高分辨micro-SPECT成像系统针孔准直器的优化设计

为了最大限度地减少γ射线在针孔准直器上的透射和散射效应,采用蒙特卡罗方法对单光子发射计算机断层(SPECT)成像系统使用的针孔准直器进行优化.模拟计算结果与实验测试得到的系统灵敏度和空间分辨率曲线相符,达到了高分辨小动物成像的要求.     

X射线源针孔成像系统优化设计研究

为提高X射线源针孔成像系统的性能,对成像能区为10~100 keV的X射线源针孔成像系统进行了优化设计研究。综合应用了理论分析和蒙特卡罗模拟的方法,首先根据X射线波长、准直器角响应和X射线穿透效应对针孔成像的不同影响结果设计了可有效控制成像分辨率和成像面积变化的船底型准直器,随后用蒙特卡罗方法对使用该准直器的针孔成像系统进行了模拟验证。结果表明,对于100 keV以下的X射线,经船底型准直器后,成像的空间分辨率和亮斑亮度较稳定,能得到相对准确的X射线源定位、定量信息。     

多平行束准直器模拟研究

在平行束准直器中引用多通道技术设计了三通道的多平行束（Multi-parallel Beam,MPB）准直器。计算机模拟表明,MPB准直器在保持较高的空间分辨率下,有效地改善了系统的灵敏度。放射药物匀均分布的圆柱数字模具和Jaszczak数字模具（phantom）模拟表明,随重叠比例的增加,未出现重建环状伪影;虽然靠近准直器表面空间分辨率有所下降,但在FOV（Field of View）中心区域空间分辨率近似等同于平行束准直器,重建图像的匀均度有了改善。投影数据的重叠表明,MPB的投影有放大作用。该研究为高成像质量的临床SPECT成像提供一种新的准直器设计方法。     

多通道平行束准直器灵敏度补偿性能

点源扩展函数PSF作为SPECT成像的一个重要参考,反映出相应准直器灵敏度和空间分辨率等的特性。本文在多通道平行束准直器MPB的几何框架下进行物理模型构建,解释了由探测器晶体厚度引起的PSF变化以及基于该变化进行的公式修正,指出了不利的因素,其结果与蒙特卡罗模拟基本吻合。在PSF基础上,结合蒙特卡洛模拟,指出了在准直器的拉伸过程中,斜平行束部分OPB的灵敏度变化特性和对准直器的补偿作用;通过两点源逐渐接近的过程,并与高灵敏度平行束准直器HSPB对比,指出MPB准直器在保持高灵敏度下,还能有高空间分辨率的原理,提出了一种设计高灵敏度和高空间分辨率准直器的方法。     

基于LaBr3(Ce)晶体耦合SiPM阵列的可变角分辨率伽玛相机的设计与研制

编码孔径成像技术由于探测效率高、信噪比高、角分辨率好、成像质量稳定可靠等优点而广泛应用于核安全、核设施的去污及退役的测量、核医学等领域。建立通过改变编码准直器和探测器之间距离进而实现可变角分辨的伽玛成像系统。整个成像系统主要由编码准直器、位置灵敏探测(position sensitive detector, PSD)、数据采集卡以及图像重建系统组成。该成像系统的编码准直器采用修正均匀冗余阵列(modified uniformly redundant array, MURA)编码方式,为了保障对较高能量射线的探测能力,编码准直器的材料采用含钨量90%的钨铜合金,PSD通过LaBr₃(Ce)晶体耦合SiPM阵列组成,重建算法采用的是直接互卷积算法,快速高效。测试结果显示,整个位置灵敏探测器的平均能量分辨率为4.96%(662 keV);该辐射成像系统可以准确地对Am-241、Cs-137、Co-60进行清晰成像,并通过改变编码准直器和探测器之间的距离成功分辨出两个Cs-137点源的位置。     

高能γ光子成像针孔准直器的解析设计方法

在对高辐射环境进行射线源分布成像时,需要为γ相机设计专门的用于高能光子成像的针孔准直器。为了简化针孔准直器的设计过程,使用几个新的解析公式来描述准直器各参数与性能间的关系。首先,采用解析方法推导了更通用的有效孔径公式、角分辨率公式和几何相对效率公式;然后,与采用蒙特卡罗方法模拟计算得到的数值进行比较。结果表明,解析方法提供的计算结果在一定范围内准确可靠。因此,本工作使用的针孔准直器解析设计方法简单方便,物理图像清晰,具有一定的实用价值。     

