Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Operating characteristics of tube-current-modulation techniques when scanning simple-shaped phantoms

  • Published:
Journal of the Korean Physical Society Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Our objective was to investigate the operating characteristics of tube current modulation (TCM) in computed tomography (CT) when scanning two types of simple-shaped phantoms. A tissueequivalent elliptical phantom and a homogeneous cylindrical step phantom comprising 16-, 24-, and 32-cm-diameter polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantoms were scanned by using an automatic exposure control system with longitudinal (z-) and angular-longitudinal (xyz-) TCM and with a fixed tube current. The axial dose distribution throughout the elliptical phantom and the longitudinal dose distribution at the center of the cylindrical step phantom were measured by using a solid-state detector. Image noise was quantitatively measured at eight regions in the elliptical phantom and at 90 central regions in contiguous images over the full z extent of the cylindrical step phantom. The mean absorbed doses and the standard deviations in the elliptical phantom with z- and xyz-TCM were 12.3’ 3.7 and 11.3’ 3.5 mGy, respectively. When TCM was activated, some differences were observed in the absorbed doses of the left and the right measurement points. The average image noises in Hounsfield units (HU) and the standard deviations were 15.2’ 2.4 and 15.9’ 2.4 HU when using z- and xyz-TCM, respectively. With respect to the cylindrical step phantom under z-TCM, there were sudden decreases followed by increases in image noise at the interfaces with the 24- and 16-cm-diameter phantoms. The image noise of the 24-cm-diameter phantom was, relatively speaking, higher than those of the 16- and 32-cm-diameter phantoms. The simple-shaped phantoms used in this study can be employed to investigate the operating characteristics of automatic exposure control systems when specialized phantoms designed for that purpose are not available.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. F. A. Mettler, Jr., B. R. Thomadsen, M. Bhargavan, D. B. Gilley, J. E. Gray, J. A. Lipoti, J. McCrohan, T. T. Yoshizumi and M. Mahesh. Health Phys. 95, 502 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), NCRP Report No. 160, 2009.

  3. D. Tack, V. De Maertelaer and P. A. Gevenois. AJR Am. J. Roentgenol. 181, 331 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Kalra, M. Maher, T. Toth, R. Kamath, E. Halpern and S. Saini. Radiology 232, 347 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. E. Angel et al., AJR Am. J. Roentgenol. 193, 1340 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Y. Muramatsu, S. Ikeda, K. Osawa, R. Sekine, N. Niwa, M. Terada, N. Keat and S. Miyazaki, Nippon Hoshasen Gijutsu Gakkai Zasshi 63, 534 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. A. E. Papadakis, K. Perisinakis and J. Damilakis. Med. Phys. 35, 4567 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Söderberg and M. Gunnarsson. Acta Radiol. 51, 625 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. O. Rampado, F. Marchisio, A. Izzo, E. Garelli, C. C. Bianchi, G. Gandini and R. Ropolo, Eur. J. Radiol. 72, 181 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. K. Matsubara, P. J. Lin, A. Fukuda and K. Koshida, Radiol. Phys. Technol. 7, 316 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. I. A. Tsalafoutas, A. Varsamidis, S. Thalassinou and E. P. Efstathopoulos. Med. Phys. 40, 111918 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. S. Sookpeng, C. J.Martin and D. J. Gentle. Radiat. Prot. Dosimetry 163, 521 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. C. H. McCollough, M. R. Bruesewitz and J. M. Kofler, Jr., Radiographics 26, 503 (2006).

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Discovery CT750 HD Technical Reference Manual, 5317222-1EN, Rev. 5, GE Healthcare (Waukesha, WI, USA, 2009).

  15. L. Herrnsdorf, M. Björk, B. Cederquist, C. G. Mattsson, G. Thungström and C. Fröjdh, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. Phys. Res. Sect. A 607, 223 (2009).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. J. H. Hubbell and S. M. Seltzer, Tables of X-ray mass attenuation coefficients and mass energy-absorption coefficients from 1 keV to 20 MeV for elements Z = 1 to 92 and 48 additional substances of dosimetric interest, Report NISTIR 5632. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  17. International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU), ICRP Report No. 44, 1989.

  18. K. Matsubara, K. Koshida, M. Suzuki, H. Tsujii, T. Yamamoto and O. Matsui, Radiat. Prot. Dosimetry 128, 106 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  19. M. Söderberg and M. Gunnarsson, Acta. Radiol. 51, 625 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Pei-Jan Paul Lin

    Present address: Department of Radiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Virginia, 23298, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Quantum Medical Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan

    Kosuke Matsubara, Kichiro Koshida & Atsushi Fukuda

  2. Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, 02215, USA

    Pei-Jan Paul Lin

  3. Department of Radiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Virginia, 23298, USA

    Pei-Jan Paul Lin

  4. Department of Radiology, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Moriyama, 524-0022, Japan

    Atsushi Fukuda

Authors
  1. Kosuke Matsubara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kichiro Koshida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pei-Jan Paul Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Atsushi Fukuda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kosuke Matsubara.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Matsubara, K., Koshida, K., Lin, PJ.P. et al. Operating characteristics of tube-current-modulation techniques when scanning simple-shaped phantoms. Journal of the Korean Physical Society 67, 82–88 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3938/jkps.67.82

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3938/jkps.67.82

Keywords

Search

Navigation