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In single-photon emission computed tomography, the unknown is an emitting source, rather than the absorption coefficient reconstructed by transmission computed tomography. Photons emitted at different points on the same ray are weighted by their probability of surviving the path to the detector. If the known attenuation is $a$ and the detector is at the positive end of the ray, the data are an attenuated Radon transformThe directional transport equation is $\mathbf{d}\cdot \nabla u+au=f$ with zero incoming intensity. An integrating factor derives this attenuation weight. The same complexification, boundary-value and jump strategy gives spectral reconstruction of an attenuated Radon transform when attenuation is known. The unattenuated inverse from part (d) applies directly only when $a=0$; for nonzero attenuation the weighted jump and inverse must be used. This distinction allows emission imaging of the source without confusing it with reconstruction of the absorbing medium.

Keep the coordinates and operator $D_k$ from part (a). The attenuation $f$ is known, and the source $g$ is to be reconstructed. Put $F(\rho ,\tau ,\theta )={\int }_{\tau }^{\infty }f(s\cos \theta -\rho \sin \theta ,s\sin \theta +\rho \cos \theta )ds$ and $S(\rho ,\theta )=\mathcal{R}f={\int }_{\mathbb{R}}fd\tau$. The directed forward attenuated Radon transform, for a detector at the positive end of the line, isThis weight accounts for absorption from each emission point to the detector. It is also derived by solving the real transport equation ${\partial }_{\tau }u+fu=g$ with zero incoming intensity: its outgoing limit is $A_f$. In particular reversing the line direction generally changes the measurement. The pair reconstructs $g$ from full directed data and known $f$; it does not infer both unknown functions from the same data.

We must specify the sign convention for the projectors. Use the Hilbert transform $Hv(\rho )={\pi }^{-1}\mathrm{PV}{\int }_{\mathbb{R}}v(s)/(\rho -s)ds$ and the signed Cauchy boundary operatorsThen $P^{+}-P^{-}=I$, and the positive idempotent projectors are $P^{+}$ and $-P^{-}$. This is the signed boundary-value convention in the given limits of $M$. To express everything with ordinary complementary projectors, one may instead write ${\Pi }_{+}=P^{+}$, ${\Pi }_{-}=-P^{-}$. The given limits becomeBoth $a_{\pm }$ depend on the transverse coordinate and direction but are constant along $\tau$.

The equation $D_{k}M=f$ supplies an integrating factor:where $T_k$ is the inverse of unattenuated complex transport, normalized to vanish at spatial infinity. To see the normalization and analyticity rather than assume them, let $w=x_1+i{x}_2$. The complexified transport Cauchy kernel isIn the rotated coordinates, $E_k=[2\pi |B|(\tau +iA\rho /B){]}^{-1}$. The identity ${\partial }_{\bar{z}}(1/(\pi z))=\delta$ and the Jacobian $A/|B|$ prove $D_k{E}_k=\delta$ with exactly this normalization. The denominator cannot vanish for nonzero real $w$ off the unit circle. The kernel is analytic separately inside and outside that circle, is $O(k)$ at zero and $O(k^{-1})$ at infinity. Thus $M=T_{k}f$ and the displayed $\mu$ have the corresponding spectral behavior for the smooth decaying data. In particular $\mu =O(k^{-1})$ at infinity and is bounded, indeed $O(k)$, at zero.

The limiting unattenuated inverse on any smooth decaying input $h$ isOne may verify this directly in the rotated Fourier variables: $D_k$ has multiplier $iA\xi -B\eta$, so its inverse has a pole at $\xi =-iB\eta /A$. As $B\to 0^{+}$, the positive transverse frequencies have the negative tail primitive and the negative transverse frequencies have the positive past primitive; for $B\to 0^{-}$ these allocations reverse. Splitting with the Fourier projectors ${\Pi }_{\pm }$ yields exactly the two formulas above. Applying them to $f$ reproduces the assumed limits of $M$ and checks the signs.

Now apply the same limiting inverse to $h=e^{M^{\pm }}g$. Because $a_{\pm }$ are independent of $\tau$, its line integral is $e^{a_{\pm }}{A}_f$, while its tail is $e^{a_{\pm }}{\int }_{\tau }^{\infty }{e}^{-F}gds$. HenceThe unknown incomplete line integral cancels in their difference. All remaining quantities are obtained from the measurements and known attenuation:Each projection acts in $\rho$ at fixed $\theta$, before evaluating $\rho =-x_1\sin \theta +x_2\cos \theta$ and $\tau =x_1\cos \theta +x_2\sin \theta$. Pulling a transverse-dependent exponential outside a projector would be incorrect.

The sectionally analytic $\mu$ therefore solves an additive Riemann-Hilbert problem on the counterclockwise unit circle, with the plus value inside. The normalized Cauchy integral formula isThe Sokhotski–Plemelj theorem gives its jump; boundedness at zero and decay at infinity make it unique by the Liouville theorem. Its expansion at infinity isSubstitute into the original equation. The $k{\partial }_{x_1}-ik{\partial }_{x_2}$ part contributes at order one, the reciprocal derivative and $f\mu$ vanish at that order. This derives the projection formula for inverse attenuated Radon transform:Together with the boxed forward transform this is the requested pair. The derivation uses no small-attenuation approximation. For smooth compactly supported data the operations above are justified directly; sufficient integrable decay permits the same limiting construction.

