Multicenter comparison of calibration and cross calibration of PET scanners.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to compare the calibration of PET scanners and their cross calibration to peripheral devices in a multicenter study.

Methods: Twenty-three dedicated PET scanners were investigated, applying standardized protocols. To ensure exact determination of the activity used, dose calibrators were checked using (68)Ge standards.

Results: Nine of 19 and 11 of 20 scanners displayed an error of <5% in 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional acquisition modes, respectively. Four and 5 scanners displayed an error of 10% in 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional modes, respectively. All other scanners yielded errors of 5% to <10%. Because of hardware and software problems, the measurements performed on 1 scanner could not be adequately analyzed.

Conclusion: An investigation of calibration is mandatory. Especially for quantitative analyses in clinical multicenter trials, identification of potentially miscalibrated scanners is necessary.