title: Innovative methodology for intercomparison of radionuclide calibrators using short half-life in situ prepared radioactive sources.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An original radionuclide calibrator method for activity determination is presented. The method could be used for intercomparison surveys for short half-life radioactive sources used in Nuclear Medicine, such as(99m)Tc or most positron emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals.
  
  
  METHODS
  By evaluation of the resulting net optical density (netOD) using a standardized scanning method of irradiated Gafchromic XRQA2 film, a comparison of the netOD measurement with a previously determined calibration curve can be made and the difference between the tested radionuclide calibrator and a radionuclide calibrator used as reference device can be calculated. To estimate the total expected measurement uncertainties, a careful analysis of the methodology, for the case of(99m)Tc, was performed: reproducibility determination, scanning conditions, and possible fadeout effects. Since every factor of the activity measurement procedure can influence the final result, the method also evaluates correct syringe positioning inside the radionuclide calibrator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As an alternative to using a calibrated source sent to the surveyed site, which requires a relatively long half-life of the nuclide, or sending a portable calibrated radionuclide calibrator, the proposed method uses a source preparedin situ. An indirect activity determination is achieved by the irradiation of a radiochromic film using (99m)Tc under strictly controlled conditions, and cumulated activity calculation from the initial activity and total irradiation time. The irradiated Gafchromic film and the irradiator, without the source, can then be sent to a National Metrology Institute for evaluation of the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The methodology described in this paper showed to have a good potential for accurate (3%) radionuclide calibrators intercomparison studies for(99m)Tc between Nuclear Medicine centers without source transfer and can easily be adapted to other short half-life radionuclides.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação do Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, EPE, Porto, Portugal and Departamento de Física e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação do Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, EPE, Porto, Portugal; Serviço de Física Médica do Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, EPE, Porto, Portugal; Serviço de Medicina Nuclear do Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, EPE, Porto, Portugal; and Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D005373:Film Dosimetry; D006207:Half-Life; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D013667:Technetium / Q000032:analysis; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D013667:Technetium