A procedure is developed that enables comprehensive and automatic image quality evaluation of computed tomography (CT) systems. This procedure includes custom-designed software and an image quality phantom composed of subsections with regional test objects. The phantom is designed so that the maximum amount of information concerning image quality and system performance can be obtained in a single scan. The software automatically analyzes phantom images and generates measurements of image quality that are both quantitative and objective. The image quality parameters that will be attained from a single scan of the phantom include: spatial resolution, contrast, contrast signal-to-noise ratio, linearity, uniformity, slice thickness, temporal resolution, and dose. This evaluation procedure provides a simple, automated method of quality control. The phantom and procedure can also be used as a research tool for studying modifications of CT system components.
In this study, we present results from a mathematical model of the phantom. We discuss the design and validation of the phantom and accompanying software.
The Kinestatic Charge Detector (KCD) digital radiography system has proven itself experimentally to be comparable with or superior to other x-ray imaging systems in the production of quality images at the same dose. The prototype large-field detector design has obtained images that have relatively high spatial and contrast resolution with low scatter and low quantum noise compared with current commercially available clinical x-ray systems. The NIH has approved a grant to develop and construct an advanced clinical KCD digital radiography system. The goals of this project are to design the gantry and clinically evaluate the new system. This system will allow for improved diagnosis, reduced patient dose, and provide other features unique to a digital radiography system.
One of the goals of medical imaging scientists and bioengineers remains the development of digital electronic technologies that can replace film-based methods of acquiring x-ray images. With the achievement of this goal, all diagnostic imaging technologies would be based on digital techniques with all the attending benefits. Based on the performance of numerous research prototype small-field and one large-field Kinestatic Charge Detector (KCD) system for digital radiography, a large-field clinical KCD scanner is currently being designed and built for technical evaluation and for clinical evaluation of 200 volunteer patients (including clinical comparisons with film, storage phosphor, and other available clinical systems). The state of development of this clinical KCD system, including detector, data-acquisition system and scanning gantry design, is reviewed in this paper.
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