PET performance measurements for an LSO-based combined PET/CT scanner using the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU 2-2001 standard.
Results of performance measurements for a lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)-based PET/CT scanner using new National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 2-2001 standards are reported.


METHODS
Performance measurements following the NU 2-2001 standards were performed on an LSO-based PET/CT scanner. In addition, issues associated with the application of the NEMA standard to LSO-based tomographs in the presence of intrinsic radiation are discussed.


RESULTS
We report on some difficulties experienced in following the suggested NEMA measurement techniques and describe alternative approaches. Measurements with the new standard (as compared with NU-1994) incorporate the effects of activity outside the scanner and facilitate measurements of the entire axial field of view. Realistic clinical conditions are also simulated in image quality measurements of a torso phantom.


CONCLUSIONS
We find that, with appropriate modifications, NU 2-2001 can be successfully applied to LSO-based scanners.
Erdi
Yusuf E
YE
Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. erdiy@mskcc.org
Nehmeh
Sadek A
SA
Mulnix
Tim
T
Humm
John L
JL
Watson
Charles C
CC
D015902:Gamma Cameras / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008187:Lutetium; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D017640:Silicates; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D017640:Silicates; C477682:lutetium orthosilicate; D008187:Lutetium