RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Performance Characteristics Obtained for a New 3-Dimensional Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate–Based Whole-Body PET/CT Scanner with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU 2-2001 Standard
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 2083
OP 2091
VO 46
IS 12
A1 Marco Brambilla
A1 Chiara Secco
A1 Marco Dominietto
A1 Roberta Matheoud
A1 Gianmauro Sacchetti
A1 Eugenio Inglese
YR 2005
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/46/12/2083.abstract
AB This article reports the results of performance measurements obtained for the lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)–based whole-body PET/CT scanner Biograph 16 HI-REZ with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 2-2001 standard. The Biograph 16 HI-REZ combines a multislice (16-slice) spiral CT scanner with a PET scanner composed of 24.336 LSO crystals arranged in 39 rings. The crystal dimensions are 4.0 × 4.0 × 20 mm3, and the crystals are organized in 13 × 13 blocks coupled to 4 photomultiplier tubes each. The 39 rings allow the acquisition of 81 images 2.0 mm thick, covering an axial field of view of 162 mm. The low- and high-energy thresholds are set to 425 and 650 keV, respectively, acquiring data within a 4.5-ns-wide coincidence window. Methods: Performance measurements for the LSO-based PET/CT scanner were obtained with the NEMA NU 2-2001 standard, taking into account issues deriving from the presence of intrinsic radiation. Results: The results obtained with the NEMA NU 2-2001 standard measurements were as follows: average transverse and axial spatial resolutions (full width at half maximum) at 1 cm and at 10 cm off axis of 4.61 (5.10) mm and 5.34 (5.91) mm, respectively; average sensitivity of 4.92 counts per second per kilobecquerel for the 2 radial positions (0 and 10 cm); 34.1% system scatter fraction; and peak noise equivalent count (NEC) rates of 84.77 kilocounts per second (kcps) at 28.73 kBq/mL (k = 1 in the NEC formula; noiseless random correction) and 58.71 kcps at 21.62 kBq/mL (k = 2; noisy random correction). Conclusion: The new integrated PET/CT system Biograph 16 HI-REZ has good overall performance, with, in particular, a high resolution, a low scatter fraction, and a very good NEC response.