Improvement of image resolution of brain SPECT by use of the wide-angle offset acquisition method

Cerebral SPECT images require high spatial and contrast resolution for precise evaluation of the abnormal tracer distribution in the brain. A shorter data acquisition time is preferable so that artifacts due to patient movement are avoided. We tried to shorten data acquisition time applying larger sampling angle and offset acquisition method, in which half degree of the step angle was shifted in the opposite gamma camera of the dual-detector SPECT system.

A simulation study was performed with a 3-dimensional mathematical phantom. The phantom studies were performed with a hot-rod phantom and a brain phantom. A clinical study with ⁹⁹(m)Tc-ECD SPECT was also performed on a patient who had a cerebral infarction. Reconstruction of images was done for the normal 6° and 12° onset and 12° offset. Data for the 12° offset were acquired by shifting of sampling angles of the opposite detector by half (6°) of the sampling angles of 12°. The MLEM algorithm was used for image reconstruction. Image qualities in the simulation study, the phantom studies, and the clinical study were compared for the 6° and 12° onset, and for the 12° offset by quantitative analysis with use of profile curves.

Analysis of the profile curves revealed that the image quality of the 12° offset was better than that of the 12° onset and compared to that of the 6° onset in the simulation study, the phantom studies, and the clinical study.

The present study indicates that wide-angle offset data acquisition improves the image resolution of brain SPECT compared to onset data acquisition with the same sampling time.