Accuracy of a whole-body single-photon emission computed tomography with a thallium-bromide detector: Verification via Monte Carlo simulations.

Background: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) devices equipped with cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) detectors achieve high contrast resolution because of their enhanced energy resolution. Recently, thallium bromide (TlBr) has gained attention as a detector material because of its high atomic number and density.

Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical applicability of a SPECT system equipped with TlBr detectors using Monte Carlo simulations, focusing on 99mTc and 177Lu imaging.

Methods: This study used the Simulation of Imaging Nuclear Detectors Monte Carlo program to compare the imaging characteristics between a whole-body SPECT system equipped with TlBr (T-SPECT) and a system equipped with CZT detectors (C-SPECT). The simulations were performed using a three-dimensional brain phantom and a National Electrical Manufacturers Association body phantom to evaluate 99mTc and 177Lu imaging. The simulation parameters were accurately set by comparing them with the actual measurements.

Results: The T-SPECT system demonstrated improved energy resolution and higher detection efficiency than the C-SPECT system. In 99mTc imaging, T-SPECT demonstrated 1.71 times higher photopeak counts and improved contrast resolution. T-SPECT exhibited a significantly lower impact of hole tailing and higher-energy resolution (4.50% for T-SPECT vs. 7.34% for C-SPECT). Furthermore, T-SPECT showed higher peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) values, indicating better image quality. In 177Lu imaging, T-SPECT showed 2.76 times higher photopeak counts and improved energy resolution (3.94% for T-SPECT vs. 5.20% for C-SPECT). T-SPECT demonstrated a higher contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) across all acquisition times, maintaining sufficient counts even with shorter acquisition times. Moreover, T-SPECT acquired higher low-frequency values in power spectrum density (PSD), indicating more accurate internal image reproduction.

Conclusions: T-SPECT offers superior energy resolution and detection efficiency than C-SPECT. Moreover, T-SPECT can provide higher contrast resolution and sensitivity in clinical imaging with 99mTc and 177Lu. Furthermore, the Monte Carlo simulations are confirmed to be a valuable guide for the development of T-SPECT.