QC for CT-Simulator

In this tour we will check the following :

1. Image quality 2. CT Dose 3. Mechanical performance

Image quality

Head

Foot

Model

Model

Model

Model

20 cm

4 cm
Image quality

Model 1 alignment , slice thickness and CT number

Must see all four BBs (in Modules 1 & 4)
Longer wire must have same number of lines above and below (1) Wires are 0.5 mm apart in z-direction

Image quality

CT Number Calibration
Polyethylene -97 HU Water 0 HU Acrylic +120 HU Bone +910 HU Air -1000 HU

According to NCRP No.99

Water CT# = 0 2

Air CT# = -1000 3

Image quality

Image quality

Model 2 The low contrast phantom

There are four cylinders for each of the following diameters: 2 mm, 3 mm, 4mm, 5 mm and 6mm. The space between each cylinder is equal to the diameter of the cylinder.

Image quality

View the best image

A: Record the mean counts in the ROI inside the 25mm rod B: Record the mean counts in the ROI outside the 25 mm rod SD: the Standard Deviation from the ROI outside the 25 mm rod

CNR = |A-B|/SD 1
Image quality

Noise
The noise can be assessed by scan the phantom and calculate the standard deviation CT of the HUs in a region-of-interest (ROI) Noise is expressed relative to the linear attenuation coefficient of water

CS

m w
CTm CTw

Noise

SDROI CS 100%

Mean = 0 3
SD = 3.4 0.4

Based on GE operator manual

Image quality

Module 3 uniformity and distance

Image quality

Image uniformity
The uniformity can be assessed by measuring the average HU in smaller ROIs about 5 mm in radius that are located in the center and periphery of the phantom ( 3 , 6 , 9, 12 oclock positions ). The largest difference between any peripheral HU and the central HU is determined.

CT number variation for Water equal 0 5 HU

Image quality

two small targets for testing in-plane distance measurement accuracy.

Image quality

Model 4

High contrast resolution

This phantom is used to assess high contrast (spatial) resolution. It contains eight bar resolution patterns: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 lp/cm .

Image quality

12

10

6
7

Image quality

artifacts

Image quality

CT - Dose
2 standard CT dosimetry phantoms were adopted by the Food and Drug Administration and still are used today . contain several 1-cm-diameter holes for insertion of dosimeters.
CTDI Phantoms 32cm diam. X 15cm 16cm diam. x 15cm

CT Dose

edge

Middle edge

CTDI Phantoms 32cm diam. X 15cm 16cm diam. x 15cm

Middle 100mm Ion Chamber

Procedure simply is :
Phantom is place in the center of imaging plane and aligned with central axis of the scanner by lasers and single scan is acquired .

CTDI100

meter .reading K el Ctp N x f 100(mm) total .beam.width (mm)

Kel : electrometer reading calibration factor

Ctp : temperature pressure correction factor

Nx :chamber exposure correction factor (R/c)

f: exposure-to-dose conversion factor, D = f X

100 mm :ionization chamber length

beam width = n T

CT Dose

Tolerance
Performance Parameter Test objective Tolerance limits Reference Source

Patient dose from CT-scan

verify safe dose delivered from the scanner

20% of manufacturer specifications

AAPM Report Task Group 66

CT Dose

Weighted CDTIW
The CTDI varies across the field of view (FOV). For example, for body CT imaging, the CTDI is typically a factor or two higher at the surface than at the center of the FOV. The average CTDI across the FOV is estimated by the Weighted CTDI (CTDIw)

CT Dose

CT Dose

pitch is defined as the ratio of the table travel per rotation (I) to the total beam width (N x T)
CTDIvol is a useful to compare CT protocols between scanners

it does not indicate the total energy deposited into the scan volume because it is independent of the length of the scan. That is, its value remains unchanged whether the scan coverage is 10 or 100 cm. It estimates the dose for a 100-mm scan length only, even though the actual volume-averaged dose will increase with scan length
CT Dose

Dose-Length Product (DLP)

DLP = CTDIvol * L , where L is the Z-length of the scan

The DLP reflects the total energy absorbed attributable to the complete scan acquisition , and thus the potential biological effect .

CT Dose

Limitation
For body scan lengths of 250 mm or more, the accumulated dose closely approaches the limiting equilibrium dose. However, CTDI100 underestimates the equilibrium dose CTDI (or MSAD for pitch of unity) by a factor of ~ 0.6 on the central axis and by ~ 0.8 on the periphery .therefore the DLP by factor of ~ 0.7 . In order to measure the equilibrium dose, a body phantom length of ~ 400 mm is required.

CT Dose

Mechanical performance
Positioning lasers
We can perform this test in two ways
By using phantom and BBs on up , down , left and right

Mechanical

Using film

Mechanical

Using phantom

By making pin holes mark along illuminate Line . The deviation should be within 2 mm

Mechanical

Tolerance
On the displayed CT image, the four (1mm) holes should be visible.

On Film, we measure the deviation of pin-hole center from scan plane center. The deviation should be within 2 mm

Reference Source:
AAPM Report No. 39 and GE Operator Manual

Mechanical

Couch deflection

Mechanical

Couch deflection

Mechanical

Couch deflection

Mechanical

Couch height

Mechanical

Couch height

Mechanical

Couch distance accuracy

Mechanical

Couch distance accuracy

Mechanical