The aim of this study is to simulate GE Discovery 690 VCT positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner using Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE) simulation package (version 8). Then, we assess the performance of scanner by comparing measured and simulated parameter results. Detection system and geometry of PET scanner that consists of 13,824 LYSO crystals designed in 256 blocks and 24 ring detectors were modeled. In order to achieve a precise model, we verified scanner model. Validation was based on a comparison between simulation data and experimental results obtained with this scanner in the same situation. Parameters used for validation were sensitivity, spatial resolution, and contrast. Image quality assessment was done based on comparing the contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) of simulated and measured images. The findings demonstrate that the mean difference between simulated and measured sensitivity is <7%. The simulated spatial resolution agreed to within <5.5% of the measured values. Contrast results had a slight divergence within the range below 4%. The image quality validation study demonstrated an acceptable agreement in CRC for 8:1 and 2:1 source-to-background activity ratio. Validated performance parameters showed good agreement between experimental data and simulated results and demonstrated that GATE is a valid simulation tool for simulating this scanner model. The simulated model of this scanner can be used for future studies regarding optimization of image reconstruction algorithms and emission acquisition protocols.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of fatigue and its related factors in patients with epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. From January 2017 to January 2018, a descriptive cross-sectional research study was conducted among adult (aged over 18) patients with epilepsy in the neurology clinic of a university-affiliated hospital in Tehran, Iran. The Fatigue Severity Scale was used to determine the prevalence of fatigue, and the relationships between fatigue, demographic characteristics, and clinical properties were evaluated. During the study period, 100 patients were included, comprising 70 (70%) patients diagnosed with epileptic seizures and 30 (30%) with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Fatigue affected 24 patients (34%) out of 70 individuals with epileptic seizures and six patients (20%) out of 30 patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. There was no statistically significant relationship between the incidence of fatigue and age, gender, level of education, occupation, age at the onset of the seizures, duration of the disease, and time since the last seizure. However, fatigue was significantly correlated with the demographic variable of being unmarried (p = 0.007). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between fatigue and taking carbamazepine and levetiracetam (p = 0.001). Our study revealed that fatigue was a prevalent problem (30%) in patients with epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Moreover, fatigue was correlated with marital status and the consumption of carbamazepine and levetiracetam.
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