Parallel software for 3D SPECT imaging based on the 2D+1 approximation of collimator blur (Q2718070)

The parallel software for the reconstruction of SPECT data based on the `2D+1' model is described. The `2D+1' model, introduced as approximation of 3D model in order to reduce its reconstruction time without degrading the accuracy, is demonstrated to be computationally effective, even for sequential architectures. It produces approximately the same accuracy of the 3D model, with a timing requirement comparable to the one of the 2D approach.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe basic idea of the 2D+1 model is decoupling the axial blur from the blurring in planes perpendicular to the \(z\)-axis. In this way the axial blur-free data sets can be reconstructed independently, by means a two-dimensional (2D) iterative algorithm. Last, the whole 3D reconstruction is obtained by simply stacking the individual 2D reconstructions. Parallelism can be easily introduced into the `2D+1' model through the solution of the 2D subproblems. Performance results confirm the intrinsic parallelism of the `2D+1' approximation.