First results from a prototype dynamic attenuator system

Scott S. Hsieh; Mark V. Peng; Christopher A. May; Picha Shunhavanich; Norbert J. Pelc

doi:10.1117/12.2081482

18 March 2015 First results from a prototype dynamic attenuator system

Scott S. Hsieh, Mark V. Peng, Christopher A. May, Picha Shunhavanich, Norbert J. Pelc

Proceedings Volume 9412, Medical Imaging 2015: Physics of Medical Imaging; 94121N (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2081482
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2015, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

The dynamic, piecewise-linear attenuator has been proposed as a concept which can shape the radiation flux incident on the patient. By reducing the signal to photon-rich measurements and increasing the signal to photon-starved measurements, the piecewise-linear attenuator has been shown to improve dynamic range, scatter, and variance and dose metrics in simulation. The piecewise-linear nature of the proposed attenuator has been hypothesized to mitigate artifacts at transitions by eliminating jump discontinuities in attenuator thickness at these points. We report the results of a prototype implementation of this concept. The attenuator was constructed using rapid prototyping technologies and was affixed to a tabletop x-ray system. Images of several sections of an anthropormophic pediatric phantom were produced and compared to those of the same system with uniform illumination. The thickness of the illuminated slab was limited by beam collimation and an analytic water beam hardening correction was used for both systems. Initial results are encouraging and show improved image quality, reduced dose and low artifact levels.

Citation Download Citation

Scott S. Hsieh, Mark V. Peng, Christopher A. May, Picha Shunhavanich, and Norbert J. Pelc "First results from a prototype dynamic attenuator system", Proc. SPIE 9412, Medical Imaging 2015: Physics of Medical Imaging, 94121N (18 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2081482

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