A set of X-ray test objects for image quality control in digital subtraction fluorography. I: Design considerations.

A set of X-ray test objects has been developed for quality control in digital subtraction fluorography (DSF). Factors which can be assessed include dynamic range, highlight overload and signal-to-noise ratio, low contrast sensitivity, unsharpness, and systematic misregistration. These test objects complement, both in design and calibration, those previously developed to evaluate the imaging performance of television fluoroscopy and small-format fluorography systems. In this article, the first of two, we describe the Leeds DSF test objects, paying particular attention to the reasoning behind their design.