CONVENTIONAL

TOMOGRAPHY

POOJA PRAJAPATI
B.Sc.MIT 1ST YEAR
ROLL NO:66
 INTRODUCTION
• In normal radiograph , the anatomical structure of interest is
very often partially or completely obscured by the shadows
cast by overlying or underlying structures.
• This drawback lead to introduction of conventional
tomography.
• Tomography is a radiographic technique that selects a level in
the body & blurs out structures below & above that plane
leaving a clear image of this selected anatomy.
• Popularity decreasing due to introduction of CT and MRI.
 HISTORY
• It’s a sobering thought that nearly 55% of what is done in
radiology today did not exist 20 years ago.

• The origin of tomography cannot be attributed to any person

but major credit goes to JEAN KIEFFAR, a radiological
technologist in US, who developed the special radiographic
technique to demonstrate a form of TB that he had in 1928.
 TERMINOLOGY
• FULCRUM
The x ray tube and x ray film holder( Bucky) are attached to a
rigid metal rod. This rod is mounted at a point along its
length called the fulcrum.

• OBJECT PLANE
It is the plane of tissue in focus on a radiograph . The object
plane is at the level of the axis of rotation(the fulcrum) and
is considered parallel with the table top.
 TERMINOLOGY
• TOMOGRAPHIC SECTION
The thickness of tissue that will be imaged.

• TOMOGRAPHIC ANGLE
The angle through which the tube travels.

• RELATION BETWEEN THEM

The larger is the tomographic angle , the thinner is the
tomographic section.
 PRINCIPLE
• Tomographic units synchronize the movements of the x-ray
tube and the image receptor in opposite directions around
stationary fulcrum (pivot point) during the exposure.

• The fulcrum area is sharp.

• The farther is the anatomical structure from the object plane ,

the more blurred its image is.
 EQUIPMENTS
• Tomography machines may be varied in appearance and
function, but all have some basic requirements in common .
They are:
 a linkage mechanism.
 a pivot unit.
 a mechanical drive.
 a drive control, usually a
separate wall-mounted unit.
 a tomographic table.
 THEORY
• Tomography can be seen as a process of controlled
blurring, that is structures in the focal plane are less
blurred than structures outside the focal plane.

• It should not be assumed that structures in the focal plane

are totally without blur.
 TOMOGRAPHIC BLURRING
• Blurring accomplished by synchronous movement of tube &
film
 tube & bucky physically connected by rod
 rod pivots around fulcrum
 tube moves one direction
 film moves in other direction
• Image produced on film
Objects above or below fulcrum plane change position on film
& thus blur.
TOMOGRAPHIC BLURRING
 THICKNESS OF CUT
• Same as thickness of region in focus.
• Determined by angle tube moves.
• Larger angles yield thinner cuts.
• Smaller angles yield thicker cuts
• Approximate cut thickness for linear tomo
Tomo Angle Thickness of Cut (mm)
(degrees)
-------------------------------------------------------
0 Infinite (non-tomo)
2 31
4 16
6 11
10 6
20 3
35 2
50 1
 TOMAGRAPHIC QUALITY
• Blur is the smearing that results in the loss of nearly all
recorded detail of objects outside the focal plane.
• It is effected by:
 Distance from object plane
 Exposure angle
 Object Image Distance(OID)
 Tube trajectory
DISTANCE FROM OBJECT PLANE
EXPOSURE ANGLE
OFD
TUBE TRAJECTORY
 MOVEMENT
Linear (variable exposure angle)
Circular (variable exposure angle)
Elliptical (variable exposure angle)
Hypocycloidal / spiral (large
exposure angle)
ADVANTAGE
Veryshort exposure time available
Wide range of exposure angle and
exposure time available
Maximum blurring of structures
Good blurring
Shorter exposure time
thicker layer available
Very good blurring of structures
Shorter exposure time
Thicker layer available than with
complex movement
Maximum blurring of images of any
shape of structures
DISADVANTAGE
Linear streaking can obscure
information contained in the image of
the selected layer
When small structures are being
examines using a large exposure angle
Confusing circular pseudo shadows as
well as double images of linear
structures just outside the selected
layer.
Limited use in blurring of the circular
structures
Double images of structures that are in
the line of the major axis and just
outside the layer to be recorded.
Many cuts required to fully examine a
thick region
 EXPOSURE FACTOR
• Time: it must match the time of the x-ray tube to complete.
• Complex tomographic motion often require 3-6 seconds.
• mA usually used below 100 to set long time.
• 30% more mAs is needed for wider angle tomography.
• kV 15% rule is a critical tool to determine the adjustment.
• 5% change in kVp is required to produce visible density.
 MAGNIFICATION
• There is some magnification of tomographic image, that can
becalculated by:
M=FFD/focus to pivot distance
• This can be summarized as follows:
1.Using fixed pivot equipment, all layers are recorded at the
same magnification.
2.Using a moving pivot system, magnification increases with
increase in pivot height.
3.In simultaneous multisection tomography the magnification is
the same for all layers taken with a single exposure
 GRIDS
• Linear grids are used.

