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FIGURE 10-22. While the MTF is the best description of the resolution properties of
an imaging system, for routine quality assurance purposes easier-to-measure esti-
mates of spatial resolution suffice. The limiting resolution of an imaging system can
reliably be estimated using either line pair or star pattern phantoms.

between the LSF and the MTF should be understood. Figure 10-21 illustrates three
LSFs, getting progressively worse toward the bottom of the figure. On the right col-
umn of Fig. 10-21, the MTFs corresponding to the LSFs are shown. As the LSF
gets broader (poorer resolution), the MTF curves dive down toward zero modula-
tion more rapidly.

Spatial resolution is something that should be monitored on a routine basis for

many imaging modalities. However, measuring the LSF or the MTF is usually too
detailed for rourine quality assurance purposes. For a "quick and dirty" evaluation
of spatial resolution, resolution test phantoms are used. The test phantoms are usu-
ally line pair phantoms or star patterns (Fig. 10-22) for projection radiography, and
line pair phantoms can be purchased for CT as well.
The test phantoms are imaged, and the images are viewed to garner a qualita-
tive understanding of the limiting spatial resolution of the imaging system. These
routine measurements are often made on fluoroscopic equipment and for screen-
film and digital radiographic systems.

Figure 10-23 shows three isometric "images"; each one has similar contrast, but the
amount of noise increases toward the right of the figure. Noise interjects a random

FIGURE 10-23. The concept of noise is illustrated using isometric display. A

low noise image is shown on the left, with increasing amounts of noise
added to the "images" toward the right.