Basics of PET Imaging Physics, Chemistry and Regulations by Gopal B. Saha (2005)

Basics of PET Imaging Physics, Chemistry and Regulations by Gopal B. Saha (2005)






This unparalleled text on the basics of PET imaging technology is an ideal resource for technologists and residents preparing for board examinations and also serves as a useful reference for practicing nuclear medicine professionals. Written by noted author Gopal B. Saha, Ph.D., the book consists of concise but comprehensive chapters that emphasize the fundamentals, including physics, instrumentation and data acquisition, image reconstruction, production of PET radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals, and regulatory and reimbursement issues. Reviews of Dr. Saha's other best-selling titles consistently cite his ability to make difficult subjects accessible; this book is no exception. To maximize understanding, topics are complete with assessment questions, reviews of pertinent basic science, and lists of suggested reading. Helpful illustrations reinforce key concepts. A wealth of valuable data is presented in practical tables and appendixes as well. The remarkable combination of brevity and clarity of content makes it an ideal text and reference book for nuclear medicine professionals interested in basics of PET imaging.

From the early 1970s to mid-1990s, positron emission tomography (PET)
as a diagnostic imaging modality had been for the most part used in ex-
perimental research. Clinical PET started only a decade ago. 82 Rb-RbCl and
18
F-Fluorodeoxyglucose were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug admin-
istration in 1989 and 1994, respectively, for clinical PET imaging. Reim-
bursement by Medicare was approved in 1995 for 82 Rb-PET myocardial
perfusion imaging and for 18 F-FDG PET for various oncologic indica-
tions in 1999. Currently several more PET procedures are covered for
reimbursement.
Based on the incentive from reimbursement for PET procedures and
accurate and effective diagnosis of various diseases, PET centers are
growing in the United States and worldwide. The importance of PET
imaging has flourished to such a large extent that the Nuclear Medicine
Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) is planning to introduce a PET
specialty examination in 2004 for nuclear medicine technologists, as well as
an augmented version of the PET specialty examination in 2005 for regis-
tered radiographers and radiation therapy technologists. Courses are being
offered all over the country to train physicians and technologists in PET
technology. Many books on clinical PET have appeared in the market,
but no book on the basics of PET imaging is presently available. Obviously,
such a book is needed to fulfill the requirements of these courses and
certifications.
This book focuses on the fundamentals of PET imaging, namely, physics,
instrumentation, production of PET radionuclides and radiopharma-
ceuticals, and regulations concerning PET. The chapters are concise
but comprehensive enough to make the topic easily understandable.
Balanced reviews of pertinent basic science information and a list
of suggested reading at the end of each chapter make the book an
ideal text on PET imaging technology. Appropriate tables and appendixes
include data and complement the book as a valuable reference for
nuclear medicine professionals such as physicians, residents, and tech-
nologists. Technologists and residents taking board examinations would benefit most from this book because of its brevity and clarity of
content.
The book contains 11 chapters. The subject of each chapter is covered on
a very basic level and in keeping with the objective of the book. It is
assumed that the readers have some basic understanding of physics and
chemistry available in standard nuclear medicine literature. At the end of
each chapter, a set of questions is included to provoke the reader to assess
the sufficiency of knowledge gained.


Bibliographic information
for Basics of PET Imaging
Title Basics of PET Imaging: Physics, Chemistry, and Regulations
Author Gopal B. Saha
Edition illustrated
Publisher Springer Science & Business Media, 2004
ISBN 0387213074, 9780387213071
Length 219 pages