Clinical PET: Study Scheduling and Coordination

Abstract

During the last 39 months at Duke University Medical Center, we have performed 1356 clinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies: 68% were fluorine-18 (¹⁸F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) brain metabolism scans, 28% were myocardial perfusion (nitrogen-13 [¹³N] ammonia) and viability (FDG) studies, and 4% were FDG tumor localizations. Three days each week are used for clinical studies. On clinical days, we can perform 2 cardiac perfusion and viability (P & V) and 4–5 FDG brain studies. Cyclotron production of ¹⁸F is started at 0730. Automated synthesis of FDG follows with FDG available by 0940. Nitrogen-13 ammonia unit-dose production is scheduled to fit myocardial patient imaging. Image workup and filming are performed on the preceding study during the next study’s acquisition. Study archival is accomplished at day’s end. With short-lived positron emitters, any deviation from schedule or any loss of coordination will damage the ability of the PET facility to perform requested clinical PET imaging studies.