INSIDE THE

DATA ACQUISITION GANTRY PATIENT Detector Array

(X-RAY TUBE)

IMAGE Digital Signal

(data) ADC Electrical Signal
RECONSTRUCTION

Algorithm Mathematical
Method AP to BP Filtration
(FFT or RT)

Analog Data in
IMAGE DISPLAY the Display DAC
1990
Year Speed of system
1990 Spiral CT
1991 2-slice/rotation
1992 4-slice/rotation
2002 8-16 slice/rotation
2004 64-slice
2006 Dual source 64-slice
2007 128-slice and 320-slice dynamic volume scanner
2009 Dual source 128-slice and dual energy CT
2011 Flat panel technology
Power Supply Formula
Single Phase Kvp x mAx S
Three Phase 6 pulse 1.35 x kvp x ma x s
Three Phase 12 Pulse 1.41 x kvp x ma x s
High Frequency 1.45 x kvp x ma x s
SSD GFD

High Photon Absorption Moderate Photon Absorption

Sensitive to temperature and moisture Highly Stable

Solid Material Low density Material

Can exhibit Afterglow No Afterglow

No Front Window loss Losses attributable to front window and the

spaces taken up by the plates
 4 bits 8 bits
16 colors 256 colors

Bits per pixel / Shades of Gray

 • Scanogram – often displayed as the first image of an
examination.

Digital image acquisition that are created while the tube is

stationary and table moves through the scan field. A single
projection causes anatomic structure s to appear superimposed,

Scanogram images allow the technologist to prescribe the

location of cross- sectional slices.

Various names depending on the manufacturer: scout, surview, topogram, localizer scan, preview, and pilot
• Three-Dimensional Imaging (3D reconstruction)

Image can be rotated, tumbled or tilted to

demonstrate structures that would otherwise be
hidden.
 Current imaging systems:
512x512 matrices

FOV
PIXEL SIZE =
Matrix Size

VOXEL SIZE (mm3 ) = Pixel Size (mm )2x Slice

Thickness (mm)
+1000-+3000
40-60
45

40
20
40-50
30
15
Windowing
• Also called Gray-Level Mapping
• Allows for alteration of the displayed image contrast by
adjusting the window width and window level.

Lung window Mediastinal window Bone window

Windowing Settings
Anatomy Width Level

Brain 75-190 35-50

Skull 3500 500

Orbits 1200 50

Abdomen 400 35

Liver 175 45

Mediastinum 325 50

Lung 700-2000 -500

Spinal Cord 400 50

Spine 2200 400

SPATIAL RESOLUTION Which of the two
• Refers to the degree of blurring images represents
• Number of line pairs per centimeter. better spatial
resolution?
 Spatial
Resolution

Matrix Field of
Pixel Size
Size View
DFOV must not be
larger than SFOV
 SPATIAL RESOLUTION

SLICE THICKNESS

PIXEL SIZE

DETECTOR APERTURE

VOXEL SIZE

MATRIX SIZE

DFOV

PITCH

SCAN TIME

FOCAL SPOT SIZE

CONTRAST RESOLUTION
• Ability to distinguish material of one
composition from another w/out regarding the
size and shape
 CONTRAST RESOLUTION

MAS/DOSE

SNR

PIXEL SIZE

SLICE THICKNESS

PATIENT SIZE

WINDOW WIDTH
SYSTEM NOISE
• Percentage standard deviation of a large number of pixels obtained from a
water bath image
• Random variation in photon detection
• Appears on the image as graininess.
LINEARITY
• In relation to CT Number water =0, it refers to CT numbers uniformity
• Pertains to machine calibration
The older, traditional method of scanning is
referred to as

scanning,

scanning. Key to this

desired location

rotates within
ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
Step-and-shoot methods result in the highest image Cumulative effect of the pauses between each data
quality, superior to that of helical methods. acquisition
adds to the total examination time
Scanners Data acquired in the

slice can
location
Axial slices can be programmed so that the data Slice Misregistration
acquired
3D MPR ALGORITHM MOST FREQUENCY USED:
Three-dimensional Volume Rendering
Maximum intensity projection
Shaded surface display
 MIP/MAXIMUM INTENSITY
PROJECTION
 Reconstructs an image by selecting the
highest values pixels along any arbitrary
line through the data set and exhibiting

 Widely used in CTA, CT angiography

because they can be reconstructed very
fast.
 Is a computer aided technique borrowed
from computer aided design and
manufacturing applications applied for

Shaded volume display-for 3D

reconstruction.
ADVANTAGE OF SPIRAL CT:
A. There are no motion artifact
B. There is reduced scanning time
C. There is reduced partial volume which means
reconstruction occur at overlapping intervals.