As a normalization check, set $f=0$. Then $S=F=0$, $A_f=\mathcal{R}g$ and $J=(P^{-}+P^{+})\mathcal{R}g=iH\mathcal{R}g$. Since the line transform is independent of $\tau$ and $e^{i\theta }({\partial }_{x_1}-i{\partial }_{x_2})={\partial }_{\tau }-i{\partial }_{\rho }$, the formula reduces tothe full-angle inverse Radon transform. For the radial Gaussian $g=e^{-|x{|}^2}$, $\mathcal{R}g=\sqrt{\pi }{e}^{-{\rho }^2}$ and ${\partial }_{\rho }H\mathcal{R}g(0)=2$, so the reconstructed value at the origin is $1$, checking the $1/(4\pi )$ factor.

In single-photon emission computed tomography, $g$ represents the internal emission density, $f$ the known absorption coefficient and $A_f$ the directed detector counts. Each path integral weights a source point by its survival probability to the detector. Thus the attenuated Radon transform is the forward measurement model and its derived inverse reconstructs the emission distribution, providing the mathematical basis of SPECT.

Assume for this spectral construction that the source and known attenuation are sufficiently smooth and decaying, for instance compactly supported, and that $\mu \ge 0$ for the physical interpretation. The following steps identify both the forward attenuated Radon transform and the route to its inversion.

First write the complex transport operator asFor $k=e^{i\theta }$ this is the real directional derivative ${\mathbf{d}}_{\theta }\cdot \nabla$, with ${\mathbf{d}}_{\theta }=(\cos \theta ,\sin \theta )$. Put ${\mathbf{n}}_{\theta }=(-\sin \theta ,\cos \theta )$ and $x=p{\mathbf{n}}_{\theta }+s{\mathbf{d}}_{\theta }$. The spectral equation on the unit circle becomesIts minus sign fixes the appropriate endpoint condition: use $F(p,+\infty )=0$. The integrating factor givesThus the measured quantity at the opposite end of the line isThe exponent is the attenuation accumulated between the source point and the detector at the negative end. The common convention with detector at the positive end is the same transform after reversing the direction, ${\mathcal{R}}_{\mu }^{+}f(p,\theta )={\mathcal{R}}_{\mu }^{-}f(-p,\theta +\pi )$. Using an incoming zero condition at the negative end while retaining the printed minus sign would instead give a growing integrating factor, not physical attenuation.

Next, for $|k|\ne 1$, the operator $L_k$ is a complex elliptic first-order operator. Its decaying whole-plane Green function isThis is obtained by a real-linear change of variables in the Cauchy-Green operator; its change of orientation explains the sign. Write $G_{k}a$ for convolution with this kernel. Solve $L_{k}h=\mu$, and set $F=e^h\Psi$. This removes the attenuation:The normalized spectral solution is analytic separately inside and outside the unit circle. As $k$ approaches that circle, the Green function's characteristic singularity produces two limiting values. Their relation is computed from the weighted line integrals above together with transverse Hilbert transforms; the known attenuation determines the integrating factor weights. The two spectral limits are not individually just the incoming and outgoing real characteristic solutions: the singular-kernel prescription matters.

Finally formulate the resulting additive Riemann-Hilbert problem on the unit circle. Its jump is determined by the measured attenuated Radon transform and known $\mu$. With the unit circle oriented counterclockwise and jump $J=F_{\mathrm{inside}}-F_{\mathrm{outside}}$, a Cauchy integral formula reconstructs the normalized spectral solution:The normalization at zero supplies the compatibility condition $\int J/\zeta d\zeta =0$. Recover $f$ from $L_{k}F-\mu F$, or from its small-$k$ coefficient: if $F=k{F}_1+O(k^2)$, then $f={\partial }_{\bar{z}}{F}_1$. Equivalently the large-$k$ coefficient gives $f={\partial }_z{F}_{-1}$ when $F=k^{-1}{F}_{-1}+O(k^{-2})$. This spectral reconstruction of an attenuated Radon transform is the analogue of recovering $q$ from a coefficient in (ii). Known attenuation and full directed line data are inputs; one does not determine an arbitrary unknown attenuation and source simultaneously from this argument.

Let $F(\rho ,\tau ,\theta )={\int }_{\tau }^{\infty }f(s\mathbf{d}+\rho \mathbf{n})ds$, $S=\mathcal{R}f$, and $A={\int }_{\mathbb{R}}{e}^{-F}gd\tau$ be the directed attenuated Radon transform. With the signed Cauchy boundary operators, set $J=e^F[e^{P^{-}S}{P}^{-}(e^{-P^{-}S}A)+e^{-P^{+}S}{P}^{+}(e^{P^{+}S}A)]$. An integrating factor turns the attenuated equation into unattenuated directional transport; its spectral solution has jump $-J$ on the unit circle. A normalized Cauchy integral formula and the coefficient at spectral infinity then prove the reconstruction formula. Known attenuation and full directed angular data determine the source; attenuation itself is not reconstructed by this pair.

A form of tomography that reconstructs an internal radioactive source from directional counts of individually emitted photons. Known spatial photon absorption gives the exponential path weight in an attenuated Radon transform. Full directed data and a suitable reconstruction formula recover the source intensity rather than a transmitted exterior-beam attenuation map.

Tomography reconstructs an interior distribution from measurements along multiple lines or paths through it. A linear unattenuated model is the Radon transform; absorption changes it to an attenuated Radon transform.