The major advantage of position sensitive radiation detector systems lies in their ability to non invasively map the regional distribution of the emitted radiation in real-time. Three of such detector systems were studied in this thesis, gamma-cameras, positron cameras and CMOS image sensors. A number of physical factors associated to these detectors degrade the qualitative and quantitative properties of the obtained images. These blurring factors could be divided into two groups. The first group consists of the general degrading factors inherent to the physical interaction processes of radiation with matter, such as scatter and attenuation processes which are common to all three detectors The second group consists of specific factors inherent to the particular radiation detection properties of the used detector which have to be separately studied for each detector system. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was devoted to the development of computational methods to enable quantitative molecular imaging in PET, SPET and in vivo patient dosimetry with CMOS image sensors. The first task was to develop a novel quantitative dual isotope method for simultaneous assessments of regional lung ventilation and perfusion using a SPET technique. This method included correction routines for photon scattering, non uniform attenuation at two different photon energies (140 and 392 keV) and organ outline. This quantitative method was validated both with phantom experiments and physiological studies on healthy subjects. The second task was to develop and clinically apply a quantitative method for tumour to background activity uptake measurements using planar mammo-scintigraphy, with partial volume compensation. The third stage was to produce several computational models to assess the spatial resolution limitations in PET from the positron range, the annihilation photon non-collineairy and the photon depth of interaction. Finally, a quantitative image processing method for a CMOS image sensor for applications in ion beam therapy dosimetry was developed. From the obtained phantom and physiological results it was concluded that the methodologies developed for the simultaneous measurement of the lung ventilation and perfusion and for the quantification of the tumour malignancy grade in breast carcinoma were both accurate. Further, the obtained models for the influence that the positron range in various human tissues, and the photon emission non-collinearity and depth of interaction have on PET image spatial resolution, could be used both to optimise future PET camera designs and spatial resolution recovery algorithms. Finally, it was shown that the proton fluence rate in a proton therapy beam could be monitored and visualised by using a simple and inexpensive CMOS image sensor.

Useful information extraction from satellite images for the use of other higher level applications such as road network extraction and update, city planning etc. is a very important and active research area. It is seen that pixel-based techniques becomes insufficient for this task with increasing spatial resolution of satellite imaging sensors day by day. Therefore, the use of object-based techniques becomes indispensable and the segmentation method selection is very crucial for object-based techniques. In this thesis, various segmentation algorithms applied in remote sensing literature are presented and a segmentation process that is based on watersheds and multi-scale segmentation is proposed to use as the segmentation step of an object-based classifier. For every step of the proposed segmentation process, qualitative and quantitative comparisons with alternative approaches are done. The ones which provide best performance are incorporated into the proposed algorithm. Also, an unsupervised segmentation accuracy metric to determine all parameters of the algorithm is proposed. By this way, the proposed segmentation algorithm has become a fully automatic approach. Experiments that are done on a database formed with images taken from Google Earth&reg / software provide promising results.

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), as well as thermoacoustic tomography (TAT), utilize electromagnetic radiation in its visible, near infrared, microwave, and radiofrequency forms, respectively, to induce acoustic waves in biological tissues for imaging purposes. Combining the advantages of both the high image contrast that results from electromagnetic absorption and the high resolution of ultrasound imaging, these new imaging modalities could be the next successful imaging techniques in biomedical applications. Basic research on PAT and TAT, and the relevant physics, is presented in Chapter I. In Chapter II, we investigate the imaging mechanisms of TAT in terms of signal generation, propagation and detection. We present a theoretical analysis as well as simulations of such imaging characteristics as contrast and resolution, accompanied by experimental results from phantom and tissue samples. In Chapter III, we discuss the further application of TAT to the imaging of biological tissues. The microwave absorption difference in normal and cancerous breast tissues, as well as its influence on thermoacoustic wave generation and the resulting transducer response, is investigated over a wide range of electromagnetic frequencies and depths of tumor locations. In Chapter IV, we describe the mechanism of PAT and the algorithm used for image reconstruction. Because of the broad bandwidth of the laser-induced ultrasonic waves and the limited bandwidth of the single transducer, multiple ultrasonic transducers, each with a different central frequency, are employed for simultaneous detection. Chapter V further demonstrates PAT’s ability to image vascular structures in biological tissue based on blood’s strong light absorption capability. The photoacoustic images of rat brain tumors in this study clearly reveal the angiogenesis that is associated with tumors. In Chapter VI, we report on further developing PAT to image deeply embedded optical heterogeneity in biological tissues. The improved imaging ability is attributed to better penetration by NIR light, the use of the optical contrast agent ICG (indocyanine green) and a new detection scheme of a circular scanning configuration. Deep penetrating PAT, which is based on a tissue’s intrinsic contrast using laser light of 532 nm green light and 1.06 µm near infrared light, is also presented.

L'imagerie laser 3D est une technique performante utilisée notamment pour cartographier l'environnement dans lequel évolue un aéronef, en mesurant la distance le séparant d'un objet, en plus des coordonnées (x,y). Le système est capable d'acquérir des mesures par tout temps (nuit, pluie, brouillard). Une nouvelle génération de capteurs, multi-pixels et ultra-sensibles, permet alors de répondre aux besoins identifiés pour cartographier avec précision une zone de grande superficie : haute résolution spatiale, longue portée avec précision centimétrique et rapidité d'acquisition. Il s'agit des plans focaux 3D Geiger. Avant leur utilisation en aéroporté, il était nécessaire de se familiariser avec leur fonctionnement, basé sur les probabilités de détection. Un simulateur reproduisant l'ensemble de la chaîne d'acquisition à été développé, puis validé sur des cas réels, au sol et en conditions statiques. Il a ensuite permis de démontrer l'intérêt des plans focaux Geiger pour la cartographie aéroportée à longue distance. / 3D laser imaging is a powerful technique used to recognize the environment around an aircraft, by measuring the distance between the system and an objet, in addition to its spatial coordinates. Also, it allows data acquisition under any weather condition (night, rain, fog). A new kind of sensors, multi-pixel arrays with high sensitivity, seems in line with the needs of an accurate 3D mapping of a big area : high spatial resolution, longe range detection with centimeter accuracy and low acquisition time. There are 3D Geiger-mode focal plane arrays. Before an onboard use, it was necessary to analyze the operation of such a sensor, based on probabilities of detection. An end-to-end simulator reproducing the entire acquisition process has been implemented, then experimentally validated on ground and static cases. It finally allowed to demonstrate the potential and contribution of Geiger-mode focal plane arrays for long distance and high spatial resolution airborne 3D mapping.

Ce manuscrit est consacré à l'amélioration des deux méthodes numériques : MMDF et Méthode des Moments avec la technique de la RSA. Dans un premier temps, on présente les outils théoriques sur l'étude du problème de la diffraction par des réseaux lamellaires, éclairée sous incidence classique et les outils de simulation pour résoudre les équations de Maxwell. On choisit comme fonctions de base et de test, les fonctions triangles. On introduit par la suite, la technique de la RSA afin d'améliorer la vitesse de convergence de calcul. Les résultats obtenus sont comparés à ceux de la méthode MMFE et la méthode MMDF de "Lalanne et al". Une étude numérique de la stabilité et de la convergence de la méthode est effectuée. Enfin, on présente une extension de la Méthode des Moments basée sur l'hypothèse de Galerkin au cas de l'incidence conique. Le détail de la résolution des équations Maxwell est décrit. L'application numérique est traitée dans le cas du réseau diélectrique pour mettre au point les influences de l'état de la polarisation et les paramètres physiques. / This manuscript is devoted to improvement of the two numerical methods : MMDF and Method of the Moments with the technique of the RSA. In the first part, we present the theoretical tools on study of the problem of diffraction by binary grating,illuminated of classical incidence and the tools for simulation to solve the Maxwell's equations. We choose like basic functions and test, the functions triangles. In the second part, we introduce the technique of the RSA so to improve the speed of convergence of calculation. The results obtained are compared with those of method MMFE and method MMDF of"Lalanne and al". A numerical study of the stability and convergence of the method are carried. The last part, we present the Method of the Moments with triangle functions as expansion and triangle as test functions to the case of conical incidence. We describe the detail of the resolution of the Maxwell equations. Numerical application is treated in the case of the dielectric grating to develop the influences of state of polarization and the physical parameters.

