Validation of GATE Monte Carlo simulations of the Philips GEMINI TF and TruFlight Select PET/CT scanners based on NEMA NU2 standards

The objective of this study is to validate the in-house GATE simulations of the Philips GEMINI TF and TruFlight Select PET scanners and evaluate their accuracy for further research and optimization of current and future PET products. GATE results are compared to experimental data obtained according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU2-2007 standards. A detailed implementation of the geometrical and functional models of the scanners and the NEMA phantoms was conducted, allowing the evaluation of the simulated absolute sensitivity, spatial resolution, count rates and the image quality of both systems. All Monte Carlo data production was performed according to the NEMA protocols. Simulated data were converted into the Philips list-mode format and analyzed using the same software tools as in the quality control step of the production line. Good agreement was found between the simulated results and the measured data from both scanners. This validation study represents an important step towards the use of these tools as an aid for the optimization of the current acquisition protocols and the validation of reconstruction and data correction techniques.