Analytic determination of the pinhole collimator's point-spread function and RMS resolution with penetration

99mTc/123I Dual-Radionuclide Correction for Self-Scatter, Down-Scatter, and Tailing Effect for a CZT SPECT with Varying Tracer Distributions

SPECT systems distinguish radionuclides by using multiple energy windows. For CZT detectors, the energy spectrum has a low energy tail leading to additional crosstalk between the radionuclides. Previous work developed models to correct the scatter and crosstalk for CZT-based dedicated cardiac systems with similar 99mTc/123I tracer distributions. These models estimate the primary and scatter components by solving a set of equations employing the MLEM approach. A penalty term is applied to ensure convergence. The present work estimates the penalty term for any 99mTc/123I activity level. An iterative approach incorporating Monte Carlo into the iterative image reconstruction loops was developed to estimate the penalty terms. We used SIMIND and XCAT phantoms in this study. Distribution of tracers in the myocardial tissue and blood pool were varied to simulate a dynamic acquisition. Evaluations of the estimated and the real penalty terms were performed using simulations and large animal data. The myocardium to blood pool ratio was calculated using ROIs in the myocardial tissue and the blood pool for quantitative analysis. All corrected images yielded a good agreement with the gold standard images. In conclusion, we developed a CZT crosstalk correction method for quantitative imaging of 99mTc/123I activity levels by dynamically estimating the penalty terms.

Characterization and Assessment of Projection Probability Density Function and Enhanced Sampling in Self-Collimation SPECT

We have recently reported a self-collimation SPECT (SC-SPECT) design concept that constructs sensitive detectors in a multi-ring interspaced mosaic architecture to simultaneously improve system spatial resolution and sensitivity. In this work, through numerical and Monte-Carlo simulation studies, we investigate this new design concept by analyzing its projection probability density functions (PPDF) and the effects of enhanced sampling, i.e. having rotational and translational object movements during imaging. We first quantitatively characterize PPDFs by their widths and edge slopes. Then we compare the PPDFs of an SC-SPECT and a series of multiple-pinhole SPECT (MPH-SPECT) systems and assess the impact of PPDFs - combined with enhanced sampling - on image contrast recovery coefficient and variance through phantom studies. We show the PPDFs of SC- SPECT have steeper edges and a wider range of width, and these attributes enable SC-SPECT to achieve better performance.

Fast and Accurate Gamma Imaging System Calibration Based on Deep Denoising Networks and Self-Adaptive Data Clustering

Gamma imagers play a key role in both industrial and medical applications. Modern gamma imagers typically employ iterative reconstruction methods in which the system matrix (SM) is a key component to obtain high-quality images. An accurate SM could be acquired from an experimental calibration step with a point source across the FOV, but at a cost of long calibration time to suppress noise, posing challenges to real-world applications. In this work, we propose a time-efficient SM calibration approach for a 4π-view gamma imager with short-time measured SM and deep-learning-based denoising. The key steps include decomposing the SM into multiple detector response function (DRF) images, categorizing DRFs into multiple groups with a self-adaptive K-means clustering method to address sensitivity discrepancy, and independently training separate denoising deep networks for each DRF group. We investigate two denoising networks and compare them against a conventional Gaussian filtering method. The results demonstrate that the denoised SM with deep networks faithfully yields a comparable imaging performance with the long-time measured SM. The SM calibration time is reduced from 1.4 h to 8 min. We conclude that the proposed SM denoising approach is promising and effective in enhancing the productivity of the 4π-view gamma imager, and it is also generally applicable to other imaging systems that require an experimental calibration step.

Analytic Determination of Rectangular-Pinhole Sensitivity With Penetration

Modern small-animal SPECT systems use multiple pinhole collimators per detector to increase sensitivity while still maintaining high resolution. This resolution is a combination of aperture resolution combined with detector resolution, which is mitigated by magnification. Higher magnification results in better resolution, but fewer apertures per detector. When multiple pinhole collimators project onto the same detector, those with a rectangular field of view (FOV) can be packed more tightly than those with a circular FOV. In addition, a rectangular aperture can be used to obtain different resolution-sensitivity tradeoffs in the two orthogonal directions. Thus, these rectangular-pinhole collimators can have independent FOVs and independent resolution values in the two directions of the rectangular aperture. Previous work has determined the amount of penetration for circular pinholes (i.e., circular apertures with circular FOVs), where the pinhole walls were modeled as cones. In this work, a formula for the penetrative sensitivity for rectangular apertures with a rectangular FOV is determined. The formula was validated using numerical calculations for various combinations of acceptance angles, aperture sizes, linear attenuation coefficients, and incidence angles.

Monte Carlo-based quantitative pinhole SPECT reconstruction using a ray-tracing back-projector

Background

Monte Carlo simulations provide accurate models of nuclear medicine imaging systems as they can properly account for the full physics of photon transport. The accuracy of the model included in the maximum-likelihood–expectation-maximization (ML-EM) reconstruction limits the overall accuracy of the reconstruction results. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo-based ML-EM reconstruction method for pinhole single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) that has been incorporated into the SIMIND Monte Carlo program. The Monte Carlo-based model, which accounts for all of the physical and geometrical characteristics of the camera system, is used in the forward-projection step of the reconstruction, while a simpler model based on ray-tracing is used for back-projection. The aim of this work was to investigate the quantitative accuracy of this combination of forward- and back-projectors in the clinical pinhole camera GE Discovery NM 530c.

