A whole body phantom for 3D PET
Three-dimensional PET imaging geometries, both on dedicated and hybrid PET systems, are sensitive to radioactivity outside the field of view. To evaluate, compare, and optimized PET systems, then, a phantom with large axial extent is required. Based on radioactivity uptake and geometry measurements from FDG PET patients, we have designed and built a phantom to simulate all the effects relevant to 3D imaging but which also has geometrically simplified but otherwise realistic organs. The phantom is 80 cm long, 37 cm wide, and 22 cm deep. Internal features are bladder, liver, heart, lungs, and lung nodules (six spheres). A head is attached to the end. All internal organs are filled via tubing that connects to the outside for fast filling. The phantom has been imaged on both dedicated PET and hybrid PET systems, and example images are given. The fast filling time should allow imaging decay studies with C-11 in which dose or count rate is optimized by image quality measures.
