title: Microfocus x-ray imaging of traceable pointlike (22)Na sources for quality control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to propose a microfocus x-ray imaging technique for observing the internal structure of small radioactive sources and evaluating geometrical errors quantitatively, and to apply this technique to traceable pointlike (22)Na sources, which were designed for positron emission tomography calibration, for the purpose of quality control of the pointlike sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  A microfocus x-ray imaging system with a focus size of 0.001 mm was used to obtain projection x-ray images and x-ray CT images of five pointlike source samples, which were manufactured during 2009-2012. The obtained projection and tomographic images were used to observe the internal structure and evaluate geometrical errors quantitatively. Monte Carlo simulation was used to evaluate the effect of possible geometrical errors on the intensity and uniformity of 0.511 MeV annihilation photon pairs emitted from the sources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geometrical errors were evaluated with sufficient precision using projection x-ray images. CT images were used for observing the internal structure intuitively. As a result, four of the five examined samples were within the tolerance to maintain the total uncertainty below ±0.5%, given the source radioactivity; however, one sample was found to be defective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This quality control procedure is crucial and offers an important basis for using the pointlike (22)Na source as a basic calibration tool. The microfocus x-ray imaging approach is a promising technique for visual and quantitative evaluation of the internal geometry of small radioactive sources.
authors: Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan. hasegawa@kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Hasegawa
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Oda
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Sato
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ito
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Masuda
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Yamada
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Matsumoto
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Murayama
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Takei
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007564:Japan; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D011859:Radiography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012979:Sodium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012979:Sodium Radioisotopes