The Variable Resolution X-ray (VRX) technique has been successfully used in a Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) system
to increase the spatial resolution of CT images in the transverse plane. This was achieved by tilting the Flat
Panel Detector (FPD) to smaller vrxy angles in a VRX Cone Beam CT (VRX-CBCT) system. In this paper, the
effect on the axial spatial resolution of CT images created by the VRX-CBCT system is examined at different
vrxx angles, where vrxx is the tilting angle of the FPD about its x-axis. An amorphous silicon FPD with a
CsI scintillator is coupled with a micro-focus x-ray tube to form a CBCT. The FPD is installed on a rotating
frame that allows rotation of up to 90° about x and y axes of the FPD. There is no rotation about the z-axis
(i.e. normal to the imaging surface). Tilting the FPD about its x-axis (i.e. decreasing the vrxx angle) reduces
both the width of the line-spread function and the sampling distance by a factor of sin vrxx, thereby increasing
the theoretical detector pre-sampling spatial resolution proportionately. This results in thinner CT slices that
in turn help increase the axial spatial resolution of the CT images. An in-house phantom is used to measure the
MTF of the reconstructed CT images at different vrxx angles.
Variable Resolution X-ray (VRX) CT scanners allow imaging of different sized anatomy at the same level of
detail using the same device. This is achieved by tilting the x-ray detectors so that the projected size of the
detecting elements is varied to produce reconstructions of smaller fields of view with higher spatial resolution.
As with regular CT scanners, the images obtained with VRX scanners are affected by different kinds of artifacts
of various origins. This work studies some of these artifacts and the impact that the VRX effect has on them.
For this, computational models of single-arm single-slice VRX scanners are used to produce images with artifacts
commonly found in routine use. These images and artifacts are produced using our VRX CT scanner simulator,
which allows us to isolate the system parameters that have a greater effect on the artifacts. A study of the
behavior of the artifacts at varying VRX opening angles is presented for scanners implemented using two different
detectors. The results show that, although varying the VRX angle will have an effect on the severity of each
of the artifacts studied, for some of these artifacts the effect of other factors (such as the distribution of the
detector cells and the position of the phantom in the reconstruction grid) is overwhelmingly more significant.
This is shown to be the case for streak artifacts produced by thin metallic objects. For some artifacts related
to beam hardening, their severity was found to decrease along with the VRX angle. These observations allow
us to infer that in regular use the effect of the VRX angle artifacts similar to the ones studied here will not be
noticeable as it will be overshadowed by parameters that cannot be easily controlled outside of a computational
model.
A new Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) system is introduced that uses the concept of Variable Resolution X-ray (VRX)
detection, which has previously been demonstrated to significantly increase spatial resolution for small objects.
An amorphous silicon Flat Panel Detector (FPD) with a CsI scintillator (PaxScan 2020, Varian, Salt Lake City,
UT) is coupled with a micro-focus x-ray tube (35 - 80 kVp, 10 - 250 μA) to form a CBCT. The FPD is installed
on a rotating arm that can be adjusted to any angle θ, called the VRX angle, between 90° and 0° with respect to
the x-ray direction. A VRX angle of 90° for the detector corresponds to a conventional CBCT whereas a VRX
angle of 30° means that the detector is tilted 90° - 30° = 60° from its perpendicular position. Tilting the FPD in
this manner reduces both the line-spread function width and the sampling distance by a factor of sin(&thgr;), thereby
increasing detector spatial resolution proportionately. An in-house phantom is used to measure the MTF of the
reconstructed CT images using different VRX angles. An increase by a factor of 1.67 ± 0.007 is observed in the
MTF cutoff frequency at 30° compared to 90° in images acquired at 75 kVp. Expected theoretical value for this
case is 2.0. The new Cone-Beam Variable Resolution X-ray (CB-VRX) CT system is expected to significantly
improve the images acquired from small objects - such as small animals - while exploiting the opportunities
offered by a conventional CBCT.
