Reduced incomplete-sampling artifacts in pinhole SPECT breast imaging using body-contour and lung-boundary constraints

Dedicated systems for SPECT breast imaging offer improved spatial resolution and sensitivity by maintaining close proximity to the breast throughout the gamma camera orbit. However, generally these systems do not adequately sample the important regions of the breast-torso interface and the axilla. Herein we consider the potential of body-contour and lungboundary information for reducing incomplete-sampling artifacts in these regions. Given the increasing predominance of multimodality imaging, such information might be available from CT, MRI, or optical imaging. The studies presented here show that such information can significantly improve estimates of radiotracer activity in and near tumors. The studies also suggest that such information may be able to improve detection of focal hot spots.