Prone breast tumor imaging using vertical axis-of-rotation (VAOR) SPECT systems: an initial study

We propose the use of a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system equipped with multiple cameras revolving around a vertical axis-of-rotation (VAOR) to image tumors in a prone-dependent breast. This innovative breast imaging approach has the advantages of a small attenuation volume between breast lesions and gamma detector as well as a minimal radius-of-rotation compared to conventional (horizontal axis-of-rotation) breast SPECT. Small attenuation volume results in improved detected counts and minimal radius-of-rotation leads to increased collimator resolution. Because of no VAOR SPECT system currently available, we conducted our experiments on a conventional SPECT system using an isolated breast phantom to investigate the proposed VAOR breast SPECT. Our experimental setup simulated a VAOR SPECT study with a prone-dependent breast in the camera´s field-of-view. The results of our experiment indicate that VAOR breast SPECT with Trionix LESR parallel hole collimator is capable of detecting a breast lesion with a diameter of 10 mm and a lesion-to-background concentration ratio of 6 to 1. The results also demonstrate that VAOR breast SPECT provides improved lesion visualization over planar scintimammography and conventional breast SPECT