EFOMP's protocol quality controls in PET/CT and PET/MR

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) published a protocol for Quality Controls (QC) in PET/CT and PET/MRI in May 2022.
• Existing quality control methods needed standardization for clinical integration to ensure consistent performance of PET/CT and PET/MRI systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide simple, practical procedures for integrating into clinical practice to monitor PET/CT and PET/MRI system performance.
• To establish a protocol that identifies changes in system performance and prevents quality deterioration.
• To ensure safety, image quality, quantification accuracy, and minimize patient radiation dose.

Main Methods:

• The protocol details QC procedures for radionuclide calibrators, weighing scales, and PET, CT, and MRI subsystems.
• It focuses on measurable parameters directly linked to clinical image quality.
• CT and MRI QC are specifically contextualized for their role in PET imaging (attenuation correction, anatomical localization).

Main Results:

• The protocol offers detailed, step-by-step instructions to minimize misinterpretation and interpersonal variations.
• It enables early detection of potential issues affecting clinical studies.
• Implementation of the protocol ensures PET/CT and PET/MRI systems operate optimally.

Conclusions:

• Regular QC adherence to this protocol guarantees optimal performance of PET/CT and PET/MRI systems.
• This leads to improved diagnostic accuracy and patient safety in clinical practice.
• The protocol facilitates consistent and reliable imaging outcomes.