SPECT IMAGING OF F-18

The objective of this work was to determine the potential clinical use fulness of SPECT to image 511-keV annihilation photons. Methods: A tri ple-headed gamma camera equipped with ultra-high-energy collimators wa s used to image F-18. Sensitivity measurements were carried out and th e FWHM and FWTM were determined in air and for a unit-density scatteri ng medium. Additionally, tomographic phantom studies were acquired to evaluate image quality. Results: The sensitivities of the three camera s were, for all practical purposes, identical. At a source-to-collimat or distance of 100 mm, the FWHM and FWTM were 13 and 29 mm, respective ly. A tomographic phantom study demonstrated that spheres with a diame ter of 20 mm were well resolved when filled with F-18 activity and pla ced inside a water-filled phantom. Conclusion: The triple-headed SPECT camera in this investigation is a practical means of acquiring tomogr aphic F-18 images. The reconstructed slices were of sufficient quality to be of value in some clinical studies.