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.