Nuclear imaging (SPECT and PET) is the most commonly used modality for functional brain imaging. However, a major limitation of neurological SPECT imaging is spatial resolution. Brain imaging requires optimal spatial resolution because of the intricate structures involved and the accuracy needed for quantitative mapping. Systematic errors from both patient motion and mechanical misalignment of the detectors contribute to lost spatial resolution and could produce artifacts that hinder diagnosis. Patient motion is a significant issue due to the long acquisition times (20 to 30 minutes), especially for pediatric patients and for patients with neurological disorders. We have shown in our prior work that our novel technique has the ability to sense patient motion and determine detector misalignment to very high accuracy, and that the spatial resolution is recoverable through 3D image reconstruction. In Phase I, we will demonstrate the clinical feasibility of our approach by producing prototypes of the hardware and testing the concept on human subjects in a SPECT scanner. This research will lead to a standalone commercial product that can be utilized with virtually any SPECT imaging system. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: We expect that this development project will lead to a standalone commercial product to augment brain SPECT imaging by improving spatial resolution and eliminating artifacts in images. The product will be compatible with virtually all SPECT scanners, creating a sizable market for the product. Our vision is that through further research in advanced image processing and reconstruction, the product will evolve into a specialized quantitative neurological SPECT analysis package. This research may also find commercial use as a technique for camera acceptance testing and quality assurance.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter