MO‐A‐M100J‐01: Performance Evaluation for New‐Technology CT Systems: Dual‐Source CT

Computed tomography technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Recent technical innovations include dual‐source CT, 256‐channel CT, and cone‐beam angio CT. In this three‐part presentation, the impact of each of these new technologies on physics performance evaluations will be considered. In dual‐source CT, two x‐ray tubes and two data acquisition systems are mounted orthogonally on the same rotating gantry. The system can be used to perform traditional CT scanning similar to the 64‐slice system from the same manufacturer; 85 msec temporal resolution imaging; dual source 160 kW imaging; or dual‐energy imaging. The impact of two x‐ray sources and two data acquisition systems on performance testing is relatively straightforward, as the doses from each source are simply additive. However, to assess image quality in a clinically‐relevant manner, a proper understanding of typical scan parameters is essential. Several suggested scan modes for image quality evaluation will be presented. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the design of dual‐source CT. 2. Recognize typical dose values from each source and from clinical protocols. 3. Gain familiarity with the image quality associated with typical clinical scan protocols.