Simultaneous multi-nuclide imaging via double-photon coincidence method with parallel hole collimators

Multi-tracer imaging can provide useful information in the definitive diagnosis and research of medical, biological, and pharmaceutical sciences. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is one of the nuclear medicine imaging modalities widely used for diagnosis or medical research and has a multi-tracer imaging capability. One of the drawbacks of multi-tracer imaging is crosstalk from other gamma rays, which affects the reconstructed image. Scattering correction methods, such as the dual- and triple-energy window methods, are used for conventional SPECT imaging to reduce the background caused by the crosstalk. This study proposes another crosstalk reduction method. Some nuclides emit two or more gamma rays through intermediate levels. Thus, detecting these gamma rays with the coincidence method allows us to distinguish a true gamma ray signal and a background signal. The nuclide position can be estimated at the intersection of two gamma rays using collimators. We demonstrate herein simultaneous 111In and 177Lu imaging via the double-photon coincidence method using GAGG detectors and parallel hole collimators. The double-photon coincidence method greatly reduces the background caused by other gamma rays and offers higher-quality images than does conventional imaging.

Simultaneous multi-nuclide imaging via double-photon coincidence method with parallel hole collimators

Multi-tracer imaging can provide useful information in the definitive diagnosis and research of medical, biological, and pharmaceutical sciences. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is one of the nuclear medicine imaging modalities widely used for diagnosis or medical research and has a multi-tracer imaging capability. One of the drawbacks of multi-tracer imaging is crosstalk from other gamma rays, which affects the reconstructed image. Scattering correction methods, such as the dual- and triple-energy window methods, are used for conventional SPECT imaging to reduce the background caused by the crosstalk. This study proposes another crosstalk reduction method. Some nuclides emit two or more gamma rays through intermediate levels. Thus, detecting these gamma rays with the coincidence method allows us to distinguish a true gamma ray signal and a background signal. The nuclide position can be estimated at the intersection of two gamma rays using collimators. We demonstrate herein simultaneous 111In and 177Lu imaging via the double-photon coincidence method using GAGG detectors and parallel hole collimators. The double-photon coincidence method greatly reduces the background caused by other gamma rays and offers higher-quality images than does conventional imaging.

Numerical Simulation of Empty-Hole Effect during Parallel-Hole Cutting under Different In Situ Stress Conditions

With the progress of deep mining in mine exploitation, the effect of the in situ stress field plays a more and more significant and crucial role in rock blasting. To uncover the impact of in situ stress field on empty-hole effect during parallel-hole cutting, the distribution and the trend of changes in dynamic stress around empty hole during blasting under different in situ stress conditions are simulated based on the basic model for parallel-hole cutting using 3D finite element analysis software ANSYS/LS-DYNA and implicit-explicit analysis method. Subsequently, the law of variation in the empty-hole effect under different in situ stress conditions is determined, and the effects of horizontal and vertical stress fields are analyzed in detail. The simulation results show that the overall increase in in situ stress can facilitate compressive failure and inhibit tensile failure in the rock mass around an empty hole during blasting. When empty holes are arranged horizontally, the effect of the vertical stress field is consistent with that of the in situ stress field, while the effect of the horizontal stress field is opposite to that of the in situ stress field. With the increased stress, the inhibitive effect of the vertical stress field on tensile stress around an empty hole is remarkably stronger than that of the horizontal stress field. Finally, the numerically simulated results are verified by the theoretical calculation. This study can provide new insight and a simple but accurate numerical simulation method to investigate how the in situ stress field affects the empty-hole effect, especially in deep mining.