[Development of analysis software package for the two kinds of Japanese fluoro-d-glucose-positron emission tomography...

Two kinds of Japanese guidelines for the data acquisition protocol of oncology fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomography (CT) scans were created by the joint task force of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JSNMT) and the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine (JSNM), and published in Kakuigaku-Gijutsu 27(5): 425-456, 2007 and 29(2): 195-235, 2009. These guidelines aim to standardize PET image quality among facilities and different PET/CT scanner models. The objective of this study was to develop a personal computer-based performance measurement and image quality processor for the two kinds of Japanese guidelines for oncology (18)F-FDG PET/CT scans. We call this software package the "PET quality control tool" (PETquact). Microsoft Corporation's Windows(™) is used as the operating system for PETquact, which requires 1070×720 image resolution and includes 12 different applications. The accuracy was examined for numerous applications of PETquact. For example, in the sensitivity application, the system sensitivity measurement results were equivalent when comparing two PET sinograms obtained from the PETquact and the report. PETquact is suited for analysis of the two kinds of Japanese guideline, and it shows excellent spec to performance measurements and image quality analysis. PETquact can be used at any facility if the software package is installed on a laptop computer.