Les régions sèches situées à la périphérie des déserts sont généralement peuplées et mises en valeur sur un mode sédentaire. Elles partagent cependant avec les milieux désertiques des conditions environnementales qui les rendent sensibles et fragiles. Cela implique de bien connaître les mécanismes de leurs milieux, a fortiori dans un contexte de désertification qui augmente le risque environnemental. Celui-ci est souvent évalué par le suivi de la végétation, mais l’expérience de terrain montre que les formes éoliennes pourraient apporter des compléments utiles. La morphodynamique éolienne joue en effet un rôle non négligeable dans le risque environnemental en régions sèches. Si, dans les systèmes désertiques, l’influence des activités humaines sur l’évolution des formes éoliennes de grande taille est réduite, dans les régions sèches non-désertiques, elles sont de plus petite dimension et leur vitesse de réaction aux changements des conditions du milieu est élevée. Elles sont de surcroît liées aux autres composants du paysage, avec lesquels elles interagissent fortement, et leur fonctionnement peut être corrélé aux modalités d’exploitation du milieu. Cela en fait des indicateurs pertinents et leur suivi doit donc être conçu dans une approche systémique appuyée sur une bonne maîtrise des fondements physiques de l’étude de la morphodynamique éolienne qui sont présentés en ouverture de ce mémoire. Différents outils et concepts élaborés dans les contextes désertiques, parmi lesquels les déplacements potentiels sableux et la densité d’obstacle, sont détaillés. Les effets paysagers de la morphodynamique éolienne sont illustrés par divers exemples. Son intégration dans les études de suivi est alors questionnée pour démontrer que de nouvelles approches peuvent être explorées. Les propositions faites s’intéressent en particulier à un objet, la forme éolienne d’obstacle, qui reste mal connu malgré la place qu’il tient dans les paysages des régions sèches. Une grille de caractérisation fine de cet objet est définie, à partir de laquelle un protocole de quantification et d’évaluation qualitative nécessaire à la production d’indicateurs peut être élaboré. Pour cela, les méthodes développées doivent être reproductibles et minimiser la complexité et les coûts de mise en oeuvre. Dans le domaine de la télédétection, la facilité d’utilisation et la précision des images du Pixy, paramoteur léger à voile souple, démontrent le potentiel des vecteurs de type drone. L’intérêt des satellites à très haute résolution spatiale pour, notamment, la généralisation d’études ciblées est également démontré. Les images produites correspondent notamment à une échelle intermédiaire qui faisait jusqu’alors défaut. Parmi les fournisseurs d’images très haute résolution spatiale, Google Earth est une alternative possible des fournisseurs commerciaux. La disponibilité de plus en plus grande d’images de résolution très élevée offre des perspectives d’applications dans des domaines variés. Leur exploitation présente cependant des contraintes que la Morphologie Mathématique (MM), discipline de l’analyse d’image orientée-objet, permet de contourner. Les outils de la MM facilitent l’analyse façon robuste des images non corrigées, du type Pixy ou Google Earth. Elle s’appuie sur des procédures simples à reproduire, dont les résultats s’expliquent facilement. Elle participe ainsi à réduire le coût des études. Or, la question économique du diagnostic environnemental ne peut être évacuée, en particulier dans les pays concernés par la lutte contre la désertification. Chaque chapitre de ce mémoire démontre l’importance de la prise en considération de deux seuils : d’une part, le seuil d’hétérogénéité, en-deçà duquel l’information recherchée est noyée dans le bruit d’un trop grand détail, d’autre part, le seuil d’homogénéité, au-delà duquel la maille d’analyse fait que l’information est trop lissée pour être pertinente.... / Drylands share with deserts many environmental conditions that make them sensitive and fragile. It is a necessity to understand the mechanisms of these environments, especially in contexts where there is a risk of desertification. Such an understanding is often assessed by monitoring vegetation. Field experience, however, shows that aeolian morphodynamics may provide useful additional information. The aeolian morphodynamics plays indeed a significant role in the environmental risk of drylands. In desert systems, the anthropogenic pressure on aeolian processes is low. On the other hand, in non-desert drylands, features are smaller but have a faster reaction time to environmental change. They interact strongly with other components of the landscape, such as human activities. Accordingly, the study of non-desertic aeolian morphodynamics has to be designed following a systematic approach. It relies on a good knowledge of fundamental physics of wind geomorphology that is described in this dissertation. Various tools and concepts developed in desert environments, including potential displacement and roughness density, are given. The effects of aeolian morphodynamics on landscapes are illustrated by various examples. Standard studies of wind dynamics are discussed and questioned to demonstrate that new approaches can be explored. This study focuses anchored dunes, which remain poorly studied despite their importance in drylands. Anchored dunes are described and characterized in detail. Then a protocole of quantification and qualitative evaluation can be elaborated.Our aim was to develop methods that are reproducible and minimize the complexity and costs of implementation. The