基于模拟点源测量的多针孔SPECT精确迭代重建

高分辨率单光子发射计算机断层成像（SPECT）是临床和小动物影像的重要技术之一。对SPECT的系统传输矩阵进行建模,并结合于迭代重建算法中,是提高系统空间分辨率的有效手段。本文基于实验室自主研发的多针孔小动物SPECT系统,研究了一种蒙特卡罗模拟和解析模型相结合的系统传输矩阵精确计算方法。该方法是基于多点源模拟的投影数据,结合数据再估计方法和高斯拟合方法提取点扩展函数（PSF）特征参数,并结合解析形式的系统物理模型,从而计算任意位置的精确PSF。通过对四点源模拟投影数据分别用纯解析方法和蒙特卡罗模拟与解析模型相结合的方法进行计算,并对所得的系统传输矩阵进行重建对比,验证了蒙特卡罗模拟与解析模型相结合方法对图像分辨率的改善效果。进一步比较了不同点源排列的重建效果,获得了优化的点源排布方案。相对于基于实验方法测量系统传输矩阵,本方法能以更合理的代价实现系统传输矩阵的精确建模,并能有效提高系统空间分辨率。     

ISOCS无源刻度软件在准直器屏蔽厚度设计中的应用

准直器设计不仅需要考虑准直器的空间分辨率、灵敏度等因素,而且需要考虑准直器屏蔽厚度对"阴影区"的影响。建立了一种准直器屏蔽厚度的优化设计方法,该方法使用ISOCS无源刻度软件计算了探测器在佩带张角30,°屏蔽厚度分别为5、10、15 cm的准直器的角响应曲线和对无穷大面源在不同角度范围内计数率贡献的百分比。结果表明,当准直器屏蔽厚度为5 cm时,方位角90°处γ射线仍然对探测器存在计数率贡献;准直器屏蔽厚度为15 cm时,探测器视野范围可得到有效控制。该方法不仅可以为准直器屏蔽厚度设计提供依据,同时可以作为准直器探测器的效率刻度和不确定度评定的参考。     

γ射线旋转调制器成像系统的研制

可对硬X射线、γ射线等成像的旋转调制器(Rotating Modulator,RM)成像技术是一种探测效率高、能量范围宽、能量分辨能力高的技术,可满足核辐射监测中对高性能γ射线成像系统的需求。为此,研制了一台基于RM技术的γ射线成像系统样机。该样机主要包括一个由8条铅条组成的旋转准直器、7个NaI(Tl)探测器、步进电机和相应的读出及控制电路。样机视场角±14.6°,角度分辨率2°,在662 keV处能量分辨率为7%,对662 keVγ射线的探测效率达到22.2%。     

区域γ辐射定向监测仪准直器的设计

为区域γ辐射分布定向监测实验相机系统设计了一个针孔准直器。应用针孔准直器的解析公式,根据探测器内在分辨率和实验相机系统的预期分辨率,考虑探测器尺寸,确定了相机的焦距及准直器的张角;然后根据预期角分辨率计算有效孔径,得出孔径和孔深的范围;再利用蒙特卡罗方法模拟面源入射,在各种孔径和孔深组合中,挑选出透射和散射光子份额最小的组为最优组,对应孔径和孔深参数即为最优参数。     

Monte-Carlo simulation of pinhole collimator of a small field of view gamma camera for small animal imaging

Needs in scintimammography applications,especially for small animal cardiac imaging,lead to develop a small field of view,high spatial resolution gamma camera with a pinhole collimator.However the ideal pinhole collimator must keep a compromise between spatial resolution and sensitivity.In order to design a pinhole collimator with an optimized sensitivity and spatial resolution,the spatial resolution and the geometric sensitivity response as a function of the source to collimator distance has been obtained by means of Monte-Carlo simulation for a small field of view gamma camera with a pinhole collimator of various-hole diameters.The results show that the camera with pinhole of 1 mm,1.5 mm and 2 mm diameter has respectively spatial resolution of 1.5 mm,2.25 mm and 3 mm and geometric sensitivity of 0.016%,0.022% and 0.036%,while the source to collimator distance is 3 cm.We chose the pinhole collimator with hole diameter size of 1.2 mm for our the gamma camera designed based on the wade-off between sensitivity and resolution.     

Characteristics of parallel-hole and pinhole collimators for nuclear medicine imaging

In this paper,the spatial resolution and geometry sensitivity of parallel- and pin-hole collimators in compact gamma camera are presented,and quantitatively compared by GEANT4 code in Monte-Carlo library.The results show that the geometry sensitivity for pinhole collimator rapidly drops with increasing the gamma source-to- collimator distance(SCD);and for parallel-hole collimator,mildly.Meanwhile,the spatial resolution for pin-hole collimator mildly deteriorates;and for parallel-hole collimator,severely.The pin-hole collimator for close imaging objects has higher geometry sensitivity than parallel-hole collimator.Our findings are helpful for setting compact gamma camera collimators in nuclear medicine imaging.     

