Calibration setting numbers for dose calibrators for the PET isotopes 52Mn, 64Cu, 76Br, 86Y, 89Zr, 124I

• Dose calibrators measure radioactivity by ionization of gas from emitted radiation.
• Accuracy of dose calibrators depends on “calibration setting numbers” for isotopes.
• Many manufacturer settings are interpolated from emissions of other radionuclides.
• As a high-precision reference, HPGe gamma-ray spectroscopy was conducted.
• New calibrations were found for PET isotopes 52Mn, 64Cu, 76Br, 86Y, 89Zr, and 124I.

For PET radionuclides, the radioactivity of a sample can be conveniently measured by a dose calibrator. These devices depend on a “calibration setting number”, but many recommended settings from manuals were interpolated based on standard sources of other radionuclide(s). We conducted HPGe gamma-ray spectroscopy, resulting in a reference for determining settings in two types of vessels containing one of several PET radionuclides. Our results reiterate the notion that in-house, experimental calibrations are recommended for different radionuclides and vessels.