Ultra-high resolution flat-panel volume CT: fundamental principles, design architecture, and system characterization

Digital flat-panel-based volume CT (VCT) represents a unique design capable of ultra-high spatial resolution, direct volumetric imaging, and dynamic CT scanning. This innovation, when fully developed, has the promise of opening a unique window on human anatomy and physiology. For example, the volume...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European radiology 2006-06, Vol.16 (6), p.1191-1205
Main Authors: Gupta, Rajiv, Grasruck, Michael, Suess, Christoph, Bartling, Soenke H, Schmidt, Bernhard, Stierstorfer, Karl, Popescu, Stefan, Brady, Tom, Flohr, Thomas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Cancellous bone
Computed tomography
Design
Digital imaging
Equipment Design
Filtration - instrumentation
High resolution
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods
Image quality
Image resolution
Ischemia
Kidney transplantation
Medical imaging
Neuroimaging
Prototypes
Radiation Dosage
Radiographic Image Enhancement - instrumentation
Radiographic Image Enhancement - methods
Range extension
Scanners
Scanning
Scattering
Scattering, Radiation
Sensors
Software
Spatial discrimination
Spatial resolution
Technology, Radiologic - instrumentation
Temporal resolution
Time Factors
Tomography
Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation
Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
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Description
Summary:Digital flat-panel-based volume CT (VCT) represents a unique design capable of ultra-high spatial resolution, direct volumetric imaging, and dynamic CT scanning. This innovation, when fully developed, has the promise of opening a unique window on human anatomy and physiology. For example, the volumetric coverage offered by this technology enables us to observe the perfusion of an entire organ, such as the brain, liver, or kidney, tomographically (e.g., after a transplant or ischemic event). By virtue of its higher resolution, one can directly visualize the trabecular structure of bone. This paper describes the basic design architecture of VCT. Three key technical challenges, viz., scatter correction, dynamic range extension, and temporal resolution improvement, must be addressed for successful implementation of a VCT scanner. How these issues are solved in a VCT prototype and the modifications necessary to enable ultra-high resolution volumetric scanning are described. The fundamental principles of scatter correction and dose reduction are illustrated with the help of an actual prototype. The image quality metrics of this prototype are characterized and compared with a multi-detector CT (MDCT).
ISSN:0938-7994
1432-1084
DOI:10.1007/s00330-006-0156-y