Results

The total activity was estimated in ^99mTc-filled spheres with volumes between 0.5 and 16 mL. The total sphere activity was generally overestimated but remained within 10% of the reference activity defined by the phantom preparation. The recovered activity converged towards the reference activity as the number of iterations increased. Furthermore, the recovery of the activity concentrations within the physical boundaries of the spheres increased with increasing sphere volume. Additionally, the Monte Carlo-based reconstruction enabled recovery of the true activity concentration in the myocardium of a cardiac phantom mounted in a torso phantom regardless of whether the torso was empty or water-filled. A qualitative comparison to data reconstructed using the clinical reconstruction algorithm showed that the two methods performed similarly, although the images reconstructed using the clinical software were more uniform due to the incorporation of noise regularization and post-filtration in that reconstruction technique.

Conclusions

We developed a Monte Carlo-based reconstruction method for pinhole SPECT and evaluated it using phantom measurements. The combination of a Monte Carlo-based forward-projector and a simplified analytical ray-tracing back-projector produced quantitative images of acceptable image quality. No explicit calibration is necessary in this method since the forward-projector model maintains a relationship between the number of counts and activity.

Scatter and crosstalk corrections for (99m)Tc/(123)I dual-radionuclide imaging using a CZT SPECT system with pinhole collimators

PURPOSE

The energy spectrum for a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector has a low energy tail due to incomplete charge collection and intercrystal scattering. Due to these solid-state detector effects, scatter would be overestimated if the conventional triple-energy window (TEW) method is used for scatter and crosstalk corrections in CZT-based imaging systems. The objective of this work is to develop a scatter and crosstalk correction method for (99m)Tc/(123)I dual-radionuclide imaging for a CZT-based dedicated cardiac SPECT system with pinhole collimators (GE Discovery NM 530c/570c).

METHODS

A tailing model was developed to account for the low energy tail effects of the CZT detector. The parameters of the model were obtained using (99m)Tc and (123)I point source measurements. A scatter model was defined to characterize the relationship between down-scatter and self-scatter projections. The parameters for this model were obtained from Monte Carlo simulation using SIMIND. The tailing and scatter models were further incorporated into a projection count model, and the primary and self-scatter projections of each radionuclide were determined with a maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) iterative estimation approach. The extracted scatter and crosstalk projections were then incorporated into MLEM image reconstruction as an additive term in forward projection to obtain scatter- and crosstalk-corrected images. The proposed method was validated using Monte Carlo simulation, line source experiment, anthropomorphic torso phantom studies, and patient studies. The performance of the proposed method was also compared to that obtained with the conventional TEW method.

RESULTS

Monte Carlo simulations and line source experiment demonstrated that the TEW method overestimated scatter while their proposed method provided more accurate scatter estimation by considering the low energy tail effect. In the phantom study, improved defect contrasts were observed with both correction methods compared to no correction, especially for the images of (99m)Tc in dual-radionuclide imaging where there is heavy contamination from (123)I. In this case, the nontransmural defect contrast was improved from 0.39 to 0.47 with the TEW method and to 0.51 with their proposed method and the transmural defect contrast was improved from 0.62 to 0.74 with the TEW method and to 0.73 with their proposed method. In the patient study, the proposed method provided higher myocardium-to-blood pool contrast than that of the TEW method. Similar to the phantom experiment, the improvement was the most substantial for the images of (99m)Tc in dual-radionuclide imaging. In this case, the myocardium-to-blood pool ratio was improved from 7.0 to 38.3 with the TEW method and to 63.6 with their proposed method. Compared to the TEW method, the proposed method also provided higher count levels in the reconstructed images in both phantom and patient studies, indicating reduced overestimation of scatter. Using the proposed method, consistent reconstruction results were obtained for both single-radionuclide data with scatter correction and dual-radionuclide data with scatter and crosstalk corrections, in both phantom and human studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors demonstrate that the TEW method leads to overestimation in scatter and crosstalk for the CZT-based imaging system while the proposed scatter and crosstalk correction method can provide more accurate self-scatter and down-scatter estimations for quantitative single-radionuclide and dual-radionuclide imaging.

Multimodality calibration for simultaneous fluoroscopic and nuclear imaging

Background

Simultaneous real-time fluoroscopic and nuclear imaging could benefit image-guided (oncological) procedures. To this end, a hybrid modality is currently being developed by our group, by combining a c-arm with a gamma camera and a four-pinhole collimator. Accurate determination of the system parameters that describe the position of the x-ray tube, x-ray detector, gamma camera, and collimators is crucial to optimize image quality. The purpose of this study was to develop a calibration method that estimates the system parameters used for reconstruction.

A multimodality phantom consisting of five point sources was created. First, nuclear and fluoroscopic images of the phantom were acquired at several distances from the image intensifier. The system parameters were acquired using physical measurement, and multimodality images of the phantom were reconstructed. The resolution and co-registration error of the point sources were determined as a measure of image quality. Next, the system parameters were estimated using a calibration method, which adjusted the parameters in the reconstruction algorithm, until the resolution and co-registration were optimized. For evaluation, multimodality images of a second set of phantom acquisitions were reconstructed using calibrated parameter sets. Subsequently, the resolution and co-registration error of the point sources were determined as a measure of image quality. This procedure was performed five times for different noise simulations. In addition, simultaneously acquired fluoroscopic and nuclear images of two moving syringes were obtained with parameter sets from before and after calibration.

Results

The mean FWHM was significantly lower after calibration than before calibration for 21 out of 25 point sources. The mean co-registration error was significantly lower after calibration than before calibration for all point sources. The simultaneously acquired fluoroscopic and nuclear images showed improved co-registration after calibration as compared with before calibration.

Conclusions

A calibration method was presented that improves the resolution and co-registration of simultaneously acquired hybrid fluoroscopic and nuclear images by estimating the geometric parameter set as compared with a parameter set acquired by direct physical measurement.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40658-016-0156-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Investigation of imaging properties for submillimeter rectangular pinholes

PURPOSE

Recently, a multipinhole collimator with inserts that have both rectangular apertures and rectangular fields of view (FOVs) has been proposed for SPECT imaging since it can tile the projection onto the detector efficiently and the FOVs in transverse and axial directions become separable. The purpose of this study is to investigate the image properties of rectangular-aperture pinholes with submillimeter apertures sizes.

