator that help a better vision of the volume of [¹⁸F]-FDG and therefore a one-time operation is sufficient. The proposed system offers a potential alternative to high-cost commercial radiopharmaceutical dispenser achieving a high precision and reducing operator´s radiation exposure.