title: Theoretical bounds and system design for multipinhole SPECT.
abstract: The pinhole camera in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has an inherent trade-off between resolution and sensitivity. Recent systems overcome this to some extent by utilizing multiple pinholes distributed around the imaging object. The present work is a theoretical study on how to optimally construct such systems. We use an analytic model to analyze the multipinhole SPECT geometry and identify the underlying trade-offs. One of the results is the derivation of the upper bound for the sensitivity, given the geometric resolution and field-of-view (FOV). Reaching this bound requires an infinitely large detector. However, a sensitivity very close to the upper bound can be achieved by a system with realistic proportions. We show that it is usually possible to get a sensitivity that is 95%-99% of the upper bound. Further analysis reveals a trade-off between sensitivity, magnification, and the number of pinholes. Based on this new theory, we develop a strategy for multipinhole SPECT design, from which a number of example systems are computed. Penetration in the pinhole knife edge is accounted for by using the resolution and sensitivity equivalent apertures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Albanova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. nillius@mi.physics.kth.se
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nillius
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danielsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000662:veterinary; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary*