Transmission computed tomography imaging of the head with a SPECT system and a collimated line source

Transmission images of relatively high resolution as compared to SPECT are needed for brain SPECT quantification to provide skull thickness, attenuation coefficients and anatomical correlation. Consequently, a technique to acquire transmission CT images with a SPECT system by using a collimated line source positioned at the focal line of a fanbeam collimator (FBC) has been developed. Methods: Computer simulations that model the transmission imaging system optimized the system resolution and tested the validity of a equation for the geometric efficiency of the line source collimator (LSC). Based on the computer simulations, a LSC was constructed with tantalum septa 100 mm long, 0.5 mm thick and spaced 1.0 mm apart. A 600-mm focal length FBC was used. Experiments were conducted to measure the system resolution and to determine the effect of the LSC co the amount of detected scatter. Results: The simulations showed that without a LSC the transmission images have a longitudinal resolution (LR) characterized by the resolutions of the FBC (depth-dependent, ~8 mm FWHM at 150 mm) and the detector (~4 mm). However, with an optimally designed LSC, the contribution of the FBC to the system resolution can be made negligible, creating a system with a LR that is comparable to the detector resolution and independent of object depth. Resolution experiments conducted with a lucite rod phantom showed that the LR and TR are better than 4.8 mm and confirmed the results of the computer simulations. Conclusion: Brain transmission images of relatively high isotropic resolution can be obtained using a SPECT system, a FBC and an optimized LSC.