• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.9
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• pp.1393-1398
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• 2018

In conventional single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), only the photoelectric events in the detectors are used for image reconstruction. However, if the $^{131}I$ isotope, which emits high-energy radiations (364, 637, and 723 keV), is used in nuclear medicine, both photoelectric and Compton scattering events can be used for image reconstruction. The purpose of our work is to perform simulations for Compton SPECT by using the Geant4 application for tomographic emission (GATE). The performance of Compton SPECT is evaluated and compared with that of conventional SPECT. The Compton SPECT unit has an area of $12cm{\times}12cm$ with four gantry heads. Each head is composed of a 2-cm tungsten collimator and a $40{\times}40$ array of CdZnTe (CZT) crystals with a $3{\times}3mm^2$ area and a 6-mm thickness. Compton SPECT can use not only the photoelectric effect but also the Compton scattering effect for image reconstruction. The correct sequential order of the interactions used for image reconstruction is determined using the angular resolution measurement (ARM) method and the energies deposited in each detector. In all the results of simulations using spherical volume sources of various diameters, the reconstructed images of Compton SPECT show higher signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) without degradation of the image resolution when compared to those of conventional SPECT because the effective count for image reconstruction is higher. For a Derenzo-like phantom, the reconstructed images for different modalities are compared by visual inspection and by using their projected histograms in the X-direction of the reconstructed images.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 1999

Scatter correction for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) plays an important role to improve image quality and quantitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate three scatter correction methods using Monte Carlo simulation. Point source and Jaszack phantom filled with Tc-99m were simulated by Monte Carlo code, SIMIND. For scatter correction, we applied three methods, Compton window (CW) method, triple window (TW) method, and dual photopeak window (DPW) method. Point sources located at various depths along the center line within a 20-cm phantom were simulated to calculate the window ratios and corresponding scatter fractions by evaluating the polynomial coefficients for DPW method. Energy windows were located in W$_1$=92-125 keV, W$_2$=124-126 keV, W$_3$=136-140 keV, W$_4$=140-141 keV, and W$_{5}$=154-156 keV. The results showed that in Jaszack phantom with cold sphere and hot sphere, the TW gave the closest contrast and percentage recovery to the ideal image, respectively, while CW overestimated and DPW underestimated the contrast of ideal one. All three scatter correction methods showed an improved image contrast. In conclusion, scatter correction is essential for improving image contrast and accurate quantification. The choice of scatter correction method should be made on the basis of accuracies and ease of implementation.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.45-53
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• 1991

SPECT 영상에서 콤프톤 산란 광자는 공간분해능의 감소와 그 양을 측정하는데 있어 정확성과 정밀성을 감소시킨다. 이와같은 콤프톤 산란의 영향을 감소시키기 위하여 사용하는 대부분의 보정방법은 선원의 위치로부터 거리의 단일지수함수로 대칭인 산란분포함수를 고려하게 된다. 본 연구는 균등 및 불균등 산란에 대한 산란분포함수를 얻기 위하여 보다 현실적인 접근방법을 시도하였다. 산란 및 비산란광자의 공간분포와 에너지분포를 얻기 위하여 뼈, 폐, 물의 균등 및 불균등 분포로 된 원통형의 팬톰 속에 $^{99m}Tc$의 선선원 및 점선원을 놓고 Monte Carlo Simulation을 하였으며, 깊이의 함수, media의 접촉영역으로부터 선원거리 및 산란체의 밀도의 변화로 표현한 산란분포함수(SDF)를 얻었다. 산란분포함수는 균등한 뼈, 폐, 물에서는 선원위치로부터 거리의 단일지수함수(single exponential functions)로 대칭으로 나타났으며, 두 물체의 조합에서는 2중지수함수(dual exponential functions)로 비대칭으로 나타났다. 산란분율은 20% window photopeak에서 총 계수의 8%에서 53%까지 다양한 변화가 있었으며, 지수함수의 기울기는 $0.1{\sim}0.9\;cm^{-1}$의 범위로 나타났다. 불균등 산란체에서 얻은 산란분포함수는 SPECT 영상에 있어 콤프톤 산란의 감소에 대한 보다 정확한 보정방법의 개발에 필요한 정보를 제공할 것이다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.328-332
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• 2016

Background: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a new radiation therapy. In BNCT, there exists some very critical problems that should be solved. One of the severest problems is that the treatment effect cannot be known during BNCT in real time. We are now developing a SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) system (BNCT-SPECT), with a cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor detector. BNCT-SPECT can obtain the BNCT treatment effect by measuring 478 keV gamma-rays emitted from the excited state of $^7Li$ nucleus created by $^{10}B(n,{\alpha})$ $^7Li$ reaction. In the previous studies, we investigated the feasibility of the BNCT-SPECT system. As a result, the S/N ratio did not meet the criterion of S/N > 1 because deterioration of the S/N ratio occurred caused by the influence of Compton scattering especially due to capture gamma-rays of hydrogen. Materials and Methods: We thus produced an arrayed detector with two CdTe crystals to test cross talk phenomenon and to examine an anti-coincidence detection possibility. For more precise analysis for the anti-coincidence detection, we designed and made a collimator having a similar performance to the real BNCT-SPECT. Results and Discussion: We carried out experiments with the collimator to examine the effect of cross talk of scattering gamma-rays between CdTe elements more practically. As a result of measurement the coincidence events were successfully extracted. Conclusion: We are now planning to carry out evaluation of coincidence rate from the measurement and comparison of it with the numerical calculations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.118-120
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• 1999