Survey of chest radiography systems: Any link between contrast detail measurements and visual grading analysis?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Survey of chest radiography systems: Any link between contrast detail measurements and visual grading analysis?

AU - Rodriguez Pérez, Sunay

AU - W. Marshall, Nicholas

AU - Binst, Joke

AU - Coolen, Johan

AU - Struelens, Lara

AU - Bosmans, Hilde

N1 - Score=10

PY - 2020/8

Y1 - 2020/8

N2 - Purpose: To evaluate image quality of chest radiography for a number of systems in Belgium, using a contrastdetail (c-d) test object and Visual Grading Analysis (VGA) of an anthropomorphic phantom.Methods: The study comprised 22 chest imaging systems in Belgium. C-d data were measured using Leeds TO20 test object, imaged using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thicknesses of 9, 13 and 16 cm. Images of the Lungman phantom, with additional tissue-equivalent chest plates to represent different patient sizes, were then acquired. Perceived image quality was evaluated using VGA by three radiologists. Images were acquired at a patient equivalent position with system-specific exposure settings for Posterior-Anterior chest protocol. Incident air kerma (IAK) was measured using a solid-state dosemeter.Results: C-d results showed large differences between the systems. Total number of visible discs ranged from 38 to 83 (for 9 cm PMMA) with a consistent average drop of 10% as PMMA thickness was systematically increased.However, no correlation was found between number of visible discs and IAK. Perceived image quality scored by the readers from the Lungman images decreased with increasing phantom thickness, however no correlation ofVGA score with IAK was seen. Moderate correlation was found between the VGA score of one of the readers and the TO20 results, and no correlation for the rest.Conclusions: The spread in dose and image quality measures was high and no correlation was seen between either image quality measure and IAK, suggesting the need for optimization. A more powerful tool is required for task-based optimization in chest radiography.

AB - Purpose: To evaluate image quality of chest radiography for a number of systems in Belgium, using a contrastdetail (c-d) test object and Visual Grading Analysis (VGA) of an anthropomorphic phantom.Methods: The study comprised 22 chest imaging systems in Belgium. C-d data were measured using Leeds TO20 test object, imaged using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thicknesses of 9, 13 and 16 cm. Images of the Lungman phantom, with additional tissue-equivalent chest plates to represent different patient sizes, were then acquired. Perceived image quality was evaluated using VGA by three radiologists. Images were acquired at a patient equivalent position with system-specific exposure settings for Posterior-Anterior chest protocol. Incident air kerma (IAK) was measured using a solid-state dosemeter.Results: C-d results showed large differences between the systems. Total number of visible discs ranged from 38 to 83 (for 9 cm PMMA) with a consistent average drop of 10% as PMMA thickness was systematically increased.However, no correlation was found between number of visible discs and IAK. Perceived image quality scored by the readers from the Lungman images decreased with increasing phantom thickness, however no correlation ofVGA score with IAK was seen. Moderate correlation was found between the VGA score of one of the readers and the TO20 results, and no correlation for the rest.Conclusions: The spread in dose and image quality measures was high and no correlation was seen between either image quality measure and IAK, suggesting the need for optimization. A more powerful tool is required for task-based optimization in chest radiography.

KW - Chest radiography

KW - Anthropomorphic phantom

KW - Contrast-detail object

KW - Visual grading analysis

UR - https://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/overview/39224896

U2 - 10.1016/j.ejmp.2020.06.014

DO - 10.1016/j.ejmp.2020.06.014

M3 - Article

VL - 76

SP - 62

EP - 71

JO - Physica Medica

JF - Physica Medica

SN - 1120-1797

ER -