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CT Lecture

CT reconstruction involves generating images from x-ray projection data acquired around the patient. There are two main categories of reconstruction methods: analytical like filtered backprojection and iterative. Important parameters like the reconstruction kernel and slice thickness determine the tradeoff between image quality factors like resolution, noise, and radiation dose. Newer iterative reconstruction methods allow for improvements like reduced image noise and artifacts compared to traditional filtered backprojection.

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Danny Singh
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230 views18 pages

CT Lecture

CT reconstruction involves generating images from x-ray projection data acquired around the patient. There are two main categories of reconstruction methods: analytical like filtered backprojection and iterative. Important parameters like the reconstruction kernel and slice thickness determine the tradeoff between image quality factors like resolution, noise, and radiation dose. Newer iterative reconstruction methods allow for improvements like reduced image noise and artifacts compared to traditional filtered backprojection.

Uploaded by

Danny Singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CT Reconstruction

What is CT Image
Reconstruction?
• Mathematical process that generates images for x-
ray projection data acquired @ many different
angles around the patient

• Two major categories of methods exist:

• i) Analytical reconstruction: filtered back projection


methods

• ii) Iterative reconstuction


• Clinical CT scanners have very limited control over
the inner workings of the reconstruction method &
are confined principally to adjusting various
parameters specific to different clinical applications

• The reconstruction kernel, or ‘filter’ or ‘algorithm’ is


one of the most important parameters that affects
image quality

• Smooth kernel generates images with less noise but


less spatial resolution. Sharp kernel generates
images with increased spatial resolution but
increased noise
• Selection of kernel based on clinical applications. EG:
Smooth kernels used in brain exams or liver tumor
assessment to decrease noise and enhance low
contrast detectability —> radiation dose increases

• Sharper kernels used in exams to assess bony


structures because of increase spatial resolution —
>lower radiation dose due to increased contrast

• Slice thickness is another important parameter that


controls image quality in longitudinal direction. This
influences trade offs among resolution, noise and
radiation dose
• CT users have the added responsibility of choosing the
appropriate reconstruction kernel and slice thickness for
each application to decrease radiation dose and ensure
image quality isn't compromised

• Iterative reconstruction has advantages that includes


important physical factors including focal spot & detector
geometry, photon stats, x-ray beam spectrum and
scattering that can be more accurately incorporated into
iterative reconstruction—>yielding lower image noise &
higher spatial resolution when compared to FBP

• Iterative reconstruction can also reduce image artifacts


such as beam hardening, windmill and metal artifacts
Filtered Backprojection
• In simple backprojection, we sum projections from a large number of angles around 360
degrees

• This results in the 1/r blur function

! Blurring caused by the


geometry of the back
! projection is corrected by
deconvolving the measured
! projection data prior to back
projection —>FBP!

!
!
!
• A mathematical operation of convolution corrects for the impact of the blurring function
• Deconvolution is used when we want to ‘undo’ an
effect caused by convolution

• Convolution backprojection is considered a specific


implementation of filtered back projection
Fourier Based
Reconstruction
! Measured projection passes
through deconvolution kernel
! to give filtered projection data
which is used for back
! projection resulting in an
image that reflects the
! properties of the original
object
!
!
• In filtered backprojection, we start off using the ramp filter!

• The ramp filter is used to compensate for the sparser sampling at higher densities. 1/r
blurring effect corresponds to a 1/f effect in the frequency domain. If an image has a 1/f
dependency, the correction process would involve multiplying the image by a function that
has a f dependency. Therefore 1/f * f eliminates any frequency dependency
CT Dosimetry

• Radiation dose distribution is more homogenous in


CT or radiography/fluoro? Why?
• Dose distribution in CT is more homogenous due to rotational
irradiation geometry used

• CT dose gradients are very slight and distribution depends on the


diameter and shape of the point and on the beam quality (kV)

• CT dose index (CTDI) is an index for patient dose assessment

• CTDI100 involves the use of a 100mm long cylindrical chamber,


approx. 9mm in diameter, inserted into either the centre or
peripheral hole of a PMMA phantom (Acrylic material)

• 100mm chamber length is useful for x-ray beams for thin slices
(5mm) to thicker beam collimations such as 40mm
• Equation describes measurement of dose
distribution, D(z) along the z-axis, from a single
circular rotation of the scanner with a nominal x-ray
beam width of nT

• CTDI100 measurements are made for both the


centre and periphery. They are both then combined
using a 1/3 to 2/3 weighting scheme

• CTDIvol = CTDIw/pitch ; where CTDIw is the


combined CTDI100 from centre and periphery
• Dose length product, DLP = CTDIvol * L ; where L is length of CT scan
along z-axis of patient

• Limitations of CTDIvol:

• CTDIvol is a dose index and not a measurement of dose!

• CTDIvol results from air kerma measurements at two locations to a very


large cylinder of PMMA plastic. When related to human dimensions, the
phantom corresponds to a person with a 47” waistline —> large patient!
Therefore for small pts, doses are larger than CTDIvol for same technique
factors

• Researchers have included a patient size conversion factor to deal with


this

• CTDIvol is calculated as the dose in air at the centre of a 100 mm long


phantom. What is neglected when compared to a real life situation?
• Scatter dose distribution! This is an important component of
radiation dose to the patient in CT

• Dose from scatter most intense along z-axis close to the primary
beam and decreases as the distance along z from primary CT
beam increases

! Higher tube voltages


generate scatter tails
with greater range
!

!
Image Quality in CT
• Spatial Resolution:

• Depends on fundamental resolution properties of image acquisition and


resolution characteristics of reconstruction filter used

• The ultimate resolution is determined by: focal spot size & distribution,
detector dimensions, magnification factor, whether or not gantry motion is
compensated for, patient motion etc.

• X-Ray tube focal spot distribution:

• i) focal spot reduces SR in CT

• ii)Object is highly magnified relative to projection radiography

• iii) CT runs @ very high mA & this can increase in size of x-ray focus
• Gantry motion:

• i) x-ray source and detector moving relative to stationary pt both in


angular dimension and along z-dimension for helical acquisition

• ii)This reduces SR and methods such as focal spot rastering can be


used to compensate for this

• Detector size and sampling:

• i) Smaller detector dimensions and oversampling methods can increase


SR

• Reconstruction filter:

• i) SR is, more often than not, intentionally reduced by selection of


reconstruction filter with significant roll-off at high spatial frequencies.
This reduces the appearance of image noise
• We can have reconstruction taking place on
multiple occasions to increase SR and decrease
noise, with no added dose to patient
Factors that affect contrast
resolution (noise in CT)
• Technique factors:

• i)kV, mA, time & pitch affects dose levels

• ii)mAs have linear rel. with noise, kV dose not,


pitch?

• Slice thickness:

• i) Thicker slices —> more or less noise? why?


• Less noise with thicker slice due to more detected x-rays

• Reconstruction filter (FBP):

• i) Choice of filter results in trade-off between SR and image


noise

• Reconstruction methods:

• i) Iterative reconstruction reduces image noise vs. FBP

• ii) Lower dose image using IR = higher dose studies with


FBP

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