Note: Isotropic scanning-means having the same

properties regardless of direction and make it
resolution is the same in the X,Y, and Z axis
resulting in cubic voxels.
CATEGORIES OF CT ARTIFACTS ACCORDING TO ORIGIN:

1. Physics-Based Artifacts
Beam Hardening 
Partial Volume Artifact 
Photon Starvation 
Aliasing in CT
2. Patient Based Artifacts 
Metallic Materials 
Patient Motion 
Incomplete Projections 
Physics Based
Patient Based
• METAL/ STREAK– presence of metals in
the scan field
Requirements for CT Scan
• BUN (Blood, Urea and Nitrogen)
• NV: 8-23mg/ml

• Creatinine
• NV: 0.6-1.5 mg/dl

• eGFR
• 60 above

*If currently taking Metformin (Glucophage)

- withhold meds. 48 hours before and after CT examination
• Commonly used: Iodine based and Barium
• TYPE OF IODINE BASED DYE
• LOCM
• HOCM
CRITERIA of a Good CM
• Viscosity – resistance of fluid to movement
• Type of Ionic Salt – commonly used: sodium & meglumine
• Iodine content – volume distribution of iodine in the CM
• Miscibility – ability of a medium to mix with other fluids
• Persistence – refers to the amount of time CM stays in the
body
• Toxicity – lethality of a compound when injected to the
body
• Osmolality – concentration of a solution
Scout: AP(180) 650 to 800 Scan Length

Scan Type Helical

Whole Abd. – Xiphoid tip/ Costo Angle

End Location: Chest –below the Costophrenic Angle
Whole Abd.- Symphysis Pubis
4. IV access: 18g -22g

5. PO Prep: 1000ml H20(routine) for 20 minutes

Positive Oral Contrast (30 mL Contrast Media in 1000mL H20) if protocoled by Rad.
Rectal: Barium

6. Contrast Rate: 2.5 to 3.0 cc per sec.

Quality Assurance Test Used for When to Use

Line Pairs Phantom Test Spatial Resolution Monthly

Contrast Resolution Test Contrast Resolution Monthly

(Diff density phantom)
Slice Thickness Accuracy Slice Thickness Semiannually
(phantom with ramp or step
wedge)
Laser Light Test Pre Collimation Laser Semiannually

Image Noise Test Image Noise Assessment Weekly

(Water Phantom with (if not uniform)

Cross Field Uniformity Test Cross field Uniformity Weekly

Linearity Test Linearity Semiannually

(linearity Phantom)
Tube Conditioning X-ray Tube Daily
Air Calibration Air kerma to Dose in air Daily
Dose Calibration Test Patient Dose Semiannually
 Typical Effective Dose
Diagnostic Procedure (CT) No of chest X-rays leading CTDI Volume Ref.
(mSv) to comparable exposure

Head CT 2.3 115 75mGy Adult

Chest CT 8 400 N/A

Abdomen or pelvis CT 10 500 20 mGy (5yrs old and

below)
 CTC scanner MR scanner Ultrasound scanner

Safety
Ionizing effect of radiation on the body Yes (and the dose is greater than that No No
for an ordinary x-ray image

Heating effect of radiation on the body Low Mild Negligible

Other High voltage equipment Magnetic materials must be removed;

noisy

Image detail

Resolution = 0.5 mm =0.5 mm =1mm

Good contrast Between hard and soft tissue and Between hard and soft tissue and Between different types
between different types between different types

Scan time (depends on organ and scan =1s =1000s =10s

extent)

Imaging organ movements Good Poor-takes too long Poor

Other
Capital cost High Significantly higher than CT Low
Availability Improving Limited due to high capital cost Common place
Examples of use Tumors of the chest and abdomen Imaging arteries in the brain, neck, Imaging babies in the womb
chest
 m

v
 Tissue type Appropriate T1 value Appropriate T1 value
(in minutes) (in minutes)
Adipose tissue 240-250 60-80
Whole body (deoxygenated) 1350 50
Whole body (oxygenated) 1350 200
Cerebrospinal fluid (similar to 4200-4500 2100-2300
pure water)
Gray matter of cerebrum 920 100
White matter of cerebrum 780 90
Liver 490 40
Kidneys 650 60-75
Muscles 860-900 50
 Magnetic Resonance Imaging
No use of ionizing radiations
Can generally be considered safe in pregnancy and
in pediatric patients
Better suited for imaging the central nervous
system, soft tissues, and in the evaluation of
ligaments and tendons
Capable of generating images in several planes
Generally needs a longer imaging time
Scanners and hence imaging investigations are very
expensive
Contraindicated in patients with metal implants
Computed Tomography
Uses ionizing radiations for imaging
Not desirable for use in pregnant patients
Better suited for the visualization of bones, lungs
and in oncology
Capable of generating images in a few select planes
Generally needs shorter imaging time
Scanner and hence imaging investigations not very
expensive
Can be performed in patients with metal implants