[Method of creating a paper phantom for SPECT evaluation].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to find a method of creating a paper phantom for SPECT evaluation. The method included preparing paper surface sources with an ink-jet printer and placing them evenly spaced apart.


METHODS
We prepared a paper surface source with the ink-jet printer fixed on an ink cartridge laced with (99m)Tc. We then set it and Styrofoam in turn, to develop a paper phantom for SPECT evaluation. The evaluation method was 1) accuracy evaluation of the paper surface source, 2) activity control, 3) pitch of the paper surface source, 4) activity concentration of ink, 5) spot phantom.


RESULTS
1) accuracy was good, 2) activity control was possible, 3)% root mean square uncertainty (%RMSU) was equal to or less than 5% on average, when the pitch of the paper surface source did not exceed 10 mm. 4) The radioactivity concentration was radioactivity 9.7 kBq/cm(2) of the paper surface source per radioactivity 37 MBq/ml of the ink. 5) We were able to create a spot phantom easily.


CONCLUSIONS
The pitch of the paper surface source must not exceed 10 mm to use a paper phantom for SPECT evaluation. This is a simple method to control activity density in phantom experiments.
Department of Radiology, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital.
Hajime
H
Ichikawa
D007281:Ink; D010209:Paper; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011327:Printing; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*