Project Title:

Multiple-pinhole Aperture Design for High-Resolution SPECT Imaging

Todd Peterson

Brief Description of Project:

We are developing a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system for small-animal imaging that utilizes silicon detectors together with multiple-pinhole apertures. The goal of the project is to build a system offering both outstanding spatial resolution (<1mm) and good sensitivity. Methods must be developed to address the large number of design parameters (e.g., pinhole number, location, magnification) that must be dealt with in optimizing system performance for specific imaging tasks.

Nature of Supervision:

The student will work under the direct supervision of Todd Peterson.

A Brief Research Plan

--Become familiar with the equations governing planar pinhole imaging.
--Develop computational methods for evaluating system sensitivity and resolution.
--Incorporate design into a full system simulation.
--Construct pinhole apertures and evaluate performance using the prototype silicon detector.

Number of Open Slots:

1

Contact Information:

Todd Peterson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences,
Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science
S-1310 MCN
1161 21 Ave South
Nashville, TN 37232-2675
615-322-2648
todd.e.peterson@vanderbilt.edu