A new multi-parallel-beam collimators with improved sensitivity for SPECT

In this paper, a new design of multi-parallel-beam (MPB) collimators with projection multiplexing is proposed. In the MPB system, two different oblique parallel channels are introduced in a conventional parallel-beam collimator. The sensitivity of the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system is improved by allowing projection overlapping. Comparative simulation studies were performed in the MPB collimators, general purpose parallel-beam (GPPB) collimators and high sensitivity parallel-beam (HSPB) collimators. In the simulation, attenuation, scattering and the impact of detector response were neglected. Simulation results show that the sensitivity is improved for the MPB collimator comparing with parallel-beam collimator. The behavior of spatial resolution is only different near the front face of the collimators and approaches that of the GPPB with increasing depth. Proper pre-filtering is helpful for the image reconstruction in the MPB collimators. Comparing with the HSPB collimator, the MPB can achieve a similar sensitivity and better resolution. The simulation ot the U87 cells, and their expression levels were higher in the 10 Gy group than in the 0 Gy group. The differential gene expression in DCX-U87 cells before and after radiation is helpful for future investigations into the mechanisms of radiation therapy in neurogliocytoma cells.     

γ相机准直器的质量指标对比研究

对比研究γ相机准直器的3个主要质量指标对评价和检测准直器质量的价值。用同型号低能通用低能高分辨平行孔准直器4只,参照NEMA标准（1994）,分别测试各准直器的系统均匀性,同时测试系统空间分辨率及灵敏度,对测试结果进行比较和分析。结果表明,同型号准直器的系统空间分辨率与灵敏度两项指标基本接近,而均匀性指标存在较大差异（当部分准直器存在质量问题时）。其中系统积分和微分均匀性分别超过6％和3％的3只准直器被证实存在质量问题。说明系统均匀性定量和定性地反映准直器的性能,是反映准直器质量问题的最基本和最有效指标。     

Development of a low-energy high resolution X-ray camera for high-energy gamma photon background environments

Although a high-energy gamma camera can obtain images of ¹³⁷Cs distribution by detecting the 662-keV gamma photons, its spatial resolution is reduced because high-energy gamma photons penetrate the edge of the pinhole collimator. To solve this problem, we developed a low-energy X-ray camera that detects the characteristic X-ray photons (32–37 keV) that are emitted from ¹³⁷Cs to obtain high resolution images. We used a 45 × 45 × 1-mm-thick NaI(Tl) scintillator that was encapsulated in 0.1-mm-thick aluminum and optically coupled to a 2-inch square, position sensitive photomultiplier tube (Hamamatsu Photonics, PSPMT:H12700 MOD) as an imaging detector. The imaging detector was encased in a 2-cm-thick tungsten alloy container and a pinhole collimator was attached to its camera head. The spatial resolution and sensitivity were ～5 mm full-width at half-maximum and ～0.6 cps/MBq for the 1.5-mm pinhole collimator 10 cm from the collimator surface, respectively. We administered 5 MBq of ¹³⁷Cs to a soybean seedling, imaged the distribution of radionuclides for six hours, and successfully obtained a high resolution image of it with our developed X-ray camera. We believe our camera will be a powerful tool for such ¹³⁷Cs imaging in plants.     

The YAP camera: an accurate gamma camera particularly suitable fornew radiopharmaceuticals research

The YAP Camera represents refined research instrument in nuclear medicine and pharmacology because of its overall detection efficiency comparable to an Anger Camera and its submillimeter intrinsic spatial resolution. The YAP Camera consists of a YAP:Ce multicrystal matrix, whose pillars dimensions are 0.6 mm×0.6 mm×10 mm, optically coupled with a position sensitive PMT Hamamatsu R2486 and furnished with a parallel hole lead collimator 20 mm thick with holes diameter of 0.5 mm and septa of 0.15 mm. At this stage it is a miniature camera, with a field of view (FOV) of 40 mm×40 mm and a total spatial resolution of 1.0-1.2 mm, currently used for radiotracers studies on small biological specimens. A detailed analysis of the detector position linearity and energy responses are presented in this work. The intrinsic spatial resolution is studied with three different single hole collimators (1.0, 0.3, and 0.2 mm), and a theoretical equation is presented. Three different parallel hole collimators are tested to evaluate the optimal hole and septa dimensions. Finally, it is demonstrated that two correction procedures are capable of recovering the image spatial homogeneity and of removing the statistical noise. Some phantom images show the importance of the small-field YAP Camera in the radiopharmacological research     

A compact gamma camera with scintillation array and parallel-hole collimator

A new compact gamma camera for small object imaging has been developed. It consists of a pixelized Nal（T1） scintillator array coupled to a position sensitive photomultiplier tube （Hamamatsu R2486） with a parallel-hole lead collimator. The compact camera has better spatial resolution than Anger camera. The average value of intrinsic spatial resolutions is 2.3 mm （FWHM）. The overall spatial resolution （FWHM） is 3, 5 and 6 mm at 0, 2.5 and 3 mm SCD （source-to-collimator distance）, respectively. The phantom studies with the compact camera have demonstrated that parallel-hole collimator gamma camera is a practical technique for nuclear medicine application.