Spiral CT Physics

Michael McNitt-Gray, PhD, DABR Associate Professor Department of Radiology David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA mmcnittgray@mednet.ucla.edu

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X-Ray CT Systems All Use:

Thinly Collimated X-Ray Beam Multiple Views Detectors to Collect X-Ray Photons Data Acquisition System Image Reconstruction Algorithm (Filtered Back Projection) Film/Monitors To Display Axial Slices

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3rd generation rotate-rotate

4th generation rotate-stationary

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Conventional CT Systems (GE Hi-Lite Advantage) :

Power to X-Ray Tube via Cord Scan CW and CCW to Wind/Unwind Cord Tube Rotates Around Stationary Patient (Table Position is Incremented Between Acquisitions) Interscan Delays: 3.5 Seconds Between Slices

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Spiral (Helical) CT Systems

Kalenders original article was titled Spiral volumetric CT with single-breath-hold technique, continuous transport, and continuous scanner rotation. Differences from Conventional: Power to X-ray Tube via Slip Ring Allows Continuous Rotation, No InterScan Delays Table Moves as Tube Rotates Form Images: Synthesizing Projection Data via Interpolation

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=1;

u u
W f F m f m

D u u

z, mm , 0
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itc

xte

ir l
i t f ir l t ( r e ter f lli ir l ti t )

irecti f ti s tie t r s

rt z, t, sec 0
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Image ormation
  

Collect Projection Data These Data are NOT all at same table position, so: Synthesize a set of Planar Projection Data via Interpolation (interpolate between views taken at same projection angle, but different table positions), then Use Filtered Back Projection on Synthesized Planar Data

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ath f ntinu u ly R tating X-ray ube and rojection Data)

Selected Im e lane b trary)

Direction of ontinuou atient ransport z, mm t, ec 0

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ath of ontinuously Rotating X-ray ube and rojection Data)

Selected Image lane rbitrary)

Direction of ontinuous atient ransport z, mm t, sec 0

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36

egree lg rith

Ar itr ril selecte l r secti t siti z

z1 l

z1 + siti s re i ter l ti
11

r t f r r itr r s ir l t c lc l te fr
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180 e ree Al

rit

Ar itr ril selecte l r secti t siti z

z1 e s re s ir l c lc l te s ir l

z1+ /2

Pl r t f r r itr r c lc l te fr s ir l t

siti s re i ter l ti
12

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80 egree Algorithm

Ar itrarily selected planar section at position z

z meas red spiral calc lated spiral

z +d/

Planar data for ar itrary positions are calc lated from spiral data y interpolation
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Image ormation


Because a VOLUME of Data is Acquired and Interpolation is used, Images can be formed ANYWHERE --> Slice Location is Arbitrary Therefore, Overlapping Images can be created (e.g. 10 mm thick, 5 mm apart). Slice Thickness Is Determined by Collimation

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Inde
Index = Interval at which images are reconstructed (e.g. image collimation of 10 mm with index of 5 mm means that images are reconstructed every 5 mm). % Overlap = Percent of image that overlaps with adjacent image. (e.g. 10 mm collimation with 5 mm reconstruction interval is a 50% overlap).

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Contiguous Reconstruction - No O erlap

Width of Image From Collimation) Center of Image

Image Number

3 z, mm t, sec

0
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verlapping Reconstr ction - 50%

verlap

Image

m er

3 z, mm t, sec

0
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Contiguous reconstruction - object aligned with slices

Image Number

2
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4
18

Contiguous reconstruction - object aligne in between slices

Image Number
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4
19

Overlapping reconstr ction - o ject aligned in

et een slices

4 Image m er 3 5

6 7

ote: Object is Vol me Averaged in Slices 3 and 5, but contained completely ithin slice 4
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Contiguous Reconstruction
idth of Image ( rom Collimation) Center of Image

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Overlapping Reconstruction

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Data Acquisition

Pitch = Table Movement per Rotation X-ray Beam Collimation Contiguous Spiral Pitch = 1 (10 mm / 10 mm) Extended (Non-Contiguous) Spiral Pitch = 2 (20 mm/ 10 mm) Overlapping Spiral Pitch = 1/2 ( 5 mm / 10 mm)

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Spiral CT - Differences rom A ial

Image Quality (Assuming 180 reconstruction algorithm): Effective Slice Thickness Increases with Pitch (~10% increase for pitch 1; ~ 30% for pitch 2; ~ 70% for pitch 3) Hence volume averaging increases with pitch Noise is Greater than Conventional Axial under same conditions, but does not change with pitch

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Spiral CT - Differences rom A ial

Radiation Dose: For Pitch of 1 ~ Same as Comparable Contiguous Conventional Scans For Pitch 1.5 - Approximately 2/3 that of Contiguous Scans For Pitch 2 - Approximately 1/2 of Contiguous Scans Radiation Dose Proportional to 1/pitch

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Spiral CT Systems
System Requirements: High Heat Unit Capacity Tube to Sustain Continuous Scanning- Now 5 and 6 Million Heat Units Faster Rotation Times to Get Through a Volume Even Quicker; < 0.5 second rotation times available Faster Data Transfer Systems to Get Data From DAS Fiber Optics Faster Computers to Reconstruct - 0.1 to 0.5 seconds per image

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Spiral CT Systems
Advantages over Conventional: Faster Acquisition Follow Contrast Quicker Begin to Image Physiology/Angiography Reduce Breathing Artifacts/Misregistration

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Spiral CT Systems
Limitations: Motion Blurring (Effective Slice is Thicker) Data/Image Overload Memory and Data Transfer May Be Limiting Factors

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References
Basic CT Physics Overview
Newton TH and Potts DG, eds, Radiology of the Skull and Brain: Technical Aspects of Computed Tomography, The C.V. Mosby Co., St. Louis, 1981.

Principles of Spiral CT
Kalender WA; Seissler W; Klotz E; Vock P. Spiral volumetric CT with single-breath-hold technique, continuous transport, and continuous scanner rotation. Radiology, 1990 Jul, 176(1):181-3. Crawford CR, King KF. Computed Tomography Scanning with simultaneous patient translation. Medical Physics 1990, 17:967982. Remy-Jardin M, Remy J, eds. Spiral CT of the Chest, Springer, Berlin, 1996. Chapter 1- Principles of Spiral CT by M.W. Vannier and G. Wang.
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References
Physics of Spiral CT
Kalender WA; Polacin A. Physical performance characteristics of spiral CT scanning. Medical Physics, 1991 Sep-Oct, 18(5):910-5. Polacin A; Kalender WA; Marchal G. Evaluation of section sensitivity profiles and image noise in spiral CT. Radiology, 1992 Oct, 185(1):29-35. Polacin A; Kalender WA; Brink J; Vannier MA. Measurement of slice sensitivity profiles in spiral CT. Medical Physics, 1994 Jan, 21(1):133-40.

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References
Physics of Spiral CT (contd)
Wang G; Vannier MW. Stair-step artifacts in three-dimensional helical CT: an experimental study. Radiology, 1994 Apr, 191(1):79-83. Wang G; Vannier MW. Longitudinal resolution in volumetric X-ray computerized tomography--analytical comparison between conventional and helical computerized tomography. Medical Physics, 1994 Mar, 21(3):429-33. Kasales CJ; Hopper KD; Ariola DN; TenHave TR; Meilstrup JW; Mahraj RP; Van Hook D; Westacott S; Sefczek RJ; Barr JD. Reconstructed helical CT scans: improvement in z-axis resolution compared with overlapped and nonoverlapped conventional CT scans. AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology, 1995 May, 164(5):1281-4.
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