NEMA and other quality control of PET system

The introduction of PET more than 2 decades ago has revolutionized oncologic imaging and fostered a new understanding of molecular alterations of cancer cells. Interest in PET especially increased after the introduction of PET/CT scanners, which allowed for the collection of both anatomic information and metabolic or functional information in vivo in one scanning session. Depending on the scanner, acceptance testing & complete yearly / scheduled quality controls can be completed in three to five days. Some of the essential tests as recommended by NEMA are: 1. Spatial resolution 2. Sensitivity 3. Scatter fraction, count losses and random measurements 4. Energy resolution 5. Image quality and accuracy of attenuation, and scatter correction and quantitation 6. Coincidence timing resolution for TOF