Notebook #8

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF RECORDED DETAIL AND DISTORTION

RECORDED DETAIL DISTORTION (SIZE & SHAPE)

ASSESSME 1. 1 out of 2 geometric properties of image quality A. 2 out of 2 geometric properties of image quality
NT 2. Controls detail B. Controls detail itself
3. Referred to as: C. Distortion = misrepresentation of the size or
A. Definition shape of the structures being imaged
B. Sharpness D. Only careful attention to the distances, directions,
C. Spatial Resolution and angulation between the anatomical part,
D. Detail central ray, and image receptor can minimize
4. High resolution = shorter-wavelength w/ high distortion
frequency
5. SPATIAL RESOLUTION = differentiating between two
points next to one another as being separate
densities
A. Point Spread Function (PSF) = measures
penumbra and is used to quantify digital system
spatial resolution
B. Spatial Frequency
C. Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) = measures
the accuracy of an image compared to the
original object on a scale of 0 to 1
D. Noise (Imaging noise & Quantum noise)
a. Imaging Noise = background information that
the image receptor receives
b. Quantum Noise = insufficient number of
incoming photons reaching the imaging
receptor
6. Digital Sampling (Nyquist Criterion)
A. Processing algorithm that averages the incoming
analog data by using the distance between the
imaging detector elements
7. Aliasing (Moire Pattern)
A. When Nyquist criterion is violated
B. Happens when the spatial frequency is greater
than the Nyquist frequency and the incoming
data are sampled less than twice per cycle
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EFFECTS 1. Resolution demonstrates the fine detail structures
ON IMAGE A. When fine detail is lacking, the image will be
APPERANC blurred
E of resolution
AFFECTIN 1. Solve resolution problems by:
G A. Eliminate motion
FACTORS B. Reduce OID
C. Reduce focal spot size
D. Reduce intensifying screen phosphor size and
concentration
E. Increase SID
2. GEOMETRY
A. Distance
a. Resolution is better when
1. OID decreases (This is why affected side
or part is positioned closest to receptor)
2. SID increases
b. Making adjustments to improve detail, you
need to change OID 1st
c. EX: PA chest over AP chest
d. Once OID is minimized, resolution is
improved when SID increases
a. EX: Lateral Cspine is at 72 instead of
40 bc OID cant be reduced due to
distance between the neck and
shoulder
B. Focal Spot Size
1. Major controller of image resolution bc it
controls penumbra
2. Penumbra = unsharp edge shadow
3. As focal spot decreases in size = penumbra
also decreases increasing resolution
4. Attenuation of object when added to
A. Size
a. A matter of magnification
b. All magnification involves a degree of loss
B. Shape
a. Involves both elongation and
foreshortening
b. Serious alteration in the projected image
1. SIZE DISTORTION
a. Magnification is THE ONLY possible size
distortion
i. Reduced magnification size distortion
increases the resolution
ii. Magnification size distortion is
controlled by positioning the body part
and tube to maximize SID while
minimizing OID
b. SOURCE-IMAGE-DISTANCE (SID)
i. The greater the SID, the smaller the
magnification
ii. SID must be maximized to decrease
magnification
c. OBJECT-IMAGE-RECEPTOR-DISTANCE (OID)
i. Critical distance in both magnification
and resolution
ii. When objects in the body are at
different levels, they will be projected
onto the image as different sizes
iii. OID must be minimized to decrease
magnification
d. CALCULATING SIZE DISTORTION
e. Magnification factor formula
i. M=SID/SOD
2. SHAPE DISTORTION = misrepresentation by unequal
magnification of the actual shape pf the structure
being imaged
a. Occurs because structures lie normally at
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penumbra, causes structures in the human
body to have gradual edges, instead of
sharp abrupt edges
3. IMAGE RECEPTOR
1. Film/Screen Systems
i. Slow film/screen combination will have
better resolution than a fast
film/screen
ii. Intensifying screens depend on 3
things:
1. Phosphor size
2. Phosphor layer thickness
3. Phosphor concentration
iii. As intensifying screen speed is
decreased, there is a gain in
resolution, but patient dose must be
increased
2. Digital Systems
i. Indirect digital systems
1. Intensifying screen with CCD
detector
2. Silicon detector with a CsI
scintillator
3. A high fill factor produces higher
resolution
4. Major factor that limits indirect
digital systems is the size of the
detector element
ii. Direct digital systems
1. Photons traveling through this
flat panel have a more vertical
path than silicon detectors
2. Virtually no blurring
3. Major factor that limits direct
digital systems is the size of the
detector elements
4. MOTION
1. Voluntary motion: is under the control of the
different levels within the body
b. Also occurs because of the divergence of the
x-ray beam
3. ALIGNMENT
a. Proper positioning is when the central ray is at
right angles to the anatomical part and to the
image receptor
b. Incorrect centering may occur from off-
centering the tube, incorrectly positioning the
part, or off-centering the image receptor
i. Central ray
1. Intended to be perpendicular
both the anatomical part and the
image receptor
2. Any structure that is not
positioned at the central ray will
be distorted because of the
divergence of the beam
a. The farther from the
central ray = the greater
the distortion
ii. Anatomical part
1. The long axis of the anatomical
part is intended to be positioned
perpendicular to the central ray
and parallel to the image
receptor
2. Elongation occurs when there is
poor alignment of the tube and/or
image receptor
3. Foreshortening ONLY occurs when
there is poor alignment of the
part
iii. Image receptor
1. Intended to be positioned
perpendicular to the central ray
and parallel to the anatomical
part
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patient
2. Involuntary motion: is not under the
conscious control of the patient
3. Equipment motion: vibration from
reciprocating grid
4. Communication: BEST method of reducing
motion is patient communication
5. Exposure Time Reduction: when patient is
not cooperating, reduce exposure time and
increase mAs
6. Immobilization: foam pads, sponges,
sandbags
2. As long as part is parallel to IR,
the only result of off-centering is
clipping anatomy
a. Will need to be repeated,
BUT there is no distortion
or size or shape
4. ANGULATION
a. Refers to direction and degree the tube is
moved from its normal position perpendicular
to the IR
b. Angulation of tube is designed to cause a
controlled or expected amount of shape
distortion to avoid superimposition
i. Angulation changes SID, unless
compensated for by a new SID, will
produce a decrease in IR exposure
5. DIRECTION
a. Most common direction is LONGITUDINAL
b. Termed cephalad or caudad
i. Degree = a method of describing the
exact amount of angulation and is
usually states as the angle between the
central ray and the IR plane
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Divergence of the beam. More tissue is imaged and

exposed at the level of the spine (Point B) than at the level OID
of the collimator (Point A)
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Critical distances in radiography SID

Central Ray Alignment

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7cm OID vs. 14cm OID

Off-centering the image receptor
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Foreshortening and magnification due to anatomical

part and image receptor alignment.

(A) Normal relationship between part and IR.

(B and C) Foreshortening and magnification due to changes

in anatomical part alignment.

(D and E) Elongation and magnification due to changes in

part/IR and central ray/IR alignment.