Cerebral blood flow imaging using ectomography-a feasibility study

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of performing cerebral blood flow (CBF) scintigraphy using the 3D method of Ectomography. Ectomography is a limited view angle method and has been implemented on a mobile system which can be used bedside for acute studies. Simulations (ideal conditions), phantom experiments, and six patient studies have been carried out with the mobile system using a 40/spl deg/ rotating slant hole collimator (general purpose). Reconstructed section images from simulations and patient studies have been compared to SPECT. Ectomographic and SPECT simulations give similar images. Phantom experiments using a 3D brain phantom show that the optimal acquisition geometry is with the detector parallel to the orbito-meatal plane. In patient studies, the Ectomographic images were similar to the SPECT images obtained using a collimator with ultra high resolution. There were however differences which have to be investigated further. In conclusion, the results obtained indicate that it is feasible to use Ectomography for CBF studies, especially if a high resolution collimator is used.