Optimization of the SPECT systems based on a CdTe pixelated semiconductor detector using novel parallel-hole collimators

Recently, many studies have been conducted using semiconductor materials to improve the system's sensitivity and spatial resolution. We are able to improve the spatial resolution by using a pixelated parallel-hole collimator with equal hole and pixel sizes. However, pixelated parallel-hole collimator appears to be problematic to manufacture collimator with small holes. Therefore, we presented an idea for a novel parallel-hole collimator with a cadmium telluride (CdTe) pixelated semiconductor detector. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and optimize the novel parallel-hole collimator geometric designs with CdTe pixelated semiconductor detector using GATE simulation program. This detector was modeled on PID 350 (Oy Ajat, Finland). We designed a novel parallel-hole collimator which consists of the two overlapped pixelated parallel-hole collimators. The overlap ratios of these collimators are 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3, 3:1, 1:4, and 4:1. To evaluate the performance of this system, system's sensitivity and spatial resolution were estimated. Additionally, image figure of merit (FOM) were calculated from the sensitivity and spatial resolution for the optimization of the novel parallel-hole collimator. According to the results, the measured averages of sensitivity using the 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3, 3:1, 1:4, and 4:1 ratio were 4.45, 7.56, 7.51, 12.76, 12.65, 20.01, and 19.90 times higher than that of the pixelated parallel-hole collimator, respectively, and the measured averages of spatial resolution were estimated various values depending on the source-to-collimator distances. Finally, the FOM using the pixelated parallel-hole collimator, 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3, 3:1, 1:4, and 4:1 ratio were 0.57, 0.73, 1.05, 1.13, 1.47, 1.62, 1.95, and 2.15, respectively. We designed a novel parallel-hole collimator with various ratios of collimator septal heights using a CdTe pixelated semiconductor detector. In conclusion, we successfully established a novel parallel-hole collimator, and based on our results, we recommend using 4:1 ratio with CdTe pixelated semiconductor detector in SPECT system.