METHODS

In this work, the authors have conducted sensitivity and FOV experiments for 18 replicates of a prototype insert fabricated in platinum/iridium (Pt/Ir) alloy with submillimeter square-apertures. A sin(q)θ fit to the experimental sensitivity has been performed for these inserts. For the FOV measurement, the authors have proposed a new formula to calculate the projection intensity of a flood image on the detector, taking into account the penumbra effect. By fitting this formula to the measured projection data, the authors obtained the acceptance angles.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) of fitted sensitivity exponents q and effective edge lengths we were, respectively, 10.8 (1.8) and 0.38 mm (0.02 mm), which were close to the values, 7.84 and 0.396 mm, obtained from Monte Carlo calculations using the parameters of the designed inserts. For the FOV measurement, the mean (standard deviation) of the transverse and axial acceptances were 35.0° (1.2°) and 30.5° (1.6°), which are in good agreement with the designed values (34.3° and 29.9°).

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that the physical properties of the fabricated inserts with submillimeter aperture size matched our design well.

Collimator design for a multipinhole brain SPECT insert for MRI

PURPOSE

Brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is an important clinical tool, with unique tracers for studying neurological diseases. Nowadays, most commercial SPECT systems are combined with x-ray computed tomography (CT) in so-called SPECT/CT systems to obtain an anatomical background for the functional information. However, while CT images have a high spatial resolution, they have a low soft-tissue contrast, which is an important disadvantage for brain imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), on the other hand, has a very high soft-tissue contrast and does not involve extra ionizing radiation. Therefore, the authors designed a brain SPECT insert that can operate inside a clinical MRI.

METHODS

The authors designed and simulated a compact stationary multipinhole SPECT insert based on digital silicon photomultiplier detector modules, which have shown to be MR-compatible and have an excellent intrinsic resolution (0.5 mm) when combined with a monolithic 2 mm thick LYSO crystal. First, the authors optimized the different parameters of the SPECT system to maximize sensitivity for a given target resolution of 7.2 mm in the center of the field-of-view, given the spatial constraints of the MR system. Second, the authors performed noiseless simulations of two multipinhole configurations to evaluate sampling and reconstructed resolution. Finally, the authors performed Monte Carlo simulations and compared the SPECT insert with a clinical system with ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) fan beam collimators, based on contrast-to-noise ratio and a visual comparison of a Hoffman phantom with a 9 mm cold lesion.

RESULTS

The optimization resulted in a stationary multipinhole system with a collimator radius of 150.2 mm and a detector radius of 172.67 mm, which corresponds to four rings of 34 diSPM detector modules. This allows the authors to include eight rings of 24 pinholes, which results in a system volume sensitivity of 395 cps/MBq. Noiseless simulations show sufficient axial sampling (in a Defrise phantom) and a reconstructed resolution of 5.0 mm (in a cold-rod phantom). The authors compared the 24-pinhole setup with a 34-pinhole system (with the same detector radius but a collimator radius of 156.63 mm) and found that 34 pinholes result in better uniformity but a worse reconstruction of the cold-rod phantom. The authors also compared the 24-pinhole system with a clinical triple-head UHR fan beam system based on contrast-to-noise ratio and found that the 24-pinhole setup performs better for the 6 mm hot and the 16 mm cold lesions and worse for the 8 and 10 mm hot lesions. Finally, the authors reconstructed noisy projection data of a Hoffman phantom with a 9 mm cold lesion and found that the lesion was slightly better visible on the multipinhole image compared to the fan beam image.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors have optimized a stationary multipinhole SPECT insert for MRI and showed the feasibility of doing brain SPECT imaging inside a MRI with an image quality similar to the best clinical SPECT systems available.

Toward Simultaneous Real-Time Fluoroscopic and Nuclear Imaging in the Intervention Room

PURPOSE

To investigate the technical feasibility of hybrid simultaneous fluoroscopic and nuclear imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An x-ray tube, an x-ray detector, and a gamma camera were positioned in one line, enabling imaging of the same field of view. Since a straightforward combination of these elements would block the lines of view, a gamma camera setup was developed to be able to view around the x-ray tube. A prototype was built by using a mobile C-arm and a gamma camera with a four-pinhole collimator. By using the prototype, test images were acquired and sensitivity, resolution, and coregistration error were analyzed.

RESULTS

Nuclear images (two frames per second) were acquired simultaneously with fluoroscopic images. Depending on the distance from point source to detector, the system resolution was 1.5-1.9-cm full width at half maximum, the sensitivity was (0.6-1.5) × 10(-5) counts per decay, and the coregistration error was -0.13 to 0.15 cm. With good spatial and temporal alignment of both modalities throughout the field of view, fluoroscopic images can be shown in grayscale and corresponding nuclear images in color overlay.

CONCLUSION

Measurements obtained with the hybrid imaging prototype device that combines simultaneous fluoroscopic and nuclear imaging of the same field of view have demonstrated the feasibility of real-time simultaneous hybrid imaging in the intervention room.

A parallel-cone collimator for high-energy SPECT

In SPECT using high-energy photon-emitting isotopes, such as (131)I, parallel-hole collimators with thick septa are required to limit septal penetration, at the cost of sensitivity and resolution. This study investigated a parallel-hole collimator with cone-shaped holes, which was designed to limit collimator penetration while preserving resolution and sensitivity. The objective was to demonstrate that a single-slice prototype of the parallel-cone (PC) collimator was capable of improving the image quality of high-energy SPECT.

