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Reconstruction
Image quality
Artifacts
Simple backprojection
Starts with an empty image matrix, and the
value from each ray in all views is added
to each pixel in a line through the image
corresponding to the rays path
A characteristic 1/r blurring is a byproduct
A filtering step is therefore added to correct
this blurring
Filtered backprojection
The raw view data are mathematically
filtered before being backprojected onto the
image matrix
Involves convolving the projection data
with a convolution kernel
Different kernels are used for varying
clinical applications such as soft tissue
imaging or bone imaging
Convolution filters
Lak filter increases amplitude linearly as a
function of frequency; works well when there is no
noise in the data
Shepp-Logan filter incorporates some roll-off at
higher frequencies, reducing high-frequency noise
in the final CT image
Hamming filter has even more pronounced highfrequency roll-off, with better high-frequency
noise suppression
CT numbers (cont.)
CT numbers are quantitative
CT scanners measure bone density with
good accuracy
Can be used to assess fracture risk
Image quality
Compared with x-ray radiography, CT has
significantly worse spatial resolution and
significantly better contrast resolution
Limiting spatial resolution for screen-film
radiography is about 7 lp/mm; for CT it is about 1
lp/mm
Contrast resolution of screen-film radiography is
about 5%; for CT it is about 0.5%
SNR
D 3
T
Number of views
Too few views results in view aliasing, most noticeable
toward the periphery of the image
Object magnification
Increased magnification amplifies the blurring of the
focal spot
Helical pitch
Greater pitches reduce resolution. A larger pitch
increases the slice sensitivity profile
Pixel matrix
Patient motion
Involuntary motion or motion resulting from patient
noncompliance will blur the CT image proportional to
the distance of motion during scan
Field of view
Influences the physical dimensions of each pixel
Dose
Dose increases linearly with mAs per scan
Reconstruction filter
Bone filters produce lower contrast resolution, and soft
tissue filters improve contrast resolution
Patient size
For the same technique, larger patients attenuate more
x-rays, resulting in detection of fewer x-rays. Reduces
SNR and therefore the contrast resolution
Beam hardening
Like all medical x-ray beams, CT uses a
polyenergetic x-ray spectrum
X-ray attenuation coefficients are energy
dependent
After passing through a given thickness of patient,
lower-energy x-rays are attenuated to a greater extent
than higher-energy x-rays are
Motion artifacts
Motion artifacts arise when the patient
moves during the acquisition
Small motions cause image blurring
Larger physical displacements produce
artifacts that appear as double images or
image ghosting