Fluoroscopy Equipment Flashcards
Advantages of Tomography
Increase radiographic contrast
Increase subject contrast
Decrease superimposition
Disadvantages of tomography
Increase patient dose
Increase image blur outside of the focal plane
Advantage of computed tomography
Low contrast resolution (can see many shades of grey)
Data acquisition variability
Image reconstruction capabilities
3D imaging
Primary Disadvantages of computed tomography
Increase patient dose
Artifacts (mainly due to patient motion)
Decrease spatial resolution
Gantry house what CT components
Tube Detector array Generator Filtration Collimators DAS Slip rings
X-Ray tube qualities and purpose
Designed for increased heat dissipation
Metal envelope helps with this
Anode is larger and thicker,
high rotation speed (allows for more heat dissipation)
smaller target angle (smaller focal spot size on anode generators more heat on a smaller area which increases the heat load on the tube)
Anode has 2 focal spot sizes
Filtration purpose and 2 types
Removes long wavelength X-rays this creates a more uniform beam and beam hardening (absorbs low energy X-rays to create a more penetrating beam)
Decreases patient dose
Added filtration is b/w the patient and the tube
Inherent filtration is built into the tube
Collimation purpose and how it affects image quality
Restrict the X-Ray beam before it passes through the patient
- in Conventional CT they control slice thickness
Reduces scatter to increase contrast resolution and decrease patient dose
Attenuation principles
Z (atomic number)
Density
Energy - increase kVp decrease attenuation
Attenuation - is the reduction of the intensity (quantity) of a beam of radiation as it passes through and object
what are Hounsfield units and other names for them
HU classifications are based on attenuation Water = 0 Air = -1000 Dense bone = +1000 Metal = +2000 Other names = CT numbers, density values
what is the Operating console and its input factors
Consists of a computer, mouse, keyboard, and multiple monitors
Input factors = pt info, scan protocol, slice thickness, pitch, technical factors
Bow tie filtration
Shape matches the beam divergence and the patient shape
what is the DAS
Data acquisition system
Measures transmitted radiation beam
Converts measurements to binary data
Transmits digital data to the computer
2 types of collimation
Pre - collimator in the X-Ray tube
Post - be/w the patient and detector, ensures the beam is the proper width as it enters the detector
Both decrease scatter and patient dose
Detectors purpose
Detectors measure exit radiation
Ultimately converts the measurements into an electrical signal proportional to the radiation intensity
Detector spacing
Width/spacing of detectors affect the amount of scatter that is recorded
Spacing bars - allows to detectors to be built in more of an arc
Distance measurements - measure from middle of one detector to the middle of another
Size - smaller detector is good for spatial resolution
Deep narrow detector will accept less scatter radiation than short wide detectors
Detector characteristics (4)
- High efficiency QDE - transmitted photons must be captured, absorbed, and converted to an electrical signal
Influenced by size - wide captures more radiation
Spacing - tight spacing b/c radiation that hits the spacing bar is and lost and no info is added
Material - want high atomic number, increased density and thickness - High stability - detector response to radiation must be consistent
- Fast response time - no lag
- Wide dynamic range - wide variety of signals that can be captured and measured by the detector
Xenon gas detector - advantages and disadvantages
Not used in MDCT
One step energy conversion
Advantages - cheaper, more stable (easier to calibrate), fast response time
Disadvantages - must remain under constant pressure in the aluminum casing, takes up a lot of space (tungsten plates), 50-87% DQE, aluminium casing will absorb X-rays
solid state scintillation detectors - advantages and disadvantages
Used in MDCT
2 step energy conversion - light energy to electrical energy
Advantages - high absorption efficiency (94-100%, high X-Ray stopping power) due to high atomic number and increased density, high light output, low afterglow and fast response time
Disadvantages - afterglow (crystals emit light after being hit with X-rays), sensitive to temperature and moisture, spectral matching
Single row detector array
Wide z axis Collimation controls slice thickness Largest allowable is less than the detector width 360 degree rotation = a single slice Used in SDCT
Multidetector row systems
- 2 configurations
Collimation and number of detectors determine: the number of slice and slice thickness and decrease scan time
Multislice detector advantages
More slice for 360 degree rotation
Increased volume coverage speed - decreased time for data collection, decreased scan time, patient motion and breath holding can have 4-320 slices per rotation
Anatomical coverage
Design enables slice thickness manipulation (partial volume, and retrospective slice thickness)
