Impact of High Temperature and Humidity on the Performance of Positron Emission Tomography Scanner

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner is a state-of-art imaging device. Susceptibility of PET scanner in fluctuation environmental condition is known. Hence, every vendor prescribes the optimal conditions such as temperature and humidity to maintain the equipment in its best condition. In a hot summer day, we faced an unexpected long duration power failure in our department after administration of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose to one of our patients. As air condition was not working in our department, temperature in the machine room went far beyond the prescribed level. As we had already injected the patient, we decided to perform PET scan of that patient in the existing condition in the machine room. When we reviewed the scan, we identified significant count loss in the image, which raised doubt in our mind. We discussed with our colleague and decided to perform a daily quality assurance (DQA) test to assess the condition of the equipment in high temperature. On DQA scan, we spotted several changes in the uniformity plot as well as energy plot. Following to that, the system was shut down completely till the main supply was restored successfully, and room temperature and humidity was restored to normal in machine room and console room. After several hours of restoration of normal condition in console and machine room, PET/CT equipment was restarted, and the DQA was repeated. On review, we found the restoration of normal DQA graph. We conclude that the sudden increase in temperature and humidity in PET/CT equipment room affects the performance of scanner which reflects as count deficit in the image. This impairment in the image quality may be because of bismuth germanate crystal, photomultiplier tubes, and associated electronics.