Development and validation of a Monte Carlo simulation tool for multi-pinhole microSPECT

Seng Peng Mok, Benjamin M.W. Tsui, Yuchuan Wang, Yujin Qi, Yong Du, W. Paul Segars, Bryan C. Yoder, Eric C. Frey

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) tool for investigation and evaluation of multi-pinhole microSPECT imaging. This simulation tool is based on a combination of SimSET and MCNP-4b Monte Carlo codes. It allows accurate simulation of a great range of physical factors, especially the pinhole collimator-detector response with specific photon energy, material, and geometry (such as knife and keel edge, size of the aperture, and orientation of the pinhole axis.) Point response functions (PRFs) and detection efficiencies (DEs) of 99mTc point sources obtained from MCS were verified through physical experiments using both a single-pinhole and a 4-pinhole collimator and also with theoretical predictions. Further evaluation involved simulations of a newly developed 4D digital mouse phantom using 3 multi-pinhole collimator configurations with 1, 4, and 5 pinholes. The simulated projection data were reconstructed using a 3D multi-pinhole OSEM algorithm. Good agreement was found between the MCS, experimental and theoretical results indicating the accuracy of the simulation method. The simulated mouse data demonstrated the application of the MCS. We concluded that we have developed and validated a special MCS tool, and illustrated its values in investigating and evaluating multi-pinhole collimator designs, data acquisition methods, and pinhole SPECT image reconstructions and correction techniques, which are crucial in the development of small animal imaging.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3440-3444
Number of pages5
JournalIEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record
Volume6
StatePublished - 2004
Event2004 Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems and the 14th International Workshop on Room Temperature Semiconductor X- and Gamma- Ray Detectors - Rome, Italy
Duration: Oct 16 2004Oct 22 2004

Keywords

  • MicroSPECT
  • Monte Carlo simulation
  • Multi-pinhole
  • Small animal imaging

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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