Variable Resolution X-ray (VRX) CT scanners allow imaging of different sized anatomy at the same level of
detail using the same device. This is achieved by tilting the x-ray detectors so that the projected size of the
detecting elements is varied producing reconstructions of smaller fields of view with higher spatial resolution.1
The detector can be divided in two or more separate segments, called arms, which can be placed at different
angles, allowing some flexibility for the scanner design. In particular, several arms can be set at different angles
creating a target region of considerably higher resolution that can be used to track the evolution of a previously
diagnosed condition, while keeping the patient completely inside the field of view (FOV).2 This work presents
newly-developed computer models of single-slice VRX scanners that allow us to study and compare different
configurations (that is, various types of detectors arranged in any number of arms arranged in different geometries)
in terms of spatial and contrast resolution. In particular, we are interested in comparing the performance
of various geometric configurations that would otherwise be considered equivalent (using the same equipment,
imaging FOVs of the same sizes, and having a similar overall scanner size). For this, a VRX simulator was
developed, along with mathematical phantoms for spatial resolution and contrast analysis. These tools were
used to compare scanner configurations that can be reproduced with materials presently available in our lab.
The basic VRX technique boosts spatial resolution of a CT scanner in the scan plane by two or more orders of magnitude by reducing the angle of incidence of the x-ray beam with respect to the detector surface. A four-arm Variable-Resolution X-ray (VRX) detector has been developed for CT scanning. The detector allows for "target imaging" in which an area of interest is scanned at higher resolution than the remainder of the subject, yielding even higher resolution for the focal area than that obtained from the basic VRX technique. The new VRX-CT detector comprises four quasi-identical arms each containing six 24-cell modules (576 cells total). The modules are made of individual custom CdWO4 scintillators optically-coupled to custom photodiode arrays. The maximum scan field is 40 cm for a magnification of 1.4. A significant advantage of the four-arm geometry is that it can transform quickly to the two-arm, or even the single-arm geometry, for comparison studies. These simpler geometries have already been shown experimentally to yield in-plane CT detector resolution exceeding 60 cy/mm (<8μ) for small fields of view. Geometrical size and resolution limits of the target VRX field are calculated. Two-arm VRX-CT data are used to simulate and establish the feasibility of VRX CT target imaging. A prototype target VRX-CT scanner has been built and is undergoing initial testing.
The Variable Resolution X-ray (VRX) CT system, developed at the UTHSC, Memphis, has the potential for use in animal imaging. Animal models of tumor progression and pharmacological impact are becoming increasingly important in understanding the molecular and mechanistic basis of tumor development. In general, CT-imaging offers several advantages in animal research: a fast throughput of seconds to minutes reducing the physiological stress animals are exposed to, and it is an inexpensive modality affordable to many animal laboratories. We are developing the VRX CT scanner as a non-invasive imaging modality to measure tumor volume, progression, and metastasis. From the axial images taken by the VRX CT-scanner, tumor area was measured and the tumor volume was calculated. Animals were also imaged using an optical liquid nitrogen-cooled CCD camera to detect tumor fluorescence. A simple image fusion with a planner x-ray image was used to ascertain the position of the tumors, animals were then sacrificed the tumors excised, and the tumor volume calculated by physical measurements. Furthermore, using a specially designed phantom with three spheres of different volumes, we demonstrated that our system allowed us to estimate the volume with up to 10% accuracy; we expect this to increase dramatically in the next few months.
In the near future, we will see the introduction of full field digital mammography system replacing conventional film-screen mammography. For image display and diagnosis, these digital mammography system are likely to interface with high resolution laser imagers, which can produce high quality hardcopy film output. We have developed a high resolution imager based on photothermographic dry media. Inputs from both modality manufacturers and radiologists determined the design characteristics of the imager. General features of the imager, specific features pertaining to current digital mammo modalities and user needs are presented. Additionally, we present image quality results such as contrast transfer function, grayscale reproduction, noise in the printed dry media and media and image quality control in the imager. Suggestions for quality control of the modality and the imager are described.
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