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Book review |
Gopal Saha is a World expert in radiopharmacy. His text book on Fundamentals of Nuclear Pharmacy is now in its fifth edition. Here, he has produced a very readable text covering all aspects of the basics of PET imaging.
The book is divided into 11 chapters covering radioactive decay and interaction of radiation with matter; PET scanning systems; data acquisition and corrections; image reconstruction, storage and display; performance characteristics of PET scanners; cyclotron and production of PET radionuclides; synthesis of PET radiopharmaceuticals; regulations governing PET radiopharmaceuticals; reimbursement for PET procedures; design and cost of PET centre; and procedures for PET studies;. There are several appendices, including a useful glossary of terms and answers to the numerical and yes/no questions at the end of each chapter. There is a also good index.
The lay-out of the book is logical and, for anyone with some relevant background knowledge either in radiation physics or nuclear medicine, the text is easy to follow. Some features I particularly liked were a good, brief description of factors affecting acquired data –normalisation, photon attenuation, random coincidences, scatter coincidences, dead time and radial elongation; a good discussion of the performance characteristics of PET scanners – spatial resolution, sensitivity, noise equivalent count rate, scatter fraction and contrast. There is a very clear description of the various factors that contribute to limiting spatial resolution, including positron range and non-collinearity of the coincidence gammas; also, I enjoyed the useful list, with brief details, of the physicochemical and biological tests that are necessary as part of a quality assurance programme for PET pharmaceuticals.
The text is generally accurate and has been carefully proofread, although one or two numerical errors seem to have crept in, especially in Table 1.3 – half value layers for 511 keV photons. Also, the quoted effective dose (assumed to be in mSv MBq–1) for an 18F-FDG examination cannot be correct if the stated organ doses are right (p. 193).
UK readers may have a few problems with this book, written for the US market, including use of units – although the SI equivalent of the units still currently used in the US (curies, rads etc.) is frequently given, a reader who cannot readily switch from one system to the other may have difficulty. Also, radiation protection is a major problem.
In a recent review of PET: molecular imaging and its biological applications, edited by ME Phelps; see Br J Radiol 78:2005;871, Lesley Malone commented that radiation safety had been neglected. It is covered at length by Saha in the longest chapter in the book. However, organisational details, with the involvement of both Federal and State Regulatory Bodies, are completely different in the US from those in the UK. Also, even the regulations themselves show variations, e.g. some differences in dose limits and descriptors of designated areas. Since the section on principles of radiation protection is not specific to PET and the same information can be found in a number of other texts, there is a case for skipping this chapter completely.
The subject of patient doses appears to receive rather less attention in the US than in the UK and Europe. By combining the information in Appendix D with that in Chapter 11, the effective dose for a few clinical PET procedures can be worked out. However, there is no attempt to put these into context with other nuclear medicine and radiological examinations.
In conclusion, who should read this book? The preface suggests that it is suitable for nuclear medicine technologists, radiographers, radiation therapy technologists and physicians studying PET courses. This is unlikely to be the situation in the UK because PET technology has not diffused so rapidly and most persons in the above-mentioned groups would find that there were just too many unfamiliar concepts.
However, the book can be recommended to experienced nuclear medicine staff and more junior medical physics staff who wish to get involved in PET or simply to find out more about it.
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