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Ocean 2014 Help

CTDI
The CTDI analysis is used to evaluate the CT dose index on computed tomography systems. It uses 5 exposures (with a
dose-length calibrated detector, normally a pencil ion chamber) where a 5-hole phantom is used. You can read the topic
Add analysis to see how you add the analysis to a test.

If you want to modify the standard analysis, see topic Modify analysis and Advanced analysis for more information.

Typical CTDI test

Default pass/fail criteria

When you add the CTDI analysis the following pass/fail criteria is shown:

No default limits are specified, you must fill out limit. If you leave a limit blank not test for that criteria is done.

When you modify an CTDI analysis, all pass/fail criteria are available:

You must modify the layout to see the results of the additional parameters.

Default result

Result layout and macros

As described in the topic Advanced analysis, it is possible to modify the the layout of the analysis result. The layout is
defined by text combined with "macros". When the analysis result is shown, the macros are replaced with the appropriate
calculated values, set values and measured values. The default layout of text CTDI analysis looks like this:

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This text can be modified and more macros can be used to show more calculated results, for example the relative
difference. The following macros are available for the CTDI analysis:

Calculations

The analysis includes all rows that are selected in the calculation. It is assumed that all included are exposed using the
same kV set value.

• If more than one exposure is performed for a specific phantom position, the analysis automatically calculates the
average of the exposures and uses that to calculate the CTDI for that position.

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• If not all peripheral phantom positions are measured the analysis automatically uses the average of the measured
positions for the positions not measured. To calculate the weighted CTDI, must the center position and one peripheral
position be measured.

CTDI for an individual position is calculated as:

CTDI(100,A(or B C D E)) = Avg[CT Exposure(Measured)] / ( Num of Slices × Slice Thickness )

where

The central CTDI is calculated as:

CTDI(100,c) = CTDI(100,A)

The peripheral CTDI is calculated as:

CTDI(100,p) = [CTDI(100,B) + CTDI(100,C) + CTDI(100,D) + CTDI(100,E)] / 4

The weighted CTDI, CTDI(100,w), is calculated as:

$CTDIw = 1/3 * CTDI(100,c) + 2/3 * CTDI(100,p)

The normalized CTDI, CTDI(100,w,n) is calculated as:

$CTDIwn = $CTDIwn / Set mAs

The volume CTDI, CTDI(100,vol), for a helical (spiral) scanning is calculated as:

$CTDIvol = CTDI(100,w) / Pitch

where the Pitch is the table movement per gantry rotation.

The dose-length product, DLP, is calculated as:

$DLP = CTDIvol / Scan length

where the Pitch is the table movement per gantry rotation.

For more information on CTDI read the report "Radiation Exposure in Computed Tomography" from COCIR, European
Coordination Committee of the Radiological and Electromedical Industries (e-mail: cocir@zvei.org)

Required columns (or general settings)

The following columns are required for the CTDI analysis:

Parameter
CT Exposure(Measured)
CT phantom position (Set
value)
Slice Thickness (Set value)
Number of slices (Set
value)
Description
The measured CT dose is used to calculate the CT dose index.
This specifies where the CT chamber is positioned in the phantom. This column is required.
This column specifies the slice thickness. This column is required.
This column specifies the number of slices used. This value is required.

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Parameter Description
Set mAs (Set value) This column is required to calculate the normalized CTDI, CTDI(100,n).
Scan length(Set value) This column is required to calculate DLP.

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