Nuclear medicine imaging system and method using multiple types of imaging detectors

A hybrid imaging system comprising:

• a gantry;
• at least one Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector coupled to the gantry;
• at least one Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector coupled to the gantry, wherein the NaI detector is larger than the CZT detector;
• and
• a controller configured to control (1) orbiting movement of the NaI detector and the CZT detector and (2) local movement of the CZT detector to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) image information from an object during an imaging scan.

A method for providing an imaging portion of a Nuclear Medicine (NM) imaging system, the method comprising:

• providing a gantry for the imaging portion of the NM imaging system;
• coupling at least a first detector to the gantry for the imaging portion of the NM imaging system;
• and
• coupling at least a second detector to the gantry for the imaging portion of the NM imaging system, wherein the first detector is larger than the second detector and the first and second detectors have different detector configurations, such that the first and second detectors are configured to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) image information, wherein the first and second detectors are formed from different materials.