System Calibration for FastSPECT III: An Ultra-High Resolution CCD-Based Pinhole SPECT System

FastSPECT III is a recently developed ultra-high-resolution small-animal SPECT imaging system. With 20 CCDbased intensified quantum-imaging cameras (iQID) and 250micron diameter platinum pinhole apertures, this stationary SPECT system offers ~350 microns isotropic linear resolution. This paper presents a novel system calibration method for FastSPECT III and other high-resolution stationary pinholeSPECT systems. The performance of the new system calibration method was evaluated using multi-bed-position MLEM reconstruction and helically-scanned objects. Originally designed for high-resolution rodent brain imaging to study neurological pathologies, FastSPECT III now offers whole-body mouse imaging capabilities with ultra-high spatial resolution.