 Transverse images created

› Depict x or gamma rays emitting nuclides in patients

 Images acquired from arc of 180° or 360°
 Design
› Revolving scintillation camera
› Reconstruction by digital computer
 Filtered Backprojection (like CT system)
 Iterative Reconstruction Methods
 Camera head revolves around patient acquiring
images from evenly spaced angles
› Continuous vs. “Step and Shoot” Acquisition
 Attenuation greatly reduces # of photons from
activity in half of the patient opposite the camera
› Noncardiac studies = 360° and cardiac = 180°
› 180° will give superior contrast, the other 180° will have
poor resolution due to greater distance and attenuation
 Pixel Format: either 64²
or 128²
 Brain SPECT- smaller
radius used then in body
SPECT, therefore higher
spatial resolution
 Filtered Backprojection
› Projection images are mathematically filtered
› Then, simple backprojection is performed of the row,
corresponding to the transverse image.
› Ex: 5th row of image = 5th transverse image
› Based on the assumption that projection images are
perfect projections of 3D object
 Iterative Reconstruction
› Initial activity distribution in patient is assumed
› Projection images are calculated from the assumed
distribution using known imaging characteristics of the
scintillation camera
› Calculated images compared with actual, and based on this
activity distribution is adjusted
› Repeated until calculated images approximate actual images
› Computationally less efficient but computers have made it
feasible
 More severe in body SPECT than in brain
 Attenuation is not uniform throughout
 Cameras w/ radioactive sources can measure
› Acquire transmission data from projection
› Data reconstructed to provide maps of tissue attenuation
› Maps used to provide attenuation-corrected SPECT
images
 Chang Method (most common)
› Assumes constant attenuation coefficient
 Most common: High-
resolution parallel-hole
collimator
 Fan-beam collimator
› Parallel in y direction,
converging in x
direction
› Brain SPECT
› Artifacts are created
when used for body
SPECT
 2 or 3 scintillation camera heads
 Permits use of higher resolution collimators
 However, imposes technical difficulties
› Electrical and Mechanical stability
 Configurations
› Double head in 180º
› Triple head, fixed angle
› Double head, variable angle
 Spatial Resolution
› Measured by acquiring a SPECT study of a line
source placed parallel to the axis of rotation (ex:
capillary tube filled w/ solution of technetium)
› Deteriorates as the radius of the camera orbit increases
 Brain SPECT > Body SPECT
 Noncircular > Circular
 Also called X and Y gains
 Relate distances in the object being imaged to #
of pixels between corresponding points in
resultant image
 Values for X and Y should be equal
› Important!
 Uniformity
 Axis of Rotation Corrections
 Lack of uniformity can
cause significant artifacts
 Ring Artifacts – images not
acquired by all heads over
360º
 Primary causes
› Spatial nonlinearities =
“stretch”
› Variations in light
collection
 Imaginary reference line about which the head of the
SPECT camera rotates
 Misalignment
› Mechanical or Electrical
› Loss of spatial resolution
› Corrected by shifting in x direction prior to filtered
backprojection
 Camera = exactly parallel to angle of rotation
 Left = counts collected in pixel backprojected onto same
slice
 Right = counts from activity outside of a transverse slice
(lighter) to be backprojected into transverse slice (darker)
 Principle of Projection Data Collection
› PET = Annihilation Coincidence Detection
› SPECT = Collimation
 Transverse Image Reconstruction
› Both = Filtered Backprojection / Iterative Methods
 Radionuclides
› PET = Positron emitters only
› SPECT = Any emitting x-rays, gamma rays, or
annihilation photons
 Cost
› PET = $1 Million to 2 million, SPECT = $500,000
 Attenuation
› PET = More severe, correction possible
› SPECT = Less severe, correction sources available,
utility not yet established
 Spatial Resolution
› PET = Relatively constant across transaxial image, best
at center
› SPECT = Depends on collimator and camera orbit
 “The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging” by
Jerrold T. Bushberg, et al.
 http://www.medical.siemens.com/siemens/en_US
/rg_marcom_FBAs/images/press_room_images/2
006/045.06_MD_Anderson.jpg
 http://www.clementsclinic.com/public/userfiles/i
mages/SPECT/TraumaticBrainInjury.jpg
 http://neutra.web.psi.ch/images/collimator_e.gif