1st generation CT scanner
Motion of system - translate rotate (move in straight line = 1 slice rotate 1 degree and go again)
Shape or geometry of beam - parallel narrow pencil beam
Path of tube travel - 180 degree rotation
Detectors - no array 1-2 max
Scan time - 4.5 -> 5.5 minutes
2nd generation CT scanner
Motion of system - translate rotate
Shape of beam - narrow fan beam
Path of tube travel - 180 degree rotation
Detectors - linear array max 30 detectors
Scan time - 20 sec to 3.5 mins
3rd generation CT scanner
The most commonly used
Motion of system - continuously rotating, rotate rotate
Shape of beam - wide fan beam
Path of tube travel - rotate rotate 360 degree
Detectors - curved detector array about 256 detectors 30-40 degree arc
Scan time - a few seconds
4th generations CT scanners
Motion of system - rotate fixed Shape of beam - wide fan beam Path of tube travel - 360 rotation Detectors - circular single row, single row of 4800 detectors Scan time - very short scan time
Modulation Transfer Function
The ratio b/w image accuracy in comparison to the actual object
Most commonly used method of describing of system spatial resolution capabilities
0= the worst image you can get, blank
1= perfect image reproduction of the object scanned
Spatial Frequency
The size of the object
Increasedsf = small object (image more at once)
Decreased sf = large objects (image less at once)
It is harder to get accurate images of smaller objects
What is contrast resolution
Differentiating structures that vary only slightly in density
1% variability = 10HU
Contrast detail response = for a given technique the level of contrast that is visible will decrease as the object size decreases
Uncoupling Effect
Dose is no longer related to image quality b/c of automatic rescaling
Quantum mottle occurs
Overexposed/underexposed images still look good
Automatic tube current modulation
Adjusts the mAs during each gantry rotation to compensate for large variations in X-Ray attenuation
Similar to AEC in general radiography
Has a fixed kVp and variable mAs
Tube voltage kVp
Typical setting are 120-140 and 80 kVp
kVp doesn’t alter contrast as directly in CT as general radiography
Increase kVp increase beam energy and penetrability
Tube current - filaments and mAs
Small filament = decrease penumbra and increase image quality
Large filament = for larger body parts, decreases spatial resolution and requires higher mA settings
mA settings range from 20->800 mA
Increase mA for abdomen, decrease mA for lungs
mAs = mA and scan time define the X-Ray quantity (multiple variations can be used to achieve the same mAs)
what is Scan time and how does it affect mAs
The length of time required for the X-Ray tube to complete a full rotation NOT defined by the number of slices acquired
Cardiac imaging is very fast
Rules that apply to mAs
- reciprocity = increase mAs decrease time
- tissue thickness and density = increase density increase mAs
- manipulation = east to manipulate the scan time
What is pitch and what does it affect
Changes the amount of thickness covered for each slice
Increase pitch you increase slice thickness and decrease image quality
Slice thickness and image quality
Partial volume averaging
Occurs when tissues of widely different absorption are encompassed on the same CT voxel a beam attenuation proportional to the average value of these tissues
how does Slice thickness affect image quality
Increase acquisition slice thickness you decrease image quality due to partial volume averaging
Increase slice thickness = decrease in contrast and increase in SNR
Decrease slice thickness = increase in contrast due to less partial averaging
What it DFOV and how does it affect IQ
Determines amount of raw data used for reformatting and affects the spatial resolution
Pixel size determines accuracy of objects imaged
- decrease pixel size = decrease in contrast (the smaller the pixel the less likely a photon will interact with that pixel)
Matrix controls pixel size
What are reconstruction algorithms and how they affect IQ
Changes how the raw data is manipulated to reconstruct an image
Improves image quality by balancing noise and detail
Algorithm chosen depends on what should be enhanced/suppressed to optimize the image for diagnoses
Bone = increase spatial resolution increase noise and decrease contrast
Soft tissue = increase contrast and decrease spatial resolution
Changes how the raw data is manipulated to reconstruct an image
Window function and how it affects IQ
Manipulates contrast resolution
Wide ww= decrease low contrast, bone
Narrow ww= increase low contrast, brain tissue (fewer shades of grey)
Windowing post processing
Basic Post processing function
Most common function
Adjusting shades of grey that are seen
Distance measurement post processing
Determines the site of pathology -> reports the size of the abnormality
Grids are used to measure distances (acts like a map)
Acts as a guide for needle placement/treatment
Image annotation post processing
Words arrows ect..
Used to help communicate with the radiologist