title: Point-like radioactive source with multiple absorber capsules for evaluating PET scanners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radioactive sources for evaluating sensitivity and uncertainty in the radioactivity measurements performed using PET scanners must be equipped with absorber materials that ensure the annihilation of positrons. Attenuation and scattering owing to the absorber materials produce uncertainty in the performance evaluation. The aim of this study is to propose a point-like radioactive source with multiple absorber capsules, for which evaluation can be independent of scatter and attenuation owing to the source absorbers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The point-like source consists of a small spherical radioactive part and a set of successively sized cylindrical aluminum absorber capsules. Data were collected for different total absorber thicknesses. By an extrapolation technique, the effects of the source absorbers were eliminated. Sensitivity and uncertainty in the radioactivity measurements of PET scanners were evaluated with this technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity and uncertainty of radioactivity measurement to the point-like radioactive source were evaluated successfully with this method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed point-like radioactive source is useful for evaluating performance characteristics of PET scanners in a way that is independent of the effects of the source absorbers.
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 228-8555, Japan. hasegawa@kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Taiga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaya
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011851:Radioactivity; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D035501:Uncertainty