Hands-On Nuclear Medicine Physics Workshop
About this Program
This hands-on workshop focuses on proper performance and QC testing of gamma cameras, SPECT and SPECT/CT units as wells as PET and PET/CT units. It includes a synopsis of the multiple organizations that offer accreditation of nuclear medicine facilities and their requirements. Insights on setting up a new Theranostics program and the radiation safety and regulatory considerations. Guidelines that simplify the evaluation and quality assurance testing of clinical PET/CT systems as identified in the AAPM TG 126 Report. This program will also include presentations on nuclear medicine facility accreditation, reviews of the equipment and testing procedures and techniques for lowering patient and technologist radiation doses from PET and PET/CT systems.
A highlight of this program will be a comprehensive review of the new GE StarGuide SPECT/CT™ system including a hands-on lab.
Thank you to the University of Vermont Medical Center for graciously hosting this program.
Educational Objectives
After this workshop, participants will understand:
- The regulatory considerations for PET and SPECT accreditation
- Safety and regulations for setting up a new Theranostics program
- Performance and acceptance testing of PET systems relative to TG126
- Performance/QC testing procedures for SPECT and SPECT/CT units.
- Performance/QC testing and calibration procedures for PET and PET/CT units.
- Performance/QC testing procedures for gamma cameras.
- Techniques for lowering radiation dose from PET/CT units.
Schedule
In-person and live webinar options
Day 1
7:15 am Registration and coffee
8:00 am PET and SPECT Accreditation
- Regulatory considerations: ACR, TJC, IAC, and Radsite
8:45 am Radiation Safety / Regulatory
- How to set up a new Theranostics program
- Radiation safety and regulatory considerations
- Facility planning
- Patient education
- Release criteria
- Waste management
- Dosimetry types for theranostic patients
9:30 am Informal Discussions and Break
9:45 am Performance/QC Testing of Nuclear Medicine Imagers- Part 1: Gamma Cameras
- Review of gamma camera instrumentation
- Gamma camera specifications & NEMA tests
- Overview of IAC, ACR tests
10:30 am Performance/QC Testing of Nuclear Medicine Imagers- Part 2: SPECT and SPECT/CT Units – GE StarGuide SPECT/CT™
- SPECT instruments & specifications
- SPECT/CT instruments
- GE StarGuide SPECT/CT system
- ACR, IAC and Joint Commission tests
11:30 am Performance/QC Testing of Nuclear Medicine Imagers- Part 3: PET and PET/CT Units
- PET Physics
- PET/CT Scanner Design
- NEMA procedures (acceptance testing)
- Intro to IAC, ACR and Joint Commission PET image testing
12:15 pm Lunch (provided)
12:45 pm Lab Session 1
2:15 pm Lab Session 2
3:45 pm Informal Discussions and Break
4:00 pm Lab Session 3
5:30 pm Questions and Discussion with Faculty
5:45 pm Adjourn for the day
Day 2
7:15 am Coffee
7:45 am Annual Acceptance Testing TG126 PET
- NEMA Regulations
- Optimizations for clinical use
8:30 am Radionuclide Therapy
- Quantitative SPECT/CT
- Dose calculation methods
- Radiation protection
9:15 am Informal Discussion and Break
9:30 am Lab Session 4
11:00 am Lab Session 5
12:30 pm Questions and Discussions
12:45 pm Workshop adjourned
Workshops
Lab A 2D Planar Imaging
- Routine QC
- NEMA Resolution/Registration
- ACR phantom images
- Collimator evaluation
Lab B SPECT Lab – GE StarGuide SPECT/CT
- SPECT/CT Calibrations & QC
- Cardiac SPECT Specifics
- SPECT Reconstruction
- Quantitative SPECT clinical studies
Lab C Radionuclide Therapy
- Quantitative SPECT/CT for 90Y, 177Lu, and 131I dosimetry
- Phantoms for recovery coefficient measurements
- Overview of dose calculation methods, including FDA-cleared softwares
- Radiation protection, shielding design, and release criteria considerations for common therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
Lab D Performance/QC Testing of PET and PET/CT Units
- Daily QC
- Periodic calibration and normalization procedures
- Absolute calibration
- ACR PET image quality phantom
Lab E Joint Commission PET Quality Control Testing
- Uniform Phantom Testing
- NEMA Imaging Quality Testing
- CTN Oncology Phantom Testing
- ACR Phantom Testing
- Software Tools
Audience
Who should attend?
Medical physicists interested in an in-depth review of the physics of nuclear medicine will find this workshop very beneficial. The workshop will also be useful for physics assistants, medical physics residents and students, as well as vendor personnel working with these systems. Experienced QC technologists looking for more understanding of nuclear medicine QA testing may also find the workshop of value.
Program Faculty
Meet your presenter(s)
Jessica Clements
MS, DABR, FAAPM, FACR
Imaging Medical Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer
The University of Vermont Medical Center
Burlington, VT
Nathan Busse
MS, DABR, DABSNM
Diagnostic Medical Physicist
Colorado Associates in Medical Physics
Colorado Springs, CO
Stephen Graves
PhD
Associate Professor
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Credits
Accredited training programs
CAMPEP pending
This program is designed to provide 15 hours of continuing education. The program has been submitted for approval by CAMPEP for Medical Physics Continuing Education Credit (MPCEC) for qualified medical physicists.
ASRT Pending
Category A/A+ CE credit is pending approval by the ASRT. An application for 15 hours of credit for radiologic technologists recognized by the ARRT and various licensure states has been filed.
Location
Course location and hotels
| Burlington, VT- September 21 & 22, 2024 | Workshop Location: |
Accommodations: Reservations: Click here | UVM Medical Center - Main Campus Attendees are responsible for transportation including daily trips to UVMMC |
Tuition
Convenient payment options available
| Audience | Price | Early Price | Member Price | Member Early Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicist | $1,165.00 | $1,070.00 | $1,120.00 | $1,025.00 |
| Technologist | $879.00 | $829.00 | $849.00 | $809.00 |
Early Pricing Guidelines
Qualifying 'Early' registrations must be made at least 21 days in advance for the program.
Cancellation Policy
“Hands-On” Courses
Refunds, minus a $50 processing fee, will be granted for cancellations received prior to 10 days before the program. Cancellations received within 10 days of the program will receive a credit toward a future MTMI program, minus the $50 processing fee. No refunds will be made after the program starts. MTMI reserves the right to cancel any scheduled program because of low advance registration or other reasons. MTMI’s liability is limited to a refund of any program tuition paid. MTMI recommends that attendees use refundable airline tickets. In case of cancellation of a program for any reason, MTMI is not responsible for travel costs incurred by attendees including non-refundable airline tickets.
Acknowledgements
Thank you for your support