METHODS

The image quality of the PC collimator was quantitatively compared with that of clinically used low-energy high-resolution (LEHR; for (99m)Tc) and high-energy general-purpose (HEGP; for (131)I and (18)F) parallel-hole collimators. First, Monte Carlo simulations of single and double point sources were performed to assess sensitivity and resolution by comparing point-spread functions (PSFs). Second, a prototype PC collimator was used in an experimental phantom study to assess and compare contrast recovery coefficients and image noise.

RESULTS

Monte Carlo simulations showed reduced broadening of the PSF due to collimator penetration for the PC collimator as compared with the HEGP collimator (e.g., 0.9 vs. 1.4 cm in full width at half maximum for (131)I). Simulated double point sources placed 2 cm apart were separately detectable for the PC collimator, whereas this was not the case for (131)I and (18)F at distances from the collimator face of 10 cm or more for the HEGP collimator. The sensitivity, measured over the simulated profiles as the total amount of counts per decay, was found to be higher for the LEHR and HEGP collimators than for the PC collimator (e.g., 3.1 × 10(-5) vs. 2.9 × 10(-5) counts per decay for (131)I). However, at equal noise level, phantom measurements showed that contrast recovery coefficients were similar for the PC and LEHR collimators for (99m)Tc but that the PC collimator significantly improved the contrast recovery coefficients as compared with the HEGP collimator for (131)I and (18)F.

CONCLUSION

High-energy SPECT imaging with a single-slice prototype of the proposed PC collimator has shown the potential for significantly improved image quality in comparison with standard parallel-hole collimators.

Non-Uniform Object-Space Pixelation (NUOP) for Penalized Maximum-Likelihood Image Reconstruction for a Single Photon Emission Microscope System

This paper presents a non-uniform object-space pixelation (NUOP) approach for image reconstruction using the penalized maximum likelihood methods. This method was developed for use with a single photon emission microscope (SPEM) system that offers an ultrahigh spatial resolution for a targeted local region inside mouse brain. In this approach, the object-space is divided with non-uniform pixel sizes, which are chosen adaptively based on object-dependent criteria. These include (a) some known characteristics of a target-region, (b) the associated Fisher Information that measures the weighted correlation between the responses of the system to gamma ray emissions occurred at different spatial locations, and (c) the linear distance from a given location to the target-region. In order to quantify the impact of this non-uniform pixelation approach on image quality, we used the Modified Uniform Cramer-Rao bound (MUCRB) to evaluate the local resolution-variance and bias-variance tradeoffs achievable with different pixelation strategies. As demonstrated in this paper, an efficient object-space pixelation could improve the speed of computation by 1-2 orders of magnitude, whilst maintaining an excellent reconstruction for the target-region. This improvement is crucial for making the SPEM system a practical imaging tool for mouse brain studies. The proposed method also allows rapid computation of the first and second order statistics of reconstructed images using analytical approximations, which is the key for the evaluation of several analytical system performance indices for system design and optimization.

Development and validation of a Monte Carlo simulation tool for multi-pinhole SPECT

PURPOSE

In this work, we developed and validated a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) tool for investigation and evaluation of multi-pinhole (MPH) SPECT imaging.

PROCEDURES

This tool was based on a combination of the SimSET and MCNP codes. Photon attenuation and scatter in the object, as well as penetration and scatter through the collimator detector, are modeled in this tool. It allows accurate and efficient simulation of MPH SPECT with focused pinhole apertures and user-specified photon energy, aperture material, and imaging geometry. The MCS method was validated by comparing the point response function (PRF), detection efficiency (DE), and image profiles obtained from point sources and phantom experiments. A prototype single-pinhole collimator and focused four- and five-pinhole collimators fitted on a small animal imager were used for the experimental validations. We have also compared computational speed among various simulation tools for MPH SPECT, including SimSET-MCNP, MCNP, SimSET-GATE, and GATE for simulating projections of a hot sphere phantom.

RESULTS

We found good agreement between the MCS and experimental results for PRF, DE, and image profiles, indicating the validity of the simulation method. The relative computational speeds for SimSET-MCNP, MCNP, SimSET-GATE, and GATE are 1: 2.73: 3.54: 7.34, respectively, for 120-view simulations. We also demonstrated the application of this MCS tool in small animal imaging by generating a set of low-noise MPH projection data of a 3D digital mouse whole body phantom.

CONCLUSIONS

The new method is useful for studying MPH collimator designs, data acquisition protocols, image reconstructions, and compensation techniques. It also has great potential to be applied for modeling the collimator-detector response with penetration and scatter effects for MPH in the quantitative reconstruction method.

Feasibility of whole-body functional mouse imaging using helical pinhole SPECT

PURPOSE

Detailed in vivo whole-body biodistributions of radiolabeled tracers may characterize the longitudinal progression of disease, and changes with therapeutic interventions. Small-animal imaging in mice is particularly attractive due to the wide array of well characterized genetically and surgically created models of disease. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging using pinhole collimation provides high resolution and sensitivity, but conventional methods using circular acquisitions result in severe image truncation and incomplete sampling of data, which prevent the accurate determination of whole-body radiotracer biodistributions. This study describes the feasibility of helical acquisition paths to mitigate these effects.

PROCEDURES

Helical paths of pinhole apertures were implemented using an external robotic stage aligned with the axis of rotation (AOR) of the scanner. Phantom and mouse scans were performed using helical paths and either circular or bi-circular orbits at the same radius of rotation (ROR). The bi-circular orbits consisted of two 360-degree scans separated by an axial shift to increase the axial field of view (FOV) and to improve the complete-sampling properties.

