ABSTRACT
The conventional single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanners configured with one or more camera heads (typically two heads) using parallel-hole collimators and scintillation detectors are still the workhorse for clinical SPECT imaging. However, the image performance in these systems is limited by the low photon sensitivity and poor image resolution. A large number of dedicated SPECT systems have been reported in the recent years with improved sensitivity and image resolution for cardiac, brain and breast imaging. In this chapter, we summarized SPECT systems capable of providing fully three-dimensional reconstructed images of dedicated organs of heart, brain, and breast. In contrast to conventional general-purpose SPECT scanners with parallel-hole collimators, the dedicated organ-specific SPECT systems typically utilize innovative collimator design coupled with compact detectors to achieve improved trade-off between resolution and sensitivity. It is promising that such dedicated systems could eventually lead to improved diagnostic accuracy in various organ specific clinical applications.
