Use of effective detective quantum efficiency to optimise radiographic exposures for chest imaging with computed radiography
The purpose of the work was to test if effective detective quantum efficiency (eDQE) could be useful for optimisation of radiographic factors for computed radiography (CR) for adult chest examinations. The eDQE was therefore measured across a range of kilovoltage, with and without an anti-scatter grid. The modulation transfer function, noise power spectra, transmission factor and scatter fraction were measured with a phantom made of sheets of Aluminum and Acrylic. The entrance air kerma was selected to give an effective dose of 4.9 ìSv. The effective noise equivalent quanta (eNEQ) is introduced in this work. eNEQ can be considered equal to the number of X-ray quanta equivalent in the image corrected for the amount of scatter and the blurring processes. The eNEQ was then normalised to account for slight differences in the effective dose (eNEQED). The peak eNEQED was largest at 80 kV and 100 kV with no grid and with grid respectively. At each kilovoltage, the eNEQED and eDQE were between 10% and 70% larger when the grid was not used. The results show that 80 kV without grid is the most suitable exposure conditions for CR in chest. This is consistent with clinical practice in the UK and previous publications recommending a low kV technique for CR for average sized adult chest imaging. © 2009 SPIE.
