Abstract: Data from a nuclear medicine study is classified in real time into categories which include image data relating to image pixels which are essential covarient. The results of the classification process permit a determination of, e.g., whether the camera is properly positioned at an early stage of the study and long before the study is completed. It is then possible to reposition the camera so as to obtain data which will be useful. As a result, it is unnecessary to wait until the end of a prolonged study in order to determine whether the study was taken under appropriate conditions.

Abstract: A multi-head SPECT-capable scintillation camera has one head collimated by a parallel hole collimator and one or more focussing collimators. The focussing collimators are advantageously cone beam collimators or (for scintillation cameras which have rectangular detectors) astigmatic collimators. The scintillation camera is used to acquire information about a relatively small body organ of interest, such as the heart or the brain. From this information, the spatial location of the organ is determined. Then, during rotation of the camera heads about the patient during a SPECT study, the positions of the focussing collimators are controlled so as to maintain the organ of interest in a predetermined position with respect to their field(s) of view. Thereafter, the data acquired during the SPECT study is used to form a SPECT image of the organ of interest. The SPECT image may then be displayed or outputted.