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Investigation of optimum anti-scatter grid selection for digital radiography: physical imaging properties and detectability of low-contrast signals

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Abstract

Our aim in this study was to evaluate the effect of the grid variations on the imaging performance for a computed radiographic system under identical exposure condition. Digital radiographies using a 20-cm Lucite phantom were performed without grid and with grid ratios of 5:1, 8:1, 10:1, 12:1, and 14:1. The scatter fraction, the incident dose to the image receptor, the Wiener spectrum (WS), and the noise-equivalent quanta (NEQ) were measured. Visibility of low-contrast signals was evaluated using a contrast-detail phantom. The scatter fractions decreased considerably with an increase in the grid ratio. On the other hand, the WSs were increased (the noise property deteriorated) as the grid ratio increased due to a decreased incident dose to the image receptor under the identical exposure condition. The NEQs were improved as the grid ratio increased. The high grid ratios provided higher low-contrast detectability compared to the low grid ratios. Our results indicated that the removal of scattered radiation was very effective in improvement of the NEQ in the digital system under the identical exposure condition.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Hidetaka Arimura, PhD, and Seiji Kumazawa, PhD, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, and Hiroyuki Kuroyanagi, MSc, Fujifilm Medical Corporation, for useful discussions; and to former graduate students of Kyushu University, for participating in this study as observers. The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology for use of the Excel format for measurements of presampled MTF and WS. We thank the editorial assistant of this journal, Mrs. Elisabeth Lanzl, for providing initial and final polishing of the submitted manuscript in improving the readability and English expressions, and the editors and reviewers for giving us useful comments and suggestions for improving our manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Kentaro Naka

    Present address: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, 1385 Shimoishigami, Otawara, Tochigi, 324-8550, Japan

  2. Aya Saito

    Present address: National Hospital Organization Okayama Medical Center, 1711-1 Tamasu, Kita-ku, Okayama, 701-1192, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Nobukazu Tanaka & Kentaro Naka

  2. Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Aya Saito

  3. Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Junji Morishita, Fukai Toyofuku, Masafumi Ohki & Yoshiharu Higashida

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  1. Nobukazu Tanaka
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Correspondence to Nobukazu Tanaka.

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Tanaka, N., Naka, K., Saito, A. et al. Investigation of optimum anti-scatter grid selection for digital radiography: physical imaging properties and detectability of low-contrast signals. Radiol Phys Technol 6, 54–60 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-012-0169-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-012-0169-y

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