EARL set up the EARL FDG-PET/CT accreditation programme, which was launched in July 2010, to help imaging sites meet the standard requirements indicated in the guideline. The EARL FDG-PET/CT accreditation programme is endorsed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Imaging Group.

Why is it important to seek EARL PET/CT accreditation and how you will benefit:

• Independent quality control/assurance by a fully authorised expert body.  
• Comparable scanner performance across multiple sites through harmonisation of the reconstruction and interpretation of PET/CT scans (reducing inter-/intra-institute variability in SUV results; providing lower/upper limits of recovery coefficients; calibration factor within +/-10%): results can be compared, exchanged and combined.
• Accurate, reproducible and quantitative assessment enabled through standardisation of methodology, including patient preparation, scan acquisition, image processing and analysis.
• Essential quality assurance in daily clinical practice as well as high eligibility is a participant in multicentre trials.
• Accredited centres of excellence strengthen their status via publication on the EARL website, a signet sticker and an accreditation certificate.
• Upon replacement of equipment you will have a reconstruction available for quantitative comparison between different generations or makes and models of PET/CT scanners

For further information on the rationale, please watch the video on YouTube with Prof. Dr.  R. Boellaard, scientific leader of the accreditation programme.