RESULTS

Reconstructions of phantoms and mice acquired with helical paths show good image quality and are visually free of both truncation and axial-blurring artifacts. Circular orbits yielded reconstructions with both artifacts and a limited effective FOV. The bi-circular scans enlarged the axial FOV, but still suffered from truncation and sampling artifacts.

CONCLUSIONS

Helical paths can provide complete sampling data and large effective FOV, yielding 3D full-body in vivo biodistributions while still maintaining a small distance from the aperture to the object for good sensitivity and resolution.

Feasibility of whole-body functional mouse imaging using helical pinhole SPECT

PURPOSE

Detailed in vivo whole-body biodistributions of radiolabeled tracers may characterize the longitudinal progression of disease, and changes with therapeutic interventions. Small-animal imaging in mice is particularly attractive due to the wide array of well characterized genetically and surgically created models of disease. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging using pinhole collimation provides high resolution and sensitivity, but conventional methods using circular acquisitions result in severe image truncation and incomplete sampling of data, which prevent the accurate determination of whole-body radiotracer biodistributions. This study describes the feasibility of helical acquisition paths to mitigate these effects.

PROCEDURES

Helical paths of pinhole apertures were implemented using an external robotic stage aligned with the axis of rotation (AOR) of the scanner. Phantom and mouse scans were performed using helical paths and either circular or bi-circular orbits at the same radius of rotation (ROR). The bi-circular orbits consisted of two 360-degree scans separated by an axial shift to increase the axial field of view (FOV) and to improve the complete-sampling properties.

RESULTS

Reconstructions of phantoms and mice acquired with helical paths show good image quality and are visually free of both truncation and axial-blurring artifacts. Circular orbits yielded reconstructions with both artifacts and a limited effective FOV. The bi-circular scans enlarged the axial FOV, but still suffered from truncation and sampling artifacts.

CONCLUSIONS

Helical paths can provide complete sampling data and large effective FOV, yielding 3D full-body in vivo biodistributions while still maintaining a small distance from the aperture to the object for good sensitivity and resolution.

Preliminary evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting gamma ray detector

In this paper, we present the design and preliminary performance evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting (ERPC) detector for gamma ray imaging applications. The prototype ERPC detector has an active area of 4.4 cm × 4.4 cm, which is pixelated into 128 × 128 square pixels with a pitch size of 350 µm × 350µm. The current detector consists of multiple detector hybrids, each with a CdTe crystal of 1.1 cm × 2.2 cm × 1 mm, bump-bonded onto a custom-designed application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ERPC ASIC has 2048 readout channels arranged in a 32 × 64 array. Each channel is equipped with pre- and shaping-amplifiers, a discriminator, peak/hold circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digitizing the signal amplitude. In order to compensate for the pixel-to-pixel variation, two 8-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are implemented into each channel for tuning the gain and offset. The ERPC detector is designed to offer a high spatial resolution, a wide dynamic range of 12-200 keV and a good energy resolution of 3-4 keV. The hybrid detector configuration provides a flexible detection area that can be easily tailored for different imaging applications. The intrinsic performance of a prototype ERPC detector was evaluated with various gamma ray sources, and the results are presented.

An Ultrahigh Resolution SPECT System for I-125 Mouse Brain Imaging Studies

This paper presents some initial experimental results obtained with a dual-head prototype single photon emission microscope system (SPEM) that is dedicated to mouse brain studies using I-125 labeled radiotracers. In particular, this system will be used for in vivo tacking of radiolabeled T cells in mouse brain. This system is based on the use of the intensified electron multiplying charge-coupled device (I-EMCCD) camera that offers the combination of an excellent intrinsic spatial resolution, a good signal-to-noise ratio, a large active area and a reasonable detection efficiency over an energy range between 27-140keV. In this study, the dual-head SPEM system was evaluated using both resolution phantoms and a mouse with locally injected T cells labelled with I-125. It was demonstrated that for a relatively concentrated source object, the current dual-head SPEM system is capable of visualizing the tiny amount of radioactivity (~12 nCi) carried by a very small number (<1000) of T cells. The current SPEM system design allows four or six camera heads to be installed in a stationary system configuration that offers a doubled or tripled sensitivity at a spatial resolution similar to that obtained with the dualhead system. This development would provide a powerful tool for in vivo and non-invasive tracking of radiolabeled T cells in mouse brain and potentially for other rodent brain imaging studies.

Multi-pinhole collimator design for small-object imaging with SiliSPECT: a high-resolution SPECT

We have designed a multi-pinhole collimator for a dual-headed, stationary SPECT system that incorporates high-resolution silicon double-sided strip detectors. The compact camera design of our system enables imaging at source-collimator distances between 20 and 30 mm. Our analytical calculations show that using knife-edge pinholes with small-opening angles or cylindrically shaped pinholes in a focused, multi-pinhole configuration in combination with this camera geometry can generate narrow sensitivity profiles across the field of view that can be useful for imaging small objects at high sensitivity and resolution. The current prototype system uses two collimators each containing 127 cylindrically shaped pinholes that are focused toward a target volume. Our goal is imaging objects such as a mouse brain, which could find potential applications in molecular imaging.

Perturbative refinement of the geometric calibration in pinhole SPECT

The paper investigates the geometric calibration of a rotating gamma camera for pinhole (PH) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Most calibration methods previously applied in PH-SPECT assume that the motion of the camera around the object belongs to a well-defined class described by a small number of geometric parameters, for instance seven parameters for a circular acquisition with a single pinhole camera. The proposed new method refines an initial parametric calibration by applying to each position of the camera a rigid body transformation that is determined to improve the fit between the measured and calculated projections of the calibration sources. A stable estimate of this transformation can be obtained with only three calibration sources by linearizing the equations around the position estimated by the initial parametric calibration. The performance of the method is illustrated using simulated and measured micro-SPECT data.

