Physical evaluation of an ultra-high-resolution CT scanner

European Radiology - Tập 30 Số 5 - Trang 2552-2560 - 2020
Luuk J. Oostveen1, Kirsten Boedeker2, Monique Brink1, Mathias Prokop1, Frank de Lange1, Ioannis Sechopoulos1
1Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101 (Route 766), 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Otawara, Japan

Tóm tắt

Abstract Objectives

To evaluate the technical performance of an ultra-high-resolution CT (UHRCT) system.

Methods

The physico-technical capabilities of a novel commercial UHRCT system were assessed and compared with those of a current-generation multi-detector (MDCT) system. The super-high-resolution (SHR) mode of the system uses 0.25 mm (at isocentre) detector elements (dels) in the in-plane and longitudinal directions, while the high-resolution (HR) mode bins two dels in the longitudinal direction. The normal-resolution (NR) mode bins dels 2 × 2, resulting in a del-size equivalent to that of the MDCT system. In general, standard procedures and phantoms were used to perform these assessments.

Results

The UHRCT MTF (10% MTF 4.1 lp/mm) is twice as high as that of the MDCT (10% MTF 1.9 lp/mm), which is comparable to the MTF in the NR mode (10% MTF 1.7 lp/mm). The width of the slice sensitivity profile in the SHR mode (FWHM 0.45 mm) is about 60% of that of the MDCT (FWHM 0.77 mm). Uniformity and CT numbers are within the expected range. Noise in the high-resolution modes has a higher magnitude and higher frequency components compared with MDCT. Low-contrast visibility is lower for the NR, HR and SHR modes compared with MDCT, but about a 14%, for NR, and 23%, for HR and SHR, dose increase gives the same results.

Conclusions

HR and SHR mode scanning results in double the spatial resolution, with about a 23% increase in dose required to achieve the same low-contrast detectability.

Key Points

• Resolution on UHRCT is up to twice as high as for the tested MDCT.

• With abdominal settings, UHRCT needs higher dose for the same low-contrast detectability as MDCT, but dose is still below achievable levels as defined by current diagnostic reference levels.

• The UHRCT system used in normal-resolution mode yields comparable resolution and noise characteristics as the MDCT system.

Từ khóa


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