Parathyroid Scintigraphy - European Association of Nuclear Medicine
Parathyroid Scintigraphy - European Association of Nuclear Medicine
Parathyroid Scintigraphy - European Association of Nuclear Medicine
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Imaging equipment – preparation and use<br />
José Pires Jorge and Regis Lecoultre<br />
Quality control procedures that must be<br />
satisfactorily performed before imaging<br />
After acceptance testing, a QC protocol must<br />
be set up in each department and followed<br />
in accordance with national guidelines. The<br />
following routine quality control test schedule<br />
is typical:<br />
a) Daily energy peaking<br />
b) Daily flood uniformity tests<br />
c) Daily gamma camera sensitivity measurement<br />
d) Weekly linearity and resolution assessment<br />
e) Weekly centre-<strong>of</strong>-rotation calibration<br />
A routine quality control programme for a<br />
SPECT gamma camera includes quality control<br />
procedures appropriate to planar scintillation<br />
cameras (a–d) and specific SPECT quality controls<br />
(e). Further, more complex tests should be<br />
undertaken on a less frequent basis.<br />
Energy peaking<br />
This quality control procedure consists in<br />
“peaking” the gamma camera for relevant<br />
energies prior to obtaining flood images. It<br />
is mandatory that the energy peaking is undertaken<br />
on a daily basis and for each radionuclide<br />
used.<br />
1<br />
Checking the peaking is needed to ascertain<br />
that:<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
The camera automatic peaking circuitry is<br />
working properly<br />
The shape <strong>of</strong> the spectrum is correct<br />
The energy peak appears at the correct<br />
energy<br />
There is no accidental contamination <strong>of</strong> the<br />
gamma camera<br />
It is recommended that the spectra obtained<br />
during peaking tests are recorded.<br />
Daily flood uniformity tests<br />
After a successful peaking test it is recommended<br />
that a uniformity test is performed<br />
on a daily basis. Flood fields are acquired and<br />
evaluation <strong>of</strong> camera uniformity can be made<br />
on a visual assessment. Quantitative parameters<br />
should also be computed regularly and<br />
recorded in order both to demonstrate sudden<br />
variations from normal and to alert the<br />
technologist to progressive deterioration in<br />
the equipment. On cameras that have interchangeable<br />
uniformity correction maps, it<br />
is vital that one is used that is for the correct<br />
nuclide, accurate and up to date.<br />
Daily gamma camera sensitivity<br />
measurement<br />
A practical means <strong>of</strong> measuring sensitivity is