Dual-headed SPECT for awake animal brain imaging

Motion-corrected awake animal imaging is needed for normal-state investigations of models of neurological disease and brain activity. The awake animal brain SPECT/CT system, AwakeSPECT at Johns Hopkins University has in the past used a single gamma camera for imaging. Enhancements have been made by adding a pinhole collimator to the second gamma camera at the opposite side which has been previously equipped parallel hole collimator. Geometry calibration was performed using a custom built quality control phantom containing three Co-57 point sources and applied to the tomographic reconstruction code. Hot-rod phantom scans with Tc-99m were performed to test sensitivity and resolution improvements. The reconstruction results show significant resolution and sensitivity improvements.