unmanned platform, Pixy, illustrates the potential of drones which provide accurate images with a great flexibility of use. The interest of very high spatial resolution imagery provided by satellites such as QuickBird is also demonstrated. Their images introduce to an intermediate scale between field and large-scale satellite imagery. Among the providers of very high spatial resolution imagery, Google Earth (GE) appears to be a good alternative to commercial suppliers. Increasing availability of free high resolution images offers potential applications in various fields. However, their use has constraints that are managed by Mathematical Morphology (MM), an object-oriented image analysis discipline. Tools from MM allow the analysis of uncorrected images, like those of Pixy or GE. It relies on simple procedures easy to reproduce and explain. It thus contributes to reducing the cost of studies. This economic issue of environmental diagnosis cannot be ignored, especially in the countries concerned by the fight against desertification.Each chapter of this thesis demonstrates the importance of two thresholds through particular example. The threshold of heterogeneity, below which information is embedded in the background noise produced by too much detail, is the first one. The threshold of homogeneity, beyond which information is too smooth to be relevant, is the second one. This work attempts to show how these thresholds may have direct effects on results of a remote sensing study. This consideration is thus a structuring element of the methods used. Beyond the issue of aeolian morphodynamics, this thesis combines semi-automatic characterization methods of landscape elements with processes of multi-scalar integration. The results are potentially useful to any approach that seeks to understand the effects of a phenomenon at different scales.

La thèse propose des nouvelles techniques pour la classification et le démelange spectraldes images obtenus par télédétection iperspectrale. Les problèmes liées au données (notammenttrès grande dimensionalité, présence de mélanges des pixels) ont été considerés et destechniques innovantes pour résoudre ces problèmes. Nouvelles méthodes de classi_cationavancées basées sur l'utilisation des méthodes traditionnel de réduction des dimension etl'integration de l'information spatiale ont été développés. De plus, les méthodes de démelangespectral ont été utilisés conjointement pour ameliorer la classification obtenu avec lesméthodes traditionnel, donnant la possibilité d'obtenir aussi une amélioration de la résolutionspatial des maps de classification grace à l'utilisation de l'information à niveau sous-pixel.Les travaux ont suivi une progression logique, avec les étapes suivantes:1. Constat de base: pour améliorer la classification d'imagerie hyperspectrale, il fautconsidérer les problèmes liées au données : très grande dimensionalité, presence demélanges des pixels.2. Peut-on développer méthodes de classi_cation avancées basées sur l'utilisation des méthodestraditionnel de réduction des dimension (ICA ou autre)?3. Comment utiliser les differents types d'information contextuel typique des imagés satellitaires?4. Peut-on utiliser l'information données par les méthodes de démelange spectral pourproposer nouvelles chaines de réduction des dimension?5. Est-ce qu'on peut utiliser conjointement les méthodes de démelange spectral pour ameliorerla classification obtenu avec les méthodes traditionnel?6. Peut-on obtenir une amélioration de la résolution spatial des maps de classi_cationgrace à l'utilisation de l'information à niveau sous-pixel?Les différents méthodes proposées ont été testées sur plusieurs jeux de données réelles, montrantresultats comparable ou meilleurs de la plus part des methodes presentés dans la litterature. / The thesis presents new techniques for classification and unmixing of hyperspectral remote sensing data. The main issues connected to this kind of data (in particular the huge dimension and the possibility to find mixed pixels) have been considered. New advanced techniques have been proposed in order to solve these problems. In a first part, new classification methods based on the use of traditional dimensionality reduction methods (such as Independent Component Analysis - ICA) and on the integration of spatial and spectral information have been proposed. In a second part, methods based on spectral unmixing have been considered to improve the results obtained with classical methods. These methods gave the possibility to improve the spatial resolution of the classification maps thanks to the sub-pixel information which they consider.The main steps of the work are the following:- Introduction and survey of the data. Base assessment: in order to improve the classification of hyperspectral images, data related problems must be considered (very high dimension, presence of mixed pixels)- Development of advanced classification methods making use of classic dimensionality reduction techniques (Independent Component Discriminant Analysis)- Proposition of classification methods exploiting different kinds of contextual information, typical of hyperspectral imagery - Study of spectral unmixing techniques, in order to propose new feature extraction methods exploiting sub-pixel information - Joint use of traditional classification methods and unmixing techniques in order to obtain land cover classification maps at a finer resolutionThe different methods proposed have been tested on several real hyperspectral data, showing results which are comparable or better than methods recently proposed in the literature.

