Analysis of Adaptive Multi-Pinhole Aperture Plates for Brain SPECT Imaging

We are developing AdaptiSPECT-C, a dynamic multiple pinhole, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system dedicated to whole brain imaging whose primary purpose is to acquire data for pharmacokinetic analysis. We have designed prototype hardware, control electronics and software that create adjustable pinhole apertures for this clinical SPECT system. The design enables us to dynamically move between imaging configurations corresponding to a variety of desired resolutions and sensitivities. Preliminary testing is necessary to evaluate the aperture assembly performance and reliability. Modular aperture plates are designed to provide multiple choices for the trade-offs between resolution and sensitivity, in order to improve pharmacokinetic SPECT imaging. Each camera is outfitted with 5 adaptive pinholes that can be adjusted to different diameters. These apertures are designed to respond to evolving biodistributions of radiotracers. We present the results of testing the operation of the aperture plate system. We captured projections from a variety pinhole imaging configurations with a point source object.