Methods and systems for high performance and versatile molecular imaging

An imaging system comprising:

• a gamma-ray photon sensor with energy and position resolution sensing capability, the sensor providing positions of photon interactions;
• a coded aperture mask placed in front of the sensor, wherein the mask comprises mask pixel elements shaped as bifrustums, wherein a physical space between bifrustum mask pixel elements that have a common edge is partially or completely occupied by a material, and wherein the mask creates an imaging field of view in front of the sensor;
• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled with the sensor and the processor, the memory storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor that cause the processor to:
• create a first projected photon interaction point on a plane of reference;
• retrieve photon attenuation coefficients stored in the memory for the first projected interaction point for directions towards the imaging field of view;
• create a second projected photon interaction point on a plane of reference;
• retrieve photon attenuation coefficients stored in the memory for the second projected interaction point for directions towards the imaging field of view;
• and
• reconstruct an image of a gamma-ray source using the retrieved attenuation coefficients for the first and second photon interactions.