Performance characteristics obtained for a new 3-dimensional lutetium oxyorthosilicate-based whole-body PET/CT scanner with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU 2-2001 standard.
This article reports the results of performance measurements obtained for the lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)-based whole-body PET/CT scanner Biograph 16 HI-REZ with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 2-2001 standard. The Biograph 16 HI-REZ combines a multislice (16-slice) spiral CT scanner with a PET scanner composed of 24.336 LSO crystals arranged in 39 rings. The crystal dimensions are 4.0x4.0x20 mm3, and the crystals are organized in 13x13 blocks coupled to 4 photomultiplier tubes each. The 39 rings allow the acquisition of 81 images 2.0 mm thick, covering an axial field of view of 162 mm. The low- and high-energy thresholds are set to 425 and 650 keV, respectively, acquiring data within a 4.5-ns-wide coincidence window.


METHODS
Performance measurements for the LSO-based PET/CT scanner were obtained with the NEMA NU 2-2001 standard, taking into account issues deriving from the presence of intrinsic radiation.


RESULTS
The results obtained with the NEMA NU 2-2001 standard measurements were as follows: average transverse and axial spatial resolutions (full width at half maximum) at 1 cm and at 10 cm off axis of 4.61 (5.10) mm and 5.34 (5.91) mm, respectively; average sensitivity of 4.92 counts per second per kilobecquerel for the 2 radial positions (0 and 10 cm); 34.1% system scatter fraction; and peak noise equivalent count (NEC) rates of 84.77 kilocounts per second (kcps) at 28.73 kBq/mL (k=1 in the NEC formula; noiseless random correction) and 58.71 kcps at 21.62 kBq/mL (k=2; noisy random correction).


CONCLUSIONS
The new integrated PET/CT system Biograph 16 HI-REZ has good overall performance, with, in particular, a high resolution, a low scatter fraction, and a very good NEC response.
Brambilla
Marco
M
Health Physics Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy. marco.brambilla@maggioreosp.novara.it
Secco
Chiara
C
Dominietto
Marco
M
Matheoud
Roberta
R
Sacchetti
Gianmauro
G
Inglese
Eugenio
E
D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008187:Lutetium / Q000737:chemistry*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011786:Quality Control; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D013997:Time Factors; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
D017640:Silicates; D008187:Lutetium