Resumo: Imagens multiespectrais de alta resolução espacial podem se constituir em uma fonte de dados adequada para o mapeamento de processos associados ao desenvolvimento de culturas agrícolas, como a detecção de plantas daninhas. A aerofotogrametria convencional e imagens de satélite de alta resolução espacial são alternativas para aquisição dessas imagens. Entretanto, devido ao custo elevado da aquisição destas imagens, tem sido desenvolvido, pelo Departamento de Cartografia da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da UNESP de Presidente Prudente, um Sistema de Sensoriamento Remoto Aerotransportado (SRA), capaz de oferecer resolução espacial sub-métrica. Este trabalho considerou a hipótese de que a partir de imagens adquiridas pelo Sistema é possível discriminar graus de infestação de plantas daninhas em culturas de café. Para investigar esta hipótese, foi realizado o mapeamento de plantas daninhas utilizando dois diferentes métodos: classificação de imagens multiespectrais (classificação por redes neurais artificiais - RNA) e análise geoestatística (krigagem por indicação com dados indiretos). Os mapas temáticos foram submetidos à análise da qualidade temática. A krigagem por indicação apresentou resultados suavizados e confusos, ao contrário da classificação por RNA, a qual se constituiu num método eficiente para o objetivo proposto, confirmando a hipótese inicial da investigação. / Abstract: Multispectral images with high spatial resolution can be a suitable data source for the mapping of processes associated to the crop development, as detection of weed. The aerial photogrammetry and satellite image of high spatial resolution are alternatives for the aquisition of these images. However, due to the high cost of these images, a Sistema de Sensoriamento Remoto Aerotransportado - SRA, which is capable of to offer sub-metric spatial resolution has been developed by the Department of Cartography, FCT/Unesp (Presidente Prudente). This work taked into account the hypothesis that is possible to discriminate infestation degree of weed in coffee crop from high spatial resolution multispectral images. To investigate this hypothesis, it was accomplished the mapping using two different methods: multispectral images classification (artificial neural networks classification) and geoestatistics analysis (Indicator kriging with soft data). The thematics maps were submitted to the analysis of thematic quality. The indicator kriging showed smoothed and confused results instead of the artificial neural networks classification, whose results were efficient for the purpose, confirming the initial hypothesis of the investigation. / Orientador: Maria de Lourdes Bueno Trindade Galo / Coorientador: Nilton Nobuhiro Imai / Banca: Bernardo Friedrich Theoodor Rudorff / Banca: Vilma Mayumi Tachibana / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:53:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:58:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 12342.pdf: 14453245 bytes, checksum: d663bec3e62922a0d773fb585931e4de (MD5) / No presente trabalho foi desenvolvida uma nova técnica radiográfica que utiliza feixes de elétrons de baixa energia como radiação penetrante para inspecionar amostras finas com espessuras da ordem de micra. Esta técnica é denominada, radiografia com elétrons induzida por nêutrons e os feixes são obtidos mediante a irradiação de uma tela de gadolínio com nêutrons térmicos. Foram determinadas as condições ótimas para a obtenção de radiografias no filme convencional para raios - X, Kodak Industrex AA, utilizando um sistema digital para análise do grau de enegrecimento dos filmes. Todas as irradiações foram realizadas em um equipamento radiográfico instalado no canal de irradiação 08 do reator nuclear de pesquisas IEA-R1 do IPEN-CNEN/SP. O tempo de irradiação necessário para se obter a radiografia com o melhor contraste foi de 100 segundos e nesta condição foi possível discernir 1 ?m em 24 ?m de alumínio com uma resolução máxima de 32 ?m. As imagens radiográficas obtidas no IPENCNEN/ SP por esta técnica apresentam visualmente uma qualidade superior quando comparadas as obtidas pelas outras técnicas radiográficas usuais que utilizam elétrons como radiação penetrante e filmes para o registro da imagem. Além disto, o sistema digital propiciou uma maior praticidade referente à aquisição e a análise dos dados e uma melhor visualização das imagens radiográficas. / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Dentre as técnicas diagnósticas por imagem, em Medicina Nuclear, têm-se destacado a Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons (PET). O PET fornece imagens funcionais da região ou órgão de interesse, possibilitanto o diagnóstico de várias doenças e, também, um mapeamento da evolução ou regressão das mesmas. Os atuais sistemas PET apresentam blocos de cristais arranjados em geometria circular, mas a busca por novos arranjos, em geometrias diferenciadas, é pertinente, pois pode possibilitar um melhor desempenho destes tomógrafos. