Imaging Characteristics of Scintimammography Using Parallel-hole and Pinhole Collimators

B. M.W. Tsui, D. E. Wessell, X. D. Zhao, W. T. Wang, D. P. Lewis, B. C. Frey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to investigate the imaging characteristics of scintimammography (SM) using parallel-hole (PR) and pinhole (PN) collimators in a clinical setting. Experimental data were iïcquired from a phantom that models the breast with small lesions using a low energy high resolution (LEHR) PR and a PN collimator. At close distances, the PN collimator provides better spatial resolution and higher detection efficiency than the PR collimator, at the expense of a smaller fiel d-of-view (FOV). Detection of small breast lesions can be further enhanced by noise smoothing, field uniformity correction, scatter subtraction and resolution recovery filtering. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation data were generated from the 3D MCAT phantom that realistically models the Tc-99m sestamibi uptake and attenuation distributions in an average female patient. For both PR and PN collimation, the scatter to primary ratio (S/P) decreases from the base of the breast to the nipple and is higher in the left than right breast due to scatter of photons from the heart. Results from the study add to understanding of the imaging characteristics of SM using PR and PN collimators and assist in the design of data acquisition and image processing methods to enhance the detection of breast lesions using SM.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2155-2161
Number of pages7
JournalIEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Volume45
Issue number4 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Nuclear Energy and Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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