Multislice CT with a larger number of detector rows has recently become the mainstream. As a result, scanning with
a thin slice thickness is more frequently performed. However, a large number of obvious raster-type artifacts occur
when X-ray absorption in the lateral direction is extremely high, such as in the shoulder and the pelvis. There are two
methods to solve this problem. In one method, X-ray output is modulated during rotation so that the exposure dose is
increased in regions with high X-ray absorption and reduced in regions with low X-ray absorption. In the other method,
regions that are responsible for artifacts are filter-processed using image processing to minimize artifacts.
From the viewpoints of image quality and exposure dose, we have evaluated a method we have developed that
combines X-ray modulation technology (X-ray Modulation) and artifact elimination processing (Boost3D). An acrylic
elliptical phantom was used for evaluation. Assuming a constant image SD level, it was found that the exposure dose
can be reduced by approximately 25% with the combined use of X-ray Modulation and Boost3D.
Multi-slice helical CT-systems suffer from windmill artifacts: black/white patterns that spin off of features with high longitudinal gradients. The number of black/white pairs matches the number of slices (detector rows) in the multi-slive detector. The period of spin is the same as the helical pitch. We investigate the cause of the pattern by following the traces of selected voxels through the multi-slive detector array as a function of view position. This forms an "extracted sinogram" which represents the data used to reconstruct the specific voxel. Now we can determine the cause of the artifact by correlating the windmill streak in the image with the extracted data. The investigation shows that inadequate sampling along the longitudinal direction causes the artifact.
In many clinical applications, it is necessary to tilt the gantry of an X-ray CT system with respect to the patient. Tilting the gantry introduces no complications for single-slice fan-beam systems; however, most systems today are helical multislice systems with up to 16 slices (and this number is sure to increase in the future). The image reconstruction algorithms used in multislice helical CT systems must be modified to compensate for the tilt. If they are not, the quality of reconstructed images will be poor with the presence of significant artifacts produced by the tilt. Practical helical multislice algorithms currently incorporated in today’s systems include helical fan-beam, ASSR (Advanced single-slice rebinning), and Feldkamp algorithms. This paper presents the modifications necessary to compensate for gantry tilt for the helical cone-beam Feldkamp algorithm implemented by Toshiba (referred to as TCOT for true cone-beam tomography). Unlike some of the other algorithms, gantry tilt compensation is simple and straightforward to implement with no significant increase in computational complexity. It will be shown that the effect of the gantry tilt is to introduce a lateral shift in the isocenter of the reconstructed slice of interest, which is a function of the tilt, couch speed, and view angle. This lateral shift is easily calculated and incorporated into the backprojection algorithm. The tilt-compensated algorithm is called T-TCOT. Experimental tilted-gantry data has been obtained with 8- and 16 slice Toshiba Aquilion systems, and examples of uncompensated and tilt compensated images are presented.
Fluorescent x-ray computed tomography (FXCT) is being developed to detect non-radioactive contrast materials in living specimens. The FXCT systems consists of a silicon channel cut monochromator, an x-ray slit and a collimator for detection, a scanning table for the target organ and an x-ray detector for fluorescent x-ray and transmission x-ray. To reduce Compton scattering overlapped on the K(alpha) line, incident monochromatic x-ray was set at 37 keV. At 37 keV Monte Carlo simulation showed almost complete separation between Compton scattering and the K(alpha) line. Actual experiments revealed small contamination of Compton scattering on the K(alpha) line. A clear FXCT image of a phantom was obtained. Using this system the minimal detectable dose of iodine was 30 ng in a volume of 1 mm3, and a linear relationship was demonstrated between photon counts of fluorescent x-rays and the concentration of iodine contrast material. The use of high incident x-ray energy allows an increase in the signal to noise ratio by reducing the Compton scattering on the K(alpha) line.
We describe a new system of fluorescent x-ray computed tomography applied to image nonradioactive contrast materials in vivo. The system operates on the basis of computed tomography (CT) of the first generation. The experiment was also simulated using the Monte Carlo method. The research was carried out at the BLNE-5A bending-magnet beam line of the Tristan Accumulation Ring in Kek, Japan. An acrylic cylindrical phantom containing five paraxial channels of 5 and 4 mm diameters was imaged. The channels were filled with a diluted iodine-based contrast material, with iodine concentrations of 2 mg/ml and 500 (mu) g/ml. Spectra obtained with the system's high purity germanium (HPGe) detector separated clearly the K(alpha ) and K(beta 1) x-ray fluorescent lines, and the Compton scattering. CT images were reconstructed from projections generated by integrating the counts in these spectral lines. The method had adequate sensitivity and detection power, as shown by the experiment and predicted by the simulations, to show the iodine content of the phantom channels, which corresponded to 1 and 4 (mu) g iodine content per pixel in the reconstructed images.
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