Performance evaluation of a novel multi-pinhole collimator on triple-NaI-detector SPECT/CT for dedicated myocardial imaging

BACKGROUND: In this study we evaluated the imaging capabilities of a novel Multi-pinhole collimator (MPH-Cardiac) specially designed for nuclear cardiology imaging on a Triple-NaI-detector based SPECT/CT system. METHODS: (99m)Tc point source measurements covering the field of view (FOV) were used to determine tomographic sensitivity (TS(pointsource)) and spatial resolution. Organ-size tomographic sensitivity (TS(organ)) was measured with a left ventricle (LV) phantom filled with typical myocardial activity of a patient scan. Reconstructed image uniformity was measured with a 140 mm diameter uniform cylinder phantom. Using the LV phantom once filled with (99m)Tc and after with (123)I, Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was measured on the reconstructed images by ROI analysis on the myocardium activity and on the LV cavity. Furthermore, a polar map analysis was performed determining Spill-Over-Ratio in water (SOR(water)) and image noise. The results were compared with that of a dual-head parallel-hole low energy high resolution (LEHR) collimator system. A patient with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) was scanned on the LEHR system using local protocol of 16 min total acquisition time, followed by a 4-min MPH-Cardiac scan. RESULTS: Peak TS(pointsource) was found to be 1013 cps/MBq in the axial center of the FOV while it was decreasing toward the radial edges. TS(organ) in the CFOV was found to be 134 cps/MBq and 700 cps/MBq for the LEHR and MPH-Cardiac, respectively. Average spatial resolution throughout the FOV was 4.38 mm FWHM for the MPH-Cardiac collimator. Reconstructed image uniformity values were found to be 0.292% versus 0.214% for the LEHR and MPH-Cardiac measurements, respectively. CNR was found to be higher in case of MPH-Cardiac than for LEHR in case of (99m)Tc (15.5 vs. 11.7) as well as for (123)I (13.5 vs. 8.3). SOR(water) values were found to be 28.83% and 21.1% for the (99m)Tc measurements, and 31.44% and 24.33% for the (123)I measurements for LEHR and MPH-Cardiac, respectively. Pixel noise of the (99m)Tc polar maps resulted in values of 0.38% and 0.24% and of the (123)I polar maps 0.62% and 0.21% for LEHR and MPH-Cardiac, respectively. Visually interpreting the patient scan images, MPH-Cardiac resulted in better image contrast compared to the LEHR technique with four times shorter scan duration. CONCLUSIONS: The significant image quality improvement achieved with dedicated MPH-Cardiac collimator on triple head SPECT/CT system paves the way for short acquisition and low-dose cardiovascular SPECT applications.