Abstract: A SPECT imaging system includes a detector unit configured to receive photons emitted by a radiopharmaceutical and convert the photons to projection data. The radiopharmaceutical emits radiation in a higher energy radiation range of interest and a lower energy radiation range of interest, and the detector unit concurrently detects the radiation in the higher and lower energy radiation ranges. The SPECT imaging system further includes a higher energy radiation collimator is positioned between the detector unit and the photons emitted by a radiopharmaceutical. The higher energy radiation collimator is configured for septa penetration for the higher energy radiation of interest without compromising a spatial resolution for the lower energy radiation of interest. The SPECT imaging system further includes a reconstructor configured to reconstruct a first image from projection data for the higher energy radiation of interest and a second image from projection data for the lower energy radiation of interest.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing a quality of images generated by a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging system. Photons penetrating a protective shielding around detector heads of the SPECT system may not be handled correctly by a reconstruction algorithm used to reconstruct an image from a plurality of projection views acquired by the SPECT imaging system, generating artifacts and reducing a quality of the image. In one embodiment, the artifacts may be reduced or eliminated by selectively applying the reconstruction algorithm to a first portion of pixel columns of the projection views not including the artifacts, and not applying the reconstruction algorithm to a second portion of pixel columns of the projection views including the artifacts. A number of the second portion of pixel columns may be based on a sweep angle of a detector acquiring a projection view.