Performance evaluation of a multi-slice CT system

作者：Cynthia H. McCollough, Frank E. Zink · 发表于：Medical Physics · 年份：1999 · DOI：10.1118/1.598777 · 被引用次数：388 · 研究领域：Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging、Radiation Dose and Imaging、Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications

Our purpose in this study was to characterize the performance of a recently introduced multi-slice CT scanner (LightSpeed QX/i, Version 1.0, General Electric Medical Systems) in comparison to a single-slice scanner from the same manufacturer (HiSpeed CT/i, Version 4.0). To facilitate this comparison, a refined definition of pitch is introduced which accommodates multi-slice CT systems, yet maintains the existing relationships between pitch, patient dose, and image quality. The following performance parameters were assessed: radiation and slice sensitivity profiles, low-contrast and limiting spatial resolution, image uniformity and noise, CT number and geometric accuracy, and dose. The multi-slice system was tested in axial (1, 2, or 4 images per gantry rotation) and HQ (Pitch = 0.75) and HS (Pitch = 1.5) helical modes. Axial and helical acquisition speed and limiting spatial resolution (0.8-s exposure) were improved on the multi-slice system. Slice sensitivity profiles, image noise, CT number accuracy and uniformity, and low-contrast resolution were similar. In some HS-helical modes, helical artifacts and geometric distortion were more pronounced with a different appearance. Radiation slice profiles and doses were larger on the multi-slice system at all scan widths. For a typical abdomen and pelvis exam, the central and surface body doses for 5-mm helical scans were higher on the multi-slice system by approximately 50%. The increase in surface CTDI values (with respect to the...