System considerations in CCD-based x-ray imaging for digital chest radiography and digital mammography.

System modeling is used to investigate the effect of various system parameters on the image quality in CCD-based x-ray imaging systems. The systems considered consist of a typical phosphor-based scintillating screen coupled to a CCD through lens or fiberoptic taper. Two applications, chest radiography and mammography, are analyzed. For each application typical system characteristics and operating conditions are used to determine the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) as a function of spatial frequency, optical collection efficiency, optical demagnification factor, and electronic noise. The DQE is modeled by extending the analysis for storage phosphor systems. The calculations are done for typical exposure conditions (0.25 mR for chest and 10.0 mR for mammography); however, the exposure effects are also discussed. It was found that a reasonable DQE can be obtained for both applications through each coupling approach; however, the demagnification requirements and electronic noise limitations are more stringent for the digital mammography application.

Understanding the relative sensitivity of radiographic screens to scattered radiation.

This study compared the relative response of various screen-film and computed radiography (CR) systems to diagnostic radiation exposure. An analytic model was developed to calculate the total energy deposition within the depth of screen and the readout signal generated from this energy for the x-ray detection system. The model was used to predict the relative sensitivity of several screen-film and CR systems to scattered radiation as a function of various parameters, such as x-ray spectra, phantom thickness, phosphor composition, screen thickness, screen configuration (single front screen, single back screen, screen pair), and readout conditions. In addition, measurements of the scatter degradation factor (SDF) for different screen systems by using the beam stop technique with water phantoms were made to verify the model results. Theoretically calculated values of SDF were in good agreement with experimental data. These results are consistent with the common observation that rare-earth screens generally produce better image quality than calcium tungstate screens and the CR screen.