Instrumentation and computers for brain single photon emission computed tomography

Cerebral single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) requires attention to the instrumentation because of the anatomical location of the head at one end of the body, with a generally narrower diameter than the rest of the body. For a number of years, there have been SPECT units designed especially for head work, as well as general-purpose units that have performed well in imaging the head. The current emphasis on cerebral perfusion, using either agents that wash in and out with blood flow or agents that reflect blood flow in their static distribution, has allowed a concentration on imaging hardware and computer hardware and software for this purpose.