Performance Characteristics of the 5-Ring GE Discovery Mi PET/CT Scanner Using AAPM Tg-126 Report

Authors

Refaat Y AlMazrou
Shadei F Alanazi
Mohammed H Alzaid
Razan S Al-Fakhranee
Shanli Ding
Osama R Mawlawi

Publication Date

4-1-2024

Journal

Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics

Abstract

AIM: To report on the performance characteristics of the 5-ring GE Discovery MI PET/CT systems using the AAPM TG-126 report and compare these results to NEMA NU 2-2012 where applicable.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: TG-126 testing was performed on two GE 5-Rings Discovery MI scanners. Tests performed included spatial resolution, PET/CT image-registration accuracy, sensitivity, count rate performance, accuracy of corrections, image contrast, scatter/attenuation correction, and image uniformity. All acquired data were analyzed using scanner console or free software tools as described by TG-126 and the results were then compared to published NEMA NU 2-2012 values.

RESULTS: Both scanners gave similar resolution results for TG-126 and NEMA NU 2-2012 and were within manufacturer specifications. Image-registration accuracy between PET and CT using our clinical protocol showed excellent results with values ≤1 mm. Sensitivity using TG-126 was 19.43 cps/kBq while for NEMA the value was 20.73 cps/kBq. The peak noise-equivalent counting rate was 2174 kcps at 63.1 kBq/mL and is not comparable to NEMA NU 2-2012 due to differences in phantoms and methods used to measure and calculate this parameter. The accuracy of corrections for count losses for TG-126 were expressed in SUV values and found to be within 10% of the expected SUV measurement of 1. Image contrast and scatter/attenuation correction using the TG-126 method gave acceptable results. Image uniformity assessment resulted in values within the recommended ± 5% limits.

CONCLUSION: These results show that the 5-ring GE Discovery MI PET/CT scanner testing using TG-126 is reproducible and has similar results to NEMA NU 2-2012 tests where applicable. We hope these results start to form the basis to compare PET/CT systems using TG-126.

Keywords

Humans, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography, Positron-Emission Tomography, Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed, Phantoms, Imaging, Software, AAPM TG‐126, acceptance testing, NEMA NU 2‐2012, PET/CT

Comments

PMID: 38415897