SPECT for breast cancer detection

A system, for the nuclear imaging of the breast, comprising:

• at least one gamma camera, of a size appropriate for the scanning of a breast, having a radiation detecting surface, which detects gamma radiation and provides data signals responsive to radiation from the breast;
• a collimator, positioned over the reception surface;
• a gantry on which the radiation detector is mounted and which provides rotational movement of the radiation detection surface around the axis of the breast;
• and
• a computer which receives and analyzes the data signals and constructs an image of radiation sources therefrom;
• wherein the collimator comprises septa near the center of the collimator which accept radiation from a direction perpendicular to the radiation detection surface and septa near an edge of the collimator which accept radiation from an outward facing acute angle to the perpendicular direction.

A gamma ray detector system comprising:

• at least one gamma ray detector having a detector surface that has a normal thereto at each point thereof;
• and
• at least one collimator placed on the detector surface, the collimator having a first portion that selectively passes gamma rays which impinge it at said normal angle and at angles near said angle and a second portion that selectively passes gamma rays which impinge on it from an outward looking direction with respect to the normal;
• wherein the first portion comprises a region near one edge of the collimator and a central region of the collimator and wherein the second portion comprises a region near a second edge of the collimator opposite the one edge.

A system, for the nuclear imaging of the breast, comprising:

• at least one planar gamma camera, having a planar radiation detecting surface, which detects gamma radiation and provides data signals responsive to radiation from the breast;
• a collimator, positioned over the reception surface;
• a gantry on which the radiation detector is mounted and which provides rotational movement of the radiation detection surface around an axis;
• and
• a computer which receives and analyzes the data signals and constructs an image of radiation sources therefrom;
• wherein the radiation detection surface of the at least one gamma camera is tilted with respect to the axis during rotation of the at least one gamma camera about the axis, such that a normal to the detection surface forms an acute angle with axis.