The Use of Computers in Nuclear Medicine

Computers are needed in nuclear medicine, they answer a need to avoid loss of patient data and are necessary for image processing which deserves a wider use than it presently enjoys. The computer is nearly essential for dynamic or function studies and its use is due to increase. If a computer is to function effectively in clinical service, the processes it executes must be finished in a very short time. This time constraint means that clinical programs must be assembly language programs rather than slower "higher level" language programs. A computer is near its speed limit while servicing a gamma camera and while processing images. Full use of the computer for nuclear medicine requi'res development of systems providing rapid and reliable image processing and production of hard copy results, of course, at a reasonable cost.