System calibration and statistical image reconstruction for ultra-high resolution stationary pinhole SPECT

For multipinhole single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), iterative reconstruction algorithms are preferred over analytical methods, because of the often complex multipinhole geometries and the ability of iterative algorithms to compensate for effects like spatially variant sensitivity and resolution. Ideally, such compensation methods are based on accurate knowledge of the position-dependent point spread functions (PSFs) specifying the response of the detectors to a point source at every position in the instrument. This paper describes a method for model-based generation of complete PSF lookup tables from a limited number of point-source measurements for stationary SPECT systems and its application to a submillimeter resolution stationary small-animal SPECT system containing 75 pinholes (U-SPECT-I). The method is based on the generalization over the entire object to be reconstructed, of a small number of properties of point-source responses which are obtained at a limited number of measurement positions. The full shape of measured point-source responses can almost be preserved in newly created PSF tables. We show that these PSFs can be used to obtain high-resolution SPECT reconstructions: the reconstructed resolutions judged by rod visibility in a micro-Derenzo phantom are 0.45 mm with 0.6-mm pinholes and below 0.35 mm with 0.3-mm pinholes. In addition, we show that different approximations, such as truncating the PSF kernel, with significant reduction of reconstruction time, can still lead to acceptable reconstructions.

Left ventricular functional assessment in mice: feasibility of high spatial and temporal resolution ECG-gated blood pool SPECT

PURPOSE

To prospectively determine feasibility of evaluating murine left ventricular (LV) function with electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated blood pool single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All animal studies had institutional animal care and use committee approval. SPECT was performed with conventional time-binned acquisition (eight frames per ECG cycle) in normal mice (normal group A, n = 6) and mice with myocardial infarction (MI) (n = 8). To determine feasibility of high temporal resolution and rapid data acquisition, another group of normal mice (normal group B, n = 4) underwent imaging with conventional (eight-frame) time-binned and list-mode (LM) acquisitions. LM acquisitions were reconstructed with eight and 16 frames per ECG cycle and 10 minutes of data (short LM). SPECT images were assessed visually, and LV-to-lung background activity ratios were calculated. LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes were defined with a phase analysis and threshold method. LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated from LV volumes and count-based methods (n = 18 mice). Fractional shortening (FS) at echocardiography defined MI dysfunction (mild MI: FS > or = 50%; severe MI: FS < 50%). Group means were compared for significant differences with analysis of variance.

RESULTS

ECG-gated blood pool SPECT demonstrated normal, concentric LV contraction in all normal mice (n = 10). LV-to-lung background ratio was more than 10:1 (range, 10.3-29.4; n = 18). Focal wall motion abnormalities were detected at SPECT both visually and with phase analysis in all mice with severe MI (n = 5). Mice with severe MI had significantly lower LVEF than normal group A mice (32% +/- 14 [standard deviation] vs 64% +/- 8%; P < .001). All mice with mild MI (n = 3) had normal contraction and LVEF. In paired acquisitions in normal group B mice, all reconstructions (n = 16) showed normal LV contraction. LVEF was not significantly different (P = .88) between time-binned (71% +/- 12), eight-frame LM (71% +/- 12), 16-frame LM (77% +/- 10), and short LM (73% +/- 14) reconstructions.

CONCLUSION

Murine LV functional assessment is feasible with high spatial and temporal resolution ECG-gated blood pool SPECT. LV dysfunction can be quantified and focal wall motion abnormalities detected in the MI model of heart failure.

The pinhole: gateway to ultra-high-resolution three-dimensional radionuclide imaging

Today the majority of clinical molecular imaging procedures are carried out with single-photon emitters and gamma cameras, in planar mode and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) mode. Thanks to the development of advanced multi-pinhole collimation technologies, SPECT imaging of small experimental animals is rapidly gaining in popularity. Whereas resolutions in routine clinical SPECT are typically larger than 1 cm (corresponding to >1,000 microl), it has recently proved possible to obtain spatial resolutions of about 0.35 mm ( approximately 0.04 microl) in the mouse. Meanwhile, SPECT systems that promise an even better performance are under construction. The new systems are able to monitor functions in even smaller structures of the mouse than was possible with dedicated small animal positron emission tomography ( approximately 1 mm resolution, corresponding to 1 microl). This paper provides a brief history of image formation with pinholes and explains the principles of pinhole imaging and pinhole tomography and the basics of modern image reconstruction methods required for such systems. Some recently introduced ultra-high-resolution small animal SPECT instruments are discussed and new avenues for improving system performance are explored. This may lead to many completely new biomedical applications. We also demonstrate that clinical SPECT systems with focussing pinhole gamma cameras will be able to produce images with a resolution that may become superior to that of PET for major clinical applications. A design study of a cardiac pinhole SPECT system indicates that the heart can be imaged an order of magnitude faster or with much more detail than is possible with currently used parallel-hole SPECT (e.g. 3-4 mm instead of approximately 8 mm system resolution).

Cell therapy in murine atherosclerosis: in vivo imaging with high-resolution helical SPECT

PURPOSE

To determine the feasibility of in vivo localization and quantification of indium 111 (111In)-oxine-labeled bone marrow (BM) with high-resolution whole-body helical single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in an established murine model of atherosclerosis and vascular repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The institutional animal care and use committee approved this study. BM from young B6 Rosa 26 Lac Z+/+ mice was radiolabeled with 111In-oxine. On days 1, 4, and 7 after administration of radiolabeled cells, five C57/BL6 apolipoprotein E-deficient mice and five wild-type (WT) control mice were imaged with whole-body high-resolution helical SPECT. Quantification with SPECT was compared with ex vivo analysis by means of gamma counting. Autoradiography and beta-galactosidase staining were used to verify donor cell biodistribution. Linear regression was used to assess the correlation between continuous variables. Two-tailed Student t test was used to compare values between groups, and paired two-tailed t test was used to assess changes within subjects at different time points.

