INTEC, Ghent University/iMinds, Ghent, Belgium Combining Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) results in an interaction of the time-varying magnetic field gradients with the highly conducting tungsten collimator, which generates a secondary magnetic field causing spatial distortions in reconstructed MR images. Accurate simulations are importan...

The task of single photon emission CT (SPECT) is to visualize the physiological function of various organs with the help of radiopharmaceuticals. But the projection data used for image reconstruction are distorted by several factors, making the reconstruction of a quantitative SPECT image very difficult in most cases. These factors include the attenuation and scattering of gamma rays, collimato...

The goal of this study was to determine the quantitative accuracy of our OSEM-APDI reconstruction method based on SPECT/CT imaging for Tc-99m, In-111, I-123, and I-131 isotopes. Phantom studies were performed on a SPECT/low-dose multislice CT system (Infinia-Hawkeye-4 slice, GE Healthcare) using clinical acquisition protocols. Two radioactive sources were centrally and peripherally placed insid...

Monte Carlo simulations are useful for optimizing and assessing single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) protocols, especially when aiming at measuring quantitative parameters from SPECT images. Before Monte Carlo simulated data can be trusted, the simulation model must be validated. The purpose of this work was to validate the use of GATE, a new Monte Carlo simulation platform based ...

In single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a varying-focal-length cone-beam collimator can be used to reduce the truncation problem and to maintain sensitivity when imaging the organ of interest. The collimator is constructed so that the collimator holes focus to a circular symmetric, spatially varying, focal point function. The focal length increases radially from the shortest foca...

Monte Carlo (MC) modelling is widely used in the field of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) as it is a reliable technique to simulate very high quality scans. This technique provides very accurate modelling of the radiation transport and particle interactions in a heterogeneous medium. Various MC codes exist for nuclear medicine imaging simulations. Recently, new strategies exp...

The authors have previously reported a simulation study on a novel multi-pinhole (MP) collimator that is able to provide improved angular sampling and an enlarged imaging field of view (FOV) when compared to a low-energy high-resolution parallel-hole (LEHR) collimator using a detector of equivalent size. The aim of this study was to develop a miniature single photon emission computerized tomogr...

Expectation Maximization iterative reconstruction algorithms are being widely used in PET and SPECT imaging. The system probability matrix is usually calculated by using Monte Carlo simulations, since the analytical calculation is a rather complicated problem, especially in 3D reconstruction; however, realistic Monte Carlo simulations in 3D are time consuming and simplifications are necessary. ...

Introduction: Acquiring a high quality image has assigned an important concern for obtaining accurate diagnosis in nuclear medicine. Detector and collimator are critical component of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging system for giving accurate information from exact pattern of radionuclide distribution in the target organ. The images are strongly affect...