CT Flashcards
Image reconstruction process FBF
- Measure a set of projections
- Filter the set of projections
- Back-project across image plane
- Repeat for a large set of filtered projections
Limitation of basic back projection
1/r Blurring - need to filter using convolution or FT multiplication
Benefits and limitations of Iterative reconstruction
- Potential for lower dose scanning
- Lower noise images
- Computer intensive
- Potential for artefact reduction
Iterative reconstruction process
- Projection data acquired
- Initial guess made at the image
- Compare back projection of the guess to the initial data
- Correct the guess to better match the original data
- Process is repeated
Hounsfield Units
Attenuation of materials expressed relative to the linear attenuation coefficient of water at room temperature (μwater)
HU of water, air and bone
water = 0 air = -1000 bone = 1000
CT types over time
- Translate-rotate - single det
- Translate-rotate - bank of dets
- Rotate-Rotate - fan beam
electron beam scanners
Modern CT features
- 3rd Generation, cone-beam, multi-detector
- Modified volume filtered back projection or iterative image reconstruction
- Continuous rotation to 0.25 s
- Volume dataset with image display in all planes
- High heat capacity x-ray tube for high throughput
Bow-tie filter
Inc attenuation at edge of field of view
Matches noise accross patient cross section
Reduces peripheral dose
Reduce beam-hardening artefacts
Different size for head and body
CT detector requirements
Small (spatial resolution) High detection efficiency Fast response with negligible after-glow Wide dynamic range Stable noise-free response
Types of CT detector
- Xenon ionisation chamber
- Solid state detector (scintillant with embedded Si photo-diode)
Modern scanner features
Multislice scanning Helical scanning Automatic dose modulation Dual energy scanning ‘Dose Reduction’ features
Multislice X-ray beam width
Acquisition slice width -> total nominal beam width
Nominal beam width = Single slice thickness x tot no. slices
Types of pitch
P = couch move per rot / slick thickness
P (helic) = couch move per rotation / slice thick (d)
Px = couch per rot / Nom beam width
beam pitch = det pitch / N
Describe flying focus
Two-position focal spots with rapid switching
Effectively double no. of slices for a given det bank
Define overbeaming
Actual width x-ray beam > nominal width
Should be checked at commissioning
Define z-axis geometric efficiency
Measure of overbeaming
= Area under dose profile within active detectors / area under total dose profile
Must be greater than 70%