RESULTS

SPECT image contrast was high, with clear visualization of BM, liver, and spleen 7 days after administration of radiolabeled cells. SPECT revealed that 42% and 58% more activity was localized to the aorta and BM (P<.05 for both), respectively, in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice versus WT mice. Furthermore, 28% and 27% less activity was localized to the liver and spleen (P<.05 for both), respectively, in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice versus WT mice. SPECT and organ gamma counts showed good quantitative correlation (r=0.9). beta-Galactosidase staining and microautoradiography of recipient aortas showed donor cell localization to the intima of visible atherosclerotic plaque but not to unaffected regions of the vessel wall.

CONCLUSION

High-resolution in vivo helical pinhole SPECT can be used to monitor and quantify early biodistribution of 111In-oxine-labeled BM in a murine model of progenitor cell therapy for atherosclerosis.

Comparison of multi-ray and point-spread function based resolution recovery methods in pinhole SPECT reconstruction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Statistical reconstruction methods allow resolution recovery in tomographic reconstruction. Even though resolution recovery has the potential to improve overall image quality, pinhole SPECT images are still often reconstructed using simplified models of the acquisition geometry in order to reduce reconstruction time. This paper investigates the benefits of two resolution recovery methods, multi-ray and point-spread function based, in pinhole SPECT by comparing them to uncorrected reconstruction.

METHODS

Resolution recovery was incorporated into ordered subsets expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm. The first of the correction methods used a simple but very fast multiple projection ray approach, whereas the second, much slower, method modelled the acquisition geometry more accurately using the analytical point-spread function of the pinhole collimator. Line source, Jaszczak and contrast phantom studies were performed and used for comparison.

RESULTS

Resolution recovery improved resolution, contrast and visual quality of the images when compared to reconstructions without it. The method based on the point-spread function performed slightly better, but was almost 50 times slower than the much simpler multi-ray approach.

CONCLUSION

The multiple projection ray approach is a promising method for very fast and easy resolution recovery in pinhole SPECT. It has a profound effect on image quality and can markedly improve the resolution-sensitivity trade-off.

A geometric system model of finite aperture in small animal pinhole SPECT imaging

Accurate system modeling of the photon acquisition process is essential for optimizing quality in pinhole SPECT imaging. Conventional pinhole SPECT imaging assumes ideal pinhole geometry. However, neglect of pinhole finite aperture could lead to unfavorable quality degradations, such as positioning bias and image distortion. In this work, we develop a system model in which the aperture width of a pinhole collimator is explicitly included. The system model describes the probability of a single photon from its emission to detection. The probability value is calculated based on the effective intersection area resulting from a simulated cone-beam light source emitting from the image voxel, passing through a finite aperture, and reaching the detector's frontal face. The proposed model can be integrated with the ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm for fast 3D statistical image reconstruction. Monte Carlo-based phantom experiments are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed system model compared to the ideal pinhole model. Reconstructed image results demonstrate that the proposed model can improve image quality in terms of reducing location bias and maintaining better contrast recovery.

A Prospective Study on Algorithms Adapted to the Spatial Frequency in Tomography

The use of iterative algorithms in tomographic reconstruction always leads to a frequency adapted rate of convergence in that low frequencies are accurately reconstructed after a few iterations, while high frequencies sometimes require many more computations. In this paper, we propose to build frequency adapted (FA) algorithms based on a condition of incomplete backprojection and propose an FA simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (FA-SART) algorithm as an example. The results obtained with the FA-SART algorithm demonstrate a very fast convergence on a highly detailed phantom when compared to the original SART algorithm. Though the use of such an FA algorithm may seem difficult, we specify in which case it is relevant and propose several ways to improve the reconstruction process with FA algorithms.

Resolution-effective diameters for asymmetric-knife-edge pinhole collimators

The effects of penetration are included in the formulas for the prediction of the resolution of pinhole collimators through the use of effective diameters. Expressions of the resolution-effective diameter for pinholes with a double-knife-edge (DKE) profile are available in the literature. In this paper the expressions applicable to asymmetric-knife-edge (AKE) profiles, which include the important case of the single-knife-edge (SKE), are presented. Results indicate that the simplest methods that are still accurate in the calculation of DKE effective diameters do not produce in general formulas with similar accuracy for AKE profiles, due to increased susceptibility to penetration. Especially at high energy (365 keV), for the SKE case more advanced formulas are necessary and were, therefore, derived.

Small animal SPECT and its place in the matrix of molecular imaging technologies

Molecular imaging refers to the use of non-invasive imaging techniques to detect signals that originate from molecules, often in the form of an injected tracer, and observe their interaction with a specific cellular target in vivo. Differences in the underlying physical principles of these measurement techniques determine the sensitivity, specificity and length of possible observation of the signal, characteristics that have to be traded off according to the biological question under study. Here, we describe the specific characteristics of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) relative to other molecular imaging technologies. SPECT is based on the tracer principle and external radiation detection. It is capable of measuring the biodistribution of minute (<10(-10) molar) concentrations of radio-labelled biomolecules in vivo with sub-millimetre resolution and quantifying the molecular kinetic processes in which they participate. Like some other imaging techniques, SPECT was originally developed for human use and was subsequently adapted for imaging small laboratory animals at high spatial resolution for basic and translational research. Its unique capabilities include (i) the ability to image endogenous ligands such as peptides and antibodies due to the relative ease of labelling these molecules with technetium or iodine, (ii) the ability to measure relatively slow kinetic processes (compared with positron emission tomography, for example) due to the long half-life of the commonly used isotopes and (iii) the ability to probe two or more molecular pathways simultaneously by detecting isotopes with different emission energies. In this paper, we review the technology developments and design tradeoffs that led to the current state-of-the-art in SPECT small animal scanning and describe the position SPECT occupies within the matrix of molecular imaging technologies.

