PET/CT acceptance testing and quality assurance: Executive summary of AAPM Task Group 126 Report Guidelines


Authors: Lopez, B. P.; Jordan, D. W.; Kemp, B. J.; Kinahan, P. E.; Schmidtlein, C. R.; Mawlawi, O. R.
Title: PET/CT acceptance testing and quality assurance: Executive summary of AAPM Task Group 126 Report
Abstract: Purpose: A Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography quality assurance program is necessary to ensure that patients receive optimal imaging and care. We summarize the AAPM Task Group (TG) 126 report on acceptance and quality assurance (QA) testing of PET/CT systems. Methods: TG 126 was charged with developing PET/CT acceptance testing and QA procedures. The TG aimed to develop procedures that would allow for standardized evaluation of existing short-axis cylindrical-bore PET/CT systems in the spirit of NEMA NU 2 standards without requiring specialized phantoms or proprietary software tools. Results: We outline eight performance evaluations using common phantoms and freely available software whereby the clinical physicist monitors each PET/CT system by comparing periodic Follow-Up Measurements to Baseline Measurements acquired during acceptance testing. For each of the eight evaluations, we also summarize the expected testing time and materials necessary and the recommended pass/fail criteria. Conclusion: Our report provides a guideline for periodic evaluations of most clinical PET/CT systems that simplifies procedures and requirements outlined by other agencies and will facilitate performance comparisons across vendors, models, and institutions. © 2020 American Association of Physicists in Medicine
Keywords: positron emission tomography; quality assurance; pet; pet/ct; positron emission tomography/computed tomographies; phantoms; proprietary software; acceptance testing; performance comparison; software testing; optimal imaging; cylindrical bore; freely available software; testing time; acceptance tests
Journal Title: Medical Physics
Volume: 48
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0094-2405
Publisher: American Association of Physicists in Medicine  
Date Published: 2021-02-01
Start Page: e31
End Page: e35
Language: English
DOI: 10.1002/mp.14656
PUBMED: 33320364
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 April 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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