Acceptance Testing and Quality Control of Gamma Cameras, Including SPECT

The measurement of several performance parameters of a scintillation camera at the time of installation and thereafter at regular intervals is necessary to ensure that the camera is operating within specifications and to detect changes over time that can initiate a request for service. There are varied opinions on what constitutes a satisfactory acceptance test and quality control program. Few individuals would disagree that either an acceptance test or routine quality control measurements are necessary, yet agreement on the contents and frequencies of these tests is lacking. This paper discusses the performance parameters of scintillation cameras that are usually measured for planar imaging and also for SPECT with rotating cameras.