TU‐A‐18A‐01: Basic Principles of PET/CT, Calibration Methods and Contrast Recovery Across Multiple Cameras

Abstract

This continuing education session will discuss the physical principles of PET/CT imaging and characterization of contrast recovery using accreditation phantoms.A detailed overview will be given on the physical principles of PET including positron decay physics, 2D and 3D data acquisition, time‐of‐flight, scatter correction, CT attenuation correction, and image reconstruction. Instrument quality control and calibration procedures will be discussed. Technical challenges, common image artifacts and strategies to mitigate these issues will also be discussed.Data will be presented on acquisition techniques and reconstruction parameters affecting contrast recovery. The discussion will emphasize the minimization of reconstruction differences in quantification metrics such as SUV and contrast recovery coefficients for the NEMA and ACR clinical trial phantoms. Data from new and older generation scanners will be shown including comparison of contrast recovery measurements to their analytical solutions.The goal of this session is to update attendees on the quality control and calibration of PET/CT scanners, on methods to establish a common calibration for PET/CT scanners to control for instrument variance across multiple sites.Learning Objectives: Review the physical principles of PET/CT, quality control and calibration Gain further understanding on how to apply techniques for improving quantitative agreement across multiple cameras Describe the differences between measured and expected contrast recovery for the NEMA and ACR PET phantoms