Advances in Chest Radiography Techniques: CR, DR, Tomosynthesis, and Radiation Dose Optimization

A revolution in radiography has occurred in the last three decades; digital radiography has replaced screen-film radiography. To understand digital radiography, one must begin with the fundamental principles, which have not changed since Roentgen’s time. The conversion of X-rays into a visible image, however, has changed from screen-film to digital radiography. A discussion on the characteristics of digital radiography and its most common forms, computed radiography (CR) and digital flat-panel radiography follows. The fundamentals of digital image processing are discussed, including preprocessing, latitude reduction, and contrast modification. Advanced technologies are also described, including structured phosphors, slot scanners, dual-sided CR, irradiation side sampling flat panels, and gaseous avalanche detectors. The potential application of dual energy subtraction radiography and tomosynthesis to pediatric thoracic radiography is also considered. The chapter concludes with a discussion on radiation dose optimization in pediatric chest radiography including the newest standards for exposure indicators, dose area product, dose reporting, and informatics initiatives to support dose reporting.

[1]  Charles E Willis,et al.  Optimizing digital radiography of children. , 2009, European journal of radiology.

[2]  Albert de Roos,et al.  Digital slot-scan charge-coupled device radiography versus AMBER and Bucky screen-film radiography for detection of simulated nodules and interstitial disease in a chest phantom. , 2004, Radiology.

[3]  Computed radiography in neonatal intensive care , 2005, Pediatric Radiology.

[4]  J P Jones,et al.  Low-dose digital computed radiography in pediatric chest imaging. , 1988, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[5]  Hubert Labelle,et al.  Diagnostic Imaging of Spinal Deformities: Reducing Patients Radiation Dose With a New Slot-Scanning X-ray Imager , 2010, Spine.

[6]  W. Veldkamp,et al.  Comparison of eight different digital chest radiography systems: variation in detection of simulated chest disease. , 2005, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[7]  Digital imaging of the newborn chest. , 1989, Clinical radiology.

[8]  J Anthony Seibert,et al.  Digital radiography: CR versus DR? Time to reconsider the options, the definitions, and current capabilities , 2007 .

[9]  Cornelia Schaefer-Prokop,et al.  Digital radiography: the balance between image quality and required radiation dose. , 2009, European journal of radiology.

[10]  B. Whiting,et al.  New exposure indicators for digital radiography simplified for radiologists and technologists. , 2012, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[11]  Ehsan Samei,et al.  An exposure indicator for digital radiography: AAPM Task Group 116 (executive summary). , 2009, Medical physics.

[12]  Richard L. Morin,et al.  The standardized exposure index for digital radiography: an opportunity for optimization of radiation dose to the pediatric population , 2011, Pediatric Radiology.

[13]  Mathias Prokop,et al.  Digital chest radiography: an update on modern technology, dose containment and control of image quality , 2008, European Radiology.

[14]  J. D. De Guise,et al.  Physical characteristics of a low-dose gas microstrip detector for orthopedic x-ray imaging. , 2005, Medical physics.

[15]  Mats Geijer,et al.  Description and validation of a scoring system for tomosynthesis in pulmonary cystic fibrosis , 2012, European Radiology.

[16]  J. Rowlands,et al.  The physics of computed radiography. , 2002, Physics in medicine and biology.

[17]  Charles E. Willis,et al.  Computed radiography: a higher dose? , 2002, Pediatric Radiology.

[18]  M D Cohen,et al.  Digital imaging with a photostimulable phosphor in the chest of newborns. , 1991, Radiology.

[19]  S. Vastagh.  Statement by MITA on behalf of the MITA CR-DR group of the X-ray section , 2011, Pediatric Radiology.

[20]  D J Conces,et al.  Pediatric digital chest imaging. , 1990, Journal of thoracic imaging.

[21]  R. Price,et al.  Digital radiography: a focus on clinical utility , 1982 .

[22]  Ehsan Samei,et al.  Fundamental imaging characteristics of a slot-scan digital chest radiographic system. , 2004, Medical physics.

[23]  Paul Leblans,et al.  SESSION 3 B : Digital Imaging and Computer-Aided Diagnosis A New Needle-Crystailine Computed Radiography Detector , 2009 .

[24]  Quentin T Moore,et al.  Image gently campaign back to basics initiative: ten steps to help manage radiation dose in pediatric digital radiography. , 2013, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[25]  Lingyun Chen,et al.  Scatter rejection and low-contrast performance of a slot-scan digital chest radiography system with electronic aft-collimation: a chest phantom study. , 2008, Medical physics.

[26]  M. Prokop,et al.  Computed Radiography and Direct Radiography: Influence of Acquisition Dose on the Detection of Simulated Lung Lesions , 2005, Investigative radiology.