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o desempenho de um sistema PET constituído por blocos de cristais em arranjo elipsoidal. Para tal estudo, fez-se uso do GATE, ambiente de simulação para tomografia por emissão que apresentou resultados satisfatórios comparados à aparelhos utilizados na rotina clínica. Desta forma, elaborou-se dois sistemas PET, o primeiro com 46 blocos de cristais arranjados em geometria circular, no qual, os detectores opostos foram separados a uma distância de 816,4 mm na direção transaxial. No segundo caso, utilizou-se 36 blocos de cristais, arranjados em geometria elíptica, onde os detectores foram separados a uma distância de 500 mm na direção vertical e 816,4 mm na direção horizontal. Uma vez realizadas as simulações, fez-se os testes de validação para Sensibilidade, Fração de Espalhamento, NEC (Noise Equivalente Count Rate) e Resolução Espacial, para então, avaliar e comparar o desempenho do sistema PET para ambas as geometrias propostas. Estes testes foram feitos de acordo com as especificações da norma NEMA NU 2-2007. Para o teste de sensibilidade, com o phantom localizado no centro do FOV transaxial do tomógrafo, obteve-se um ganho no sistema PET, com geometria elíptica, de 28,7% em relação ao sistema convencional, de geometria circular. Para o phantom deslocado à 10 cm do centro do FOV transaxial, a sensibilidade do sistema PET elíptico foi 26,2% superior em relação ao circular. O tempo de aquisição para cada simulação neste teste foi de 400 s. Para os testes de Fração de Espalhamento e NEC foram realizadas 33 simulações, para cada geometria, variando o tempo de aquisição e a atividade. A fração de espalhamento na geometria elíptica foi de 35,5% e na circular 34,6%. Na geometria circular, a curva NEC atinge o pico máximo em 259,3 kcps a uma concentração de atividade de 34,1 kBq ml-1 , já para geometria elíptica, o pico máximo é atingido em 239,1 kcps a uma concentração de atividade de 24,8 kBq ml-1 . As medidas foram adquiridas em três posições transaxiais (x,y) no centro do FOV e, posteriormente, deslocadas em ¼ do centro do FOV, totalizando 6 medidas para cada geometria. Para cada uma destas 6 medidas, encontrou-se a FWHM (largura a meia altura) e a FWTM (largura a 10% do máximo) nos 3 eixos de coordenadas (x,y,z), assim, para cada geometria proposta obteve-se 18 valores de FWHM e 18 valores de FWTM. A geometria elíptica apresentou melhoras na resolução espacial em FWHM em 4 dos 18 valores de resolução. Já para FWTM, a geometria elíptica apresentou melhora em 8 dos 18 valores de resolução. Em relação a FWHM, onde houve melhora na resolução espacial, teve-se um ganho médio de 18,7%. Já as perdas, em resolução espacial foi em média 43,26%. Para FWTM, a melhora em resolução espacial foi em média 12,09%, mas a perda de resolução, neste caso, foi em média 45,59%. Pode-se concluir que a geometria proposta apresenta algumas vantagens em relação a geometria convencional. Na geometria elíptica há uma redução de 10 blocos de cristais em relação a geometria circular, o que possivelmente gera uma redução no custo de fabricação do tomógrafo. Em relação a sensibilidade, há uma melhora significativa para nova geometria, bem como uma redução da concentração da atividade na qual o tomógrafo alcança seu melhor desempenho, embora ocorra uma ligeira diminuição na taxa de contagens no sistema elíptico. Essa redução na concentração de atividade pode ocasionar uma redução no tempo de exame e utilização de menos material radioativo, reduzindo o risco ao paciente e o custo do exame, bem como possibilitando a realização de um maior número de exames num mesmo intervalo de tempo. A fração de espalhamento do sistema elíptico é ligeiramente maior em relação ao sistema circular. A principal perda do sistema PET elíptico está na resolução espacial, onde não houve melhoras para maior parte das medidas realizadas, necessitando de alguns ajustes que pode se dar, entre outras coisas, no arranjo dos blocos de cristais. Acredita-se que ajustes na angulação dos detectores e na formação das coincidências seja possível melhorias nas resoluções, e NEC. / Among the diagnostic imaging techniques, in Nuclear Medicine, have been prominent in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). PET provides functional images