Gamma Camera QC
Gamma Camera QC
Gamma Camera QC
Equipment:
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Pulse- Scaler
Amplifier height Display
analyzer Processor
Ratemeter
High-voltage
supply
Scanner drive
Scanner head mechanism Display
devices
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D
lead Collimator
crystal
septa
side
Focal
distance
Focal
Patient’s
plane Focal point
d side
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THE ANGER
SCINTILLATION CAMERA
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Hal O. Anger
The Anger Scintillation Camera
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COLLIMATOR SYSTEM
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COLLIMATOR TYPES
Image in crystal Image in crystal
Object
2. PARALLEL HOLE
Object
1. PINHOLE
Image in crystal
Image in crystal
Object
Object
3. CONVERGING 4. DIVERGING
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COLLIMATORS
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The effect of collimator-to-object distance on collimator
performance parameters
Scintillation light
exits to PM tubes
NaI(Tl) Glass
crystal entrance
window
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zzzzzzzz
Most modern
cameras employ
between 30 and Typical PM tube sizes
100 PM tubes. are 5 cm in diameter.
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Pulses Y position
from pulse Cathode
Position
individual ray tube
circuit X position
PMTs
pulse
Logic pulse
(if Z in
Summing Single window of
circuit channel SCA)
Z
analyzer
energy
pulse
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Position Corrected
and position and
ADCs energy energy
signals signals
Pulses
from Digital
individual position Y Digital Y
circuit energy Digital
PMTs
X and X computer
spatial
linearity
Digital correction Z
summing circuits
circuit Z
Analog Digital
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Light sharing between photomultiplier tubes
X- X+
Y- X
Y
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Y+
X- X+
Y- X
Y
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Y+
X- X+
Y- X
Y
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ENERGY SELECTION
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ENERGY SELECTION
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Cardiac Gamma
Camera
Breast Gamma
Camera
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Mainly used for Gated
Blood Pool scanning
and studies on
patients in intensive
care.
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Mainly used for high
energy imaging, renal,
colonic & small
bowel transit and
thyroid studes.
Dual-headed Gamma
Camera-used for SPECT
studies of brains, breast
lymphoscintigraphy, whole
body bone scans and
general SPECT studies.
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Gamma Camera
SPECT
SYSTEMS
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PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
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Intrinsic Spatial Resolution
is the limit of spatial resolution of the gamma camera
achievable by the detector and the electronics.
Is limited by the following factors:
1. Multiple scattering of the photons within the
detector
2. Statistical fluctuation in the distribution of light
photons among PMTs
Improves with increased efficiency of collection of
scintillation photons.
The use of thinner crystal, greater number of PM tubes
and improved electronics also contribute to the
improvement of intrinsic resolution.
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System Resolution
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FWHM
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Detection Efficiency
Detection efficiency improves with thicker
crystals (note that intrinsic resolution improves
with thinner crystals)
At higher energies, decreasing detection
efficiency as well as increasing collimator
septal penetration limits the performance of
gamma cameras with 0.64- to 1.27-cm thick
crystals
Because of these, the optimal gamma ray
energy range is approximately between 100 to
200 keV.
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Energy Resolution
Is also dependent on the statistical fluctuations in
the number of light photons collected from a
scintillation event.
Two advantages obtained with improved energy
resolution:
1. Efficient detection of unscattered photons
within the chosen energy window
2. Gamma rays scattered through large angles
are rejected more efficiently, thus, image
contrast is improved.