Resolution- versus sensitivity-effective diameter in pinhole collimation: experimental verification

To account for photon penetration, the formulae used to calculate the geometric resolution of a pinhole collimator use an effective diameter d(e) rather than the physical diameter of the aperture. The expressions commonly used for d(e), however, were originally derived to include penetration in sensitivity calculations. To predict the full width at half maximum (FWHM) resolution of the point-spread function (PSF) of a knife-edge pinhole collimator, we have previously proposed simple expressions for a resolution-effective diameter d(re). Unlike those for d(e), expressions for d(re) predict both a dependence on the polar angle of the source (theta) and a non-isotropic PSF. In this paper, the new theory was tested by measuring experimentally the FWHM of the PSF. Results confirm the theoretical predictions that (a) d(re) provides the best estimates of the experimental FWHM as a function of theta and of the direction in the plane of the pinhole, (b) Paix's expression for d(e) tends to overestimate the FWHM, (c) Anger's is a better approximation, but still cannot predict the dependence on theta, and (d) the FWHM decreases with decreasing theta, i.e. resolution improves for sources at the edge of the field-of-view.

Molecular imaging of small animals with a triple-head SPECT system using pinhole collimation

Pinhole collimation yields high sensitivity when the distance from the object to the aperture is small, as in the case of imaging small animals. Fine-resolution images may be obtained when the magnification is large since this mitigates the effect of detector resolution. Large magnifications in pinhole single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) may be obtained by using a collimator whose focal length is many times the radius of rotation. This may be achieved without truncation if the gamma camera is large. We describe a commercially available clinical scanner mated with pinhole collimation and an external linear stage. The pinhole collimation gives high magnification. The linear stage allows for helical pinhole SPECT. We have used the system to image radiolabeled molecules in phantoms and small animals.

Determination of mechanical and electronic shifts for pinhole SPECT using a single point source

The effects of uncompensated electronic and mechanical shifts may compromise the resolution of pinhole single photon emission computed tomography. The resolution degradation due to uncompensated shifts is estimated through simulated data. A method for determining the transverse mechanical and axial electronic shifts is described and evaluated. This method assumes that the tilt of the detector and the radius of rotation (ROR) are previously determined using another method. When this assumption is made, it is possible to determine the rest of the calibration parameters using a single point source. A method that determines the electronic and mechanical shifts as well as the tilt has been previously described; this method requires three point sources. It may be reasonable in most circumstances to calibrate tilt much less frequently than the mechanical shifts since the tilt is a property of the scanner whereas the mechanical shift may change every time the collimator is replaced. An alternative method for determining the ROR may also be used. Lastly, we take the view that the transverse electronic shift and the focal length change slowly and find these parameters independently.

Analytic determination of the resolution-equivalent effective diameter of a pinhole collimator

To account for photon penetration, the formulas used to calculate the geometric resolution of a pinhole collimator use an equivalent diameter d(e) rather than the physical diameter of the aperture. The expression commonly used for d(e), however, was originally derived to account for penetration in sensitivity calculations. In this paper, we show that the concept of equivalent diameter is also applicable to resolution calculations, propose angular-dependent expressions for d(e) specific to resolution calculations, and discuss the limits of their applicability and how they compare to other expressions. Results show that for normal incidence Paix's expression for d(e) tends to overestimate the resolution-equivalent diameter for full-width-at-half-maximum resolution, whereas Anger's is a better approximation, but may produce underestimates for submillimeter resolution imagers, especially in the case of high-energy photons. For grazing incidence, both expressions may result in significant overestimates.

Photon penetration and scatter in micro-pinhole imaging: a Monte Carlo investigation

Pinhole SPECT is rapidly gaining popularity for imaging laboratory animals using gamma-emitting molecules. Penetration and scattering of gamma radiation in the pinhole edge material can account for a significant fraction of the total number of photons detected, particularly if the pinholes have small diameters. This study characterizes the effects of penetration and scatter with micro-pinholes made of lead, tungsten, gold and platinum. Monte Carlo simulations are performed for 1-125 (27-35 keV) and Tc-99m (140 keV) point sources with pinhole diameters ranging from 50 to 500 microm. The simulations account for the effects of photo-electric interaction, Rayleigh scattering, Compton scattering, ionization, bremsstrahlung and electron multiple scattering. As a typical example, in the case of a Tc-99m point source and pinholes with a diameter of 300 microm in gold or platinum, approximately 55% of the photons detected resulted from penetration and approximately 3% from scatter. For pinhole diameters ranging from 100 to 500 microm, the penetration fraction for tungsten and lead was approx a factor of 1.0 to 1.6 higher and the scatter fraction was 1.0 to 1.8 times higher than in case of gold or platinum. Using I-125 instead of Tc-99m decreases the penetration fraction by a factor ranging from 3 to 11 and the scatter fraction by a factor ranging from 12 to 40. For all materials studied, the total amounts of penetrated and scattered photons changed approximately linearly with respect to the pinhole diameter.

Small animal imaging with high resolution single photon emission tomography

Molecular imaging of small animals in vivo is vital in the study of mouse and rat models of human diseases, and will provide important clues to the pathogenesis, progression and treatment of many disorders. Functional imaging of small animals using ultra-high resolution single photon emission tomography (SPECT) should be a valuable tool in the molecular imaging armamentarium. SPECT has been used to study cerebral binding sites, to image the expression of reporter genes, and in applications in cardiology and oncology. In this review, we summarize the most recent developments in SPECT imaging of small animals, with particular reference to the types of systems available, their application, and some of the potential limitations.