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

IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 2005 Jul;24(7):853-62. doi: 10.1109/tmi.2005.848357.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Gamma Cameras*
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation*
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Mice
  • Miniaturization
  • Molecular Biology / methods
  • Molecular Probe Techniques
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / methods
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / veterinary*