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Performance at High Counting Rates
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Pile-up source
source
Amplitude
voltage
defect
time
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Detector Limitations
Image Non-linearity
- Straight-line objects appear as curve-line
images
Pincushion distortion – inward bowing of line
images
Barrel distortion – outward bowing of line images
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Detector Limitations
Image Non-uniformity
- caused by:
1. Non-uniform detection efficiency arising
from small differences collection efficiency
of scintillation light by the PMTs
2. PM tube failure
3. Crystal cracking
4. Collimator defects
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QA & QC
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List of tools for quality control of Gamma
Cameras
Co-57, 400-2000 kBq or 10-50 Ci point or “button”
sources
Co-57, 200-400 MBq or 5-10 mCi flood source
Fillable flood source that is verified to be uniform
Planar performance phantom (thyroid or liver, typically)
Resolution pattern: quadrant bar, hole pattern or other
Method of routinely making line sources
Method of routinely making point sources
Mask for the UFOV of the camera
SPECT performance phantom. This phantom should
provide for testing SPECT uniformity, SPECT
reconstructed contrast. nath
Tools for quality control of Gamma
Cameras that can be borrowed from
manufacturer
NEMA resolution pattern
Dead time scatter phantom for extrinsic
dead time measurements
Copper sheets and source holders for
intrinsic dead time measurements
Software for performance evaluation is
often available from the manufacturer,
sometimes permanently or more often on
loan and usable only under supervision of
the service person.
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Measurements of Gamma Camera
Performance
Intrinsic Spatial Resolution
- Determined without the collimator using a linearity test
pattern placed on the surface of the crystal housing
- Uses a 99mTc or 57Co point source placed at 5XUFOV
from camera face
- Data acquired with system count <30,000 cps to avoid
pile-up related to mispositioning
- Typical values are 2.5 to 3.5 mm
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System Resolution
- Source consists of 1-mm diameter line sources
placed at 5 cm apart at a distance of 10 cm from the
front face of the collimator
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Spatial Linearity
- This measurement uses a slit pattern and
conditions for the intrinsic resolution
measurement
- Measurements are taken with two orientations of
the pattern , rotated by 90 degrees, to provide
linearity measurements in both X and Y
directions
- The absolute spatial linearity is defined as the
maximum deviation of the location from their true
location
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Uniformity
- Intrinsic flood-field images are acquired with
collimator removed, using a point source placed far
enough from the surface of the gamma camera to
give uniform irradiation of the surface such that
distance 5xUFOV
- Extrinsic flood-field images are acquired with the
collimator in place using a disk or thin field phantom
that covers the area of the detector.
- 99mTc or 57Co are the two most commonly used
radionuclides
- Modern gamma cameras incorporate techniques that
attempt to correct the causes of non-uniformity
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Energy Resolution
- Measured using flood illumination of the gamma
camera face, without the collimator, using 99mTc
suspended 5xUFOV above the camera face
- The resulting pulse-height spectrum is analyzed to
determine the FWHM of the photopeak
- Is in the range of 8% to 11% for 99mTc
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Typical intrinsic performance characteristics of a
Modern Scintillation Camera, measured by NEMA
Protocol
Intrinsic spatial resolution (FWHM of FSF for 140 keV) 2.7 to 4.2 mm
Energy resolution (FWHM of photopeak for 140 keV
photons) 9.2% to 11%
Integral uniformity (max. pixel – min. pixel)/(max. pixel +
min. pixel)
2% to 5%
Absolute spatial linearity Less than 1.5
mm
Observed count rate at 20% count loss (measured without 110,000-
scatter) 260,000 counts
per second
170,000-500,00
Observed maximal count rate (measured without scatter) counts per
second
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Bar phantom
Linearity pattern
Flood phantom
Flood source
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Test Frequency in routine testing
Half-
Acceptance and Reference tests Weekly Monthly
yearly
Physical Inspection Acceptance
Function of scaler-timer/Ratemeter X
Energy Calibration X
Rectilinear Scanner
Energy Resolution X
Sensitivity X
Counting Precision X
System Linearity X
Background Subtraction X
Contrast Enhancement X
Scanner Drive X
Total Performance x
Operational Checks
Check of Collimator and Scanner head
Mountings
Everyday before use
Check of Tapper Function
Check of Analyzer Peak Setting nath
Total Performance x
Operational Checks
Checvk of Oscilloscope
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Thank you !
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SCINTILLATION PROCESS
Higher
energy
level
Lower
energy
level
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SCINTILLATION PROCESS
Higher
energy
level
Lower
energy
level
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SCINTILLATION PROCESS
Higher
energy
level
Lower
energy
level
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