of the region or organ of interest, allowing diagnostic of various diseases and also a mapping of the development or regression of the same. Current PET systems feature blocks arranged in circular geometry crystals, but the search for new arrangements, in different geometries, is relevant because it can provide a better performance of these scanners. The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of a PET system consisting of blocks of crystals ellipsoidal arrangement. For this study, we used the GATE simulation environment for emission tomography that presented satisfactory results compared to the devices used in the clinical routine. This way we prepared two PET systems, the first one containing 46 blocks of crystals arranged in a circular geometry, where the opposite detectors were separated by a distance of 816.4 mm in the transaxial direction. In the second case, we used 36 blocks of crystals arranged in an elliptical geometry, where the detectors are separated a distance of 500 mm in the vertical direction and 816.4 mm in the horizontal direction. After the simulations were performed, the validation tests for sensitivity, scatter fraction, NEC (Noise Equivalent Count Rate) and Spatial Resolution were made, to finally evaluate and compare the performance of the PET system for both proposed geometries. The tests were made accordingly to specified NEMA NU 2-2007 standard. For the sensitivity test, with the phantom located in the center of FOV transaxial of the tomography, we obtained a gain in PET system with elliptical geometry of 28.7% compared to the conventional system, the circular geometry. For the phantom shifted to 10 cm from the center of the transaxial FOV, the sensitivity of PET elliptical system was 26.2% higher than in the circular. The acquisition time for each simulation in this test was 400 s. For Scatter Fraction test and NEC, were made 33 simulations for each geometry, varying the time of acquisition and activity. The scatter fraction in the elliptical geometry was 35,5% and 34,6% in the circular geometry. In the circular geometry, NEC curve reaches its peak in 259.3 kcps at an activity concentration of 34.1 kBq ml-1, for the elliptical geometry, the maximum peak is reached at 239.1 kcps at an activity concentration of 24.8 kBq ml-1. For the spatial resolution test we used a point source containing 18F with 4 MBq activity and acquisition time of 200 s. The measurements were acquired in three transaxials positions (x,y) in the center of FOV and, shifted in ¼ of the center of the FOV, summarizing 6 measurements for each geometry. For each one of these 6 measurements, we found the FWHM (Full width at half-maximum amplitude) and the FWTM (Full width at tenth-maximum amplitude) in the three axis (x,y,z), in this way, for each proposed geometry, we obtained 18 values of FWHM and 18 values of FWTM. The elliptical geometry showed improvement in the spatial resolution in FWHM in 4 of the 18 resolution values. For the FWTM, the elliptical geometry showed improvement in 8 of 18 resolution values. Regarding the FWHM, where there was an improvement in spatial resolution, we obtained the average gain of 18,7%. For the losses, in spatial resolution was an average of 43,26%. For the FWTM, the improvement in spatial resolution was an average percentage of 12,09%, while the loss of resolution had the average percentage of 45,59%. It can be concluded that the proposed geometry showed some advantages regarding the traditional geometry. In the elliptical geometry there is one reduction of 10 blocks of crystals in relation to the circular geometry, which possibly can cut fabrication costs of the tomography. Regarding to sensibility, there is a significant improvement for the new geometry, as well as one reduction of the activity concentration in which the tomography reaches the best performance, although the occurrence of a slight fall in the counts in the elliptical system. This reduction in the activity concentration can help to reduce the test time and the use less radioactive material, reducing the risk for the patients and the test costs, as well as improving the number of tests in the same period of time. The scattering fraction in the elliptical system is slight higher to the circular system. The major loss in the elliptical PET system is the spatial resolution, where there was not improvement for the great fraction of the obtained measurements, requiring some modifications that can be made, in special, in the crystal blocks arrangement. It is believed that some modifications to the angle of the detectors and in the formation of the coincidences can improve the resolutions and NEC.