• Grid lines should be parallel with table for linear tomography.

• Grid must change orientation (rotate) in complex motion

tomography.
 ARTIFACTS
• Motion
• Metal or Star
• Beam Hardening
• Partial Volume Effect
• Ring artifacts
 TYPES OF TOMOGRAPHY
• Zono graphy

• Auto tomography

• Pantomography / orthopantomography

• Axial Tomography

• Book Tomography

• Computed Tomography
 ZONOGRAPHY
• Term applied to small angle tomography giving relatively thick
layers.
• Used when subject contrast is so low that thin section
radiography would result in poor image.
• Application in chest and renal areas.
 AUTOTOMOGRAPHY
• Used for various defunct methods such as
 Pneumoencephalography
 Ottonello (wagging jaw) method for cervical spine.

• Uses:
 Include breathing techniques for the sternum and thoracic
vertebra
 PANTOMOGRAPHY
• Provides a panoramic view of the arc from TM joint to TM
joint.
• Beam is tightly collimated to produce a vertical fan.
• The film holder has a vertical collimation slit.
to allow the cassette to roll past the slit and capture the image.
• AXIAL TOMOGRAPHY
• Get axial section of the patient by using motion of the patient
and the film with the x-ray beam remaining stationary.

• BOOK TOMOGRAPHY
• Is used to image multiple objective planes.
• By using three different object – film distance and source -
object distance ratio.

• COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
• Used to generate an image of the tissue density in a “slice” as
thin as 1-10mm in thickness.
 RADIATION PROTECTION
• Number of exposure
-Common to take ten or more exposures during tomography,
increasing radiation to the patient.
-Protective measure: accurate, tight collimation and proper
total filtration of the tube
• Low kvp, higher MAs exposures
-Low kvp exposures are common in tomography.
-Use the highest kvp, possible that will give adequate image
contrast.
• Proximity of radiation sensitive organs:
-Eyes, thyroid, reproductive organs are either site of
examination or near the beam.So ,shielding and alternative
method.
 ROLE OF TECHNOLOGISTS
• The technologist should have well concept of anatomical part
and so that he can take the image of that level in one shoot
without repeating the procedure.
• Wherever possible, the patient is positioned in such a way
that the structure of interest is parallel to the film, so reducing
the number of layer required for a complete record of
structure.
• In skull tomography, the patient is positioned prone
whenever  possible to reduce radiation dose to the eye lens.
• A small field size is essential not only for radiation
protection but also to improve radiographic contrast
 APPLICATION
1. IVU
2. Middle and inner tomography
3. Lung tomography
4. Odontoid peg
5. Spine radiography,etc
IVU
 SUMMARY
• Sharp image of a selected layer in the body.
• Unsharp densities due to movement blur in layers above and
below the selected one.
• X-ray tube & film are moved through equal & opposite
excursions.
• There is fulcrum about which this movement must revolve &
which does not itself move in relation to the tube & film.
• The fulcrum in theory is a point but in practice determines a
layer which appears radiographically sharp.
 REFERENCES
1. X-ray equipments for radiographers by DN
and MO Chesney.
2. Radiologic Science for Technologists by
Stewart Carlyle Bushong.
3. Essential physics for medical imaging by
Bushberg
4. Christensen’s physics for diagnostic radiology
5. Various websites
 QUESTIONS ???
1.What is Tomography?
2.What are the applications of Convectional Tomography?
3.What are the principles of Tomography?
4.How does slice thickness vary with degree of tube angulation
applied?
5.What is fulcrum in CT?
6.What are the types of movements in Tomography?
7.What are the blur controlling factors?
8. What are the types of tomography?
9. What is the limitation of tomography?
10.What is the replacement of tomography?
THANK YOU