Middle East Federation of Middle East Federation of
Middle East Federation of Organization of Medical Physics
Middle East Federation of Organizations of Medical Physics

New Book on "Quality Control Procedures of the Gamma Camera" for MEFOMP Excom Members


Mr. Refaat AlMazrou, M.Sc., FIPEM, Chair of Education and Training Committee at MEFOMP, issued a scientific book on "Quality Control Procedures of the Gamma Camera, SPECT and SPECT/CT", the author utilized his more than 30 years of experience in the field of quality control of the gamma cameras to build a study guide for the readers for a comprehensive gamma camera quality control program. He managed to describe in a simple way the different recommendations suggested by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, American Association of Physicists in Medicine and other procedures suggested by professional counterparts.



New Book on "Quality Control Procedures of the Gamma Camera" for MEFOMP Excom Members

The author managed to simplify most of the quality control procedures recommended by these agencies, that is, detailing the different parameters used for acquisition and processing, showing the images produced and calculations of tests results available. Medical Physicists will benefit most from this book, and also other interested practitioners will have several procedures to benefit from.   This book will expand the knowledge and understanding of readers on how to perform the different quality control procedures on the gamma camera.

This book has four chapters and two appendixes. Chapter one explores an introduction to the quality control procedures of the gamma camera defining them and describing their different levels. Second part of this chapter describe the different calibration procedures required to optimize the images of the gamma camera. Some images were presented showing the effect of disabling some of these correction tables.

In chapter two, more than twenty planar quality control procedures are outlined in details; some of them are in more than one method (technique). Among the many tests illustrated in this chapter are the different flood field uniformity and various spatial resolution tests in addition to most of the other possible planar tests. Many images were used to show normal and up-normal tests results.

In Chapter three, six SPECT quality control procedures are described in details covering most of the measured performance parameters of this modality. These tests include the center of rotation, the two SPECT resolutions and the sensitivity behavior in SPECT mode. The author paid special attention to the total SPECT performance test which included describing the phantoms used and how to prepare them as well as acquisition and processing protocols ending with how to evaluate the data.

SPECT-CT tests are covered in chapter four.  The effect of applying CT images on the SPECT images are described evaluating the attenuation correction accuracy and accuracy of image registration. The description of each test started with the phantoms and sources used, acquisition and processing methods, and finally, with the analysis and evaluation of the data.

Appendix I summarizes definitions of the acronyms used in this book. While appendix II lists the frequencies of performing the tests. The author recommended tests to be performed on daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis. A lengthy list of tests recommended to be performed at acceptance is also included. The author phrased that “several tests mentioned in this book are not in this list, though, they were mentioned as alternatives to similar procedures, to be performed as extra reference indicators of system performance or to be performed as additional investigations of system malfunction”.

This book is an excellent resource for medical physicists as it will expand their knowledge and skills on how to perform most of the quality control procedures of the gamma cameras. Other professionals working in the imaging field of nuclear medicine will also benefit from this book.  The author, who was involved in the development of the GCAnalyze software package (an easy-to-use tool designed to analyze and report the results of several performance tests), also showed how to use this package for several tests.

In summary, this a well- illustrated reference book which will be useful for the nuclear medicine community as it provides a clear overview on how to perform effective and essential quality control testing of gamma cameras.


 


November 14th 2019
mefomp reporter



              


New comment:
Twitter






Social Media
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel
Rss