Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A system, for the nuclear imaging of the breast, comprising: at least one planar gamma camera, of a size appropriate for the scanning of a breast, having a planar radiation detecting surface, which detects gamma radiation and provides data signals responsive to radiation from the breast;  a collimator, positioned over the reception surface;  a gantry on which the radiation detector is mounted and which provides rotational movement of the radiation detection surface around the axis of the breast; and  a computer which receives and analyzes the data signals and constructs an image of radiation sources therefrom;  wherein the computer constructs the image of the radiation source utilizing an iterative approach for at least a portion of the volume for which data is acquired with the radiation detection surface at said angle and, wherein an analytic approach is used for at least a part of the volume for which data is acquired with the radiation detection surface parallel to the axis of rotation. 2. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one gamma camera comprises a plurality of gamma cameras placed about and facing the axis of rotation. claim 1 3. A system according to  claim 2  wherein the plurality of gamma cameras is symmetrically placed around the axis of rotation. claim 2 4. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the radiation detection surface of the at least one gamma camera is tilted with respect to the axis during rotation of the at least one gamma camera about the axis, such that it is partially facing the chest of a study subject. claim 1 5. A system according to  claim 1  and including means for selectively tilting the at least one gamma camera such that the radiation detection surface is selectively tilted or parallel to the axis of rotation, during rotation of the at least one gamma camera about the axis. claim 1 6. A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the computer constructs the image of the radiation source utilizing an iterative approach for at least a portion of the volume for which data is acquired with the radiation detection surface at said angle and, wherein an analytic approach is used for at least a part of the volume for which data is acquired with the radiation detection surface parallel to the axis of rotation. claim 5 7. A system according to  claim 5  wherein the at least one planar gamma camera comprises two detection surfaces, each said surface being tilted with respect to the axis during rotation of the at least one gamma camera about the axis, such that it is partially facing the chest of a study subject. claim 5 8. A system according to  claim 5  wherein the image is a SPECT image. claim 5 9. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the collimator comprises septa near the center of the collimator which accept radiation from a direction perpendicular to the radiation detection surface and septa near an edge of the collimator which accept radiation from an outward facing acute angle to the perpendicular direction. claim 1 10. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the detector is a detector having an extent between 10 and 20 cm. claim 1 11. A system according  claim 10  wherein the extent is between 10 and 15 cm. claim 10 12. A system according to  claim 10  wherein the extent is about 12 cm. claim 10 13. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the image is a SPECT image. claim 1 14. A system, for the nuclear imaging of the breast, comprising: at least one gamma camera, of a size appropriate for the scanning of a breast, having a radiation detecting surface, which detects gamma radiation and provides data signals responsive to radiation from the breast;  a collimator, positioned over the reception surface;  a gantry on which the radiation detector is mounted and which provides rotational movement of the radiation detection surface around the axis of the breast; and  a computer which receives and analyzes the data signals and constructs a tomographic image of radiation sources therefrom; wherein the collimator comprises septa near the center of the collimator which accept radiation from a direction perpendicular to the radiation detection surface and septa near an edge of the collimator which accept radiation from an outward facing acute angle to the perpendicular direction,  wherein the computer constructs the image of the radiation source utilizing an iterative approach for at least a portion of the volume for which data is acquired via the septa at said angle and wherein an analytic approach is used for at least a part of the volume for which data is acquired via the septa normal to the direction of the axis. 15. A system according to  claim 14  wherein the septa which accept radiation near an edge accept such radiation only near one edge of the collimator. claim 14 16. A system according to  claim 15  wherein the one edge is an edge near the chest wall of the study subject. claim 15 17. A system according to  claim 14  wherein the computer constructs the image of radiation sources utilizing an iterative approach for at least part of a reconstructed volume. claim 14 18. A system according to  claim 14  wherein the computer constructs the image of the radiation source utilizing an iterative approach for at least a portion of the volume for which data is acquired via the septa at said angle and wherein an analytic approach is used for at least a part of the volume for which data is acquired via the septa normal to the direction of the axis. claim 14 19. A system according to  claim 14  wherein the image is a SPECT image. claim 14 20. A method of imaging of the breast using gamma rays, comprising: acquiring gamma ray data from the breast of a subject utilizing a gamma ray detector head generally parallel to the axis of the breast; and  reconstructing a three dimensional image of a radiopharmaceutical in the breast;  wherein an iterative algorithm is used for reconstructing the distribution in a first portion of the breast and an analytic algorithm is used for reconstruction of the distribution of a second portion of the breast. 21. A method according to  claim 20  wherein acquiring gamma ray data comprises acquiring date from gamma rays emanating from tissue near the chest wall of the subject. claim 20 22. A method according to  claim 21  wherein said chest wall data is incomplete in the sense that it does not allow for analytic reconstruction of the distribution. claim 21 23. A method according to  claim 22  wherein reconstructing a three dimensional distribution comprises utilizing an iterative algorithm at least for regions of the breast for which an analytic solution is not possible. claim 22 24. A method according to  claim 20  wherein the first portion includes a volume for which said gamma ray data does not include a full set of tomographic data. claim 20 25. A method according to  claim 20  wherein the image is a SPECT image. claim 20 26. A method of imaging using gamma rays, comprising: acquiring gamma ray data from a subject utilizing at least one gamma ray detector head; and  reconstructing a three dimensional image of the sources of the gamma rays, utilizing an iterative approach for a first portion of the volume for which data is acquired and utilizing an analytic approach for a second portion of the volume for which data is acquired. 27. A method according to  claim 26  wherein the first portion includes a volume for which said gamma ray data does not include a full set of tomographic data. claim 26 28. A method according to  claim 26  wherein the image is a SPECT image. claim 26