Abstract
Purpose: To propose a new method for estimating scatter in x-ray imaging. Conventional antiscatter grids reject scatter at an efficiency that is constant or slowly varying over the surface of the grid. -Rfaut striped ratio antiscatter grid, composed of stripes that alternate between high and low grid ratio, could be used instead. Such a striped ratio grid would reduce scatter-to-primary ratio as a conventional grid would, but more importantly, the signal discontinuities at the boundaries of stripes can be used to estimate local scatter content. Methods: Signal discontinuities provide information on scatter, but are contaminated by variation in primary radiation. A nonlinear image processing algorithm is used to estimate the scatter content in the presence of primary variation. We emulated a striped ratio grid by imaging phantoms with two sequential CT scans, one with and one without a conventional grid. These two scans are processed together to mimic a striped ratio grid. This represents a best case limit of the striped ratio grid, in that the extent of grid ratio modulation is very high and the scatter contrast is maximized. Results: In a uniform cylinder, the striped ratio grid virtually eliminates cupping. Artifacts from scatter are improved in an anthropomorphic phantom. Some banding artifacts are induced by the striped ratio grid. Conclusions: Striped ratio grids could be a simple and effective evolution of conventional antiscatter grids. Construction and validation of a physical prototype remains an important future step.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 5084-5092 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Medical physics |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2016 |
Keywords
- anti-scatter grid
- artifacts
- primary modulator
- scatter
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging