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Preface

Preface Journal of the ICRU Vol 12 No 1 (2012) Report 87 doi:10.1093/jicru/ndt007 Oxford University Press For nearly three decades, the ICRU has devel- There have been a number of dosimetric quan- oped authoritative Reports dealing directly with tities used for CT since the early 1980s, and these radiological imaging. These include: Report 41, have undergone incremental changes over the past Modulation Transfer Function of Screen-Film 3 decades. It has been recognized that in light of Systems (1986); Report 54, Medical Imaging – The the large population doses associated with CT, and Assessment of Image Quality (1995); Report 70, given the improved features of modern scanners, Image Quality in Chest Radiography (2003); Report that current radiation-dosimetry methods are out 74, Patient Dosimetry of X Rays Used in Medical of date. Therefore, there is a need to make more ac- Imaging (2005); Report 79, Receiver Operating curate measurements of more relevant parameters, Characteristic Analysis in Medical Imaging (2008); including those that take into consideration scan- and Report 82, Mammography – Assessment of specific parameters such as patient size and the Image Quality (2009). This Report on computed length of the scan. tomography (CT) continues that series and is One of the principal driving forces for the intended to advance dosimetry and image-quality increased use of CT for clinical diagnosis is the evaluation in this important application. phenomenal improvement in image quality that Computed tomography has experienced rapid has occurred over the past 15 years. In addition to growth in technological sophistication, and with increased spatial resolution, improvements in these advancements there has been a commensur- detectors, x-ray tubes, and reconstruction algo- ate increase in the types of clinical questions that rithms have led to significant improvements in the can be addressed. In addition to profound improve- signal-to-noise properties in CT images. These ments in image quality, the acquisition times for improvements challenge traditional measures of routine CT examinations have dropped from several image quality. This Report seeks to amend, minutes in the early era to a few tens of seconds improve, and update the methods for both dosim- today, opening up new clinical uses, including pedi- etry and image-quality evaluation in CT. After atric, cardiac, and thoracic imaging, for which reviewing current CT-dose metrics, a number of organ or patient motion preclude the use of other updated measurement procedures are recom- imaging modalities. The improvement in the diag- mended that capitalize on faster systems and on nostic information that CT provides has led to a new phantom designs that allow more accurate as- large increase in utilization, with well over 100 sessment of dose in patients. Measurement proce- million studies performed worldwide annually. dures are introduced that allow rapid measurement CT scans involve radiation exposure, and the of the x-ray beam in terms of both its quality and radiation dose levels in most cases are higher the spatial distribution of the air kerma. Updated than with other radiographic examinations. The methods for characterizing image quality, including higher dose levels, coupled with the very large both spatial resolution and noise performance are number of CT scans performed annually, has led recommended. Overall, this Report capitalizes on to concerns about the associated radiation risks. recent developments in CT metrology combined with The National Council on Radiation Protection and new measurement technology, with the intent of Measurements has reported that 48 % of the providing more accurate characterization of the dose average total dose to citizens in the U.S. is from and image-quality from modern, high-performance medical-imaging procedures, and of this about CT systems. 49 % is due to CT. Thus, approximately 24 % of the radiation burden to the U.S. population is from CT John M. Boone examinations. Stephen M. Seltzer # International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 2013 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of the ICRU Oxford University Press

Preface

Journal of the ICRU , Volume 12 (1) – Apr 1, 2012
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Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 2013
Subject
Articles
ISSN
1473-6691
eISSN
1742-3422
DOI
10.1093/jicru/ndt007
pmid
24158924
Publisher site
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Abstract

Journal of the ICRU Vol 12 No 1 (2012) Report 87 doi:10.1093/jicru/ndt007 Oxford University Press For nearly three decades, the ICRU has devel- There have been a number of dosimetric quan- oped authoritative Reports dealing directly with tities used for CT since the early 1980s, and these radiological imaging. These include: Report 41, have undergone incremental changes over the past Modulation Transfer Function of Screen-Film 3 decades. It has been recognized that in light of Systems (1986); Report 54, Medical Imaging – The the large population doses associated with CT, and Assessment of Image Quality (1995); Report 70, given the improved features of modern scanners, Image Quality in Chest Radiography (2003); Report that current radiation-dosimetry methods are out 74, Patient Dosimetry of X Rays Used in Medical of date. Therefore, there is a need to make more ac- Imaging (2005); Report 79, Receiver Operating curate measurements of more relevant parameters, Characteristic Analysis in Medical Imaging (2008); including those that take into consideration scan- and Report 82, Mammography – Assessment of specific parameters such as patient size and the Image Quality (2009). This Report on computed length of the scan. tomography (CT) continues that series and is One of the principal driving forces for the intended to advance dosimetry and image-quality increased use of CT for clinical diagnosis is the evaluation in this important application. phenomenal improvement in image quality that Computed tomography has experienced rapid has occurred over the past 15 years. In addition to growth in technological sophistication, and with increased spatial resolution, improvements in these advancements there has been a commensur- detectors, x-ray tubes, and reconstruction algo- ate increase in the types of clinical questions that rithms have led to significant improvements in the can be addressed. In addition to profound improve- signal-to-noise properties in CT images. These ments in image quality, the acquisition times for improvements challenge traditional measures of routine CT examinations have dropped from several image quality. This Report seeks to amend, minutes in the early era to a few tens of seconds improve, and update the methods for both dosim- today, opening up new clinical uses, including pedi- etry and image-quality evaluation in CT. After atric, cardiac, and thoracic imaging, for which reviewing current CT-dose metrics, a number of organ or patient motion preclude the use of other updated measurement procedures are recom- imaging modalities. The improvement in the diag- mended that capitalize on faster systems and on nostic information that CT provides has led to a new phantom designs that allow more accurate as- large increase in utilization, with well over 100 sessment of dose in patients. Measurement proce- million studies performed worldwide annually. dures are introduced that allow rapid measurement CT scans involve radiation exposure, and the of the x-ray beam in terms of both its quality and radiation dose levels in most cases are higher the spatial distribution of the air kerma. Updated than with other radiographic examinations. The methods for characterizing image quality, including higher dose levels, coupled with the very large both spatial resolution and noise performance are number of CT scans performed annually, has led recommended. Overall, this Report capitalizes on to concerns about the associated radiation risks. recent developments in CT metrology combined with The National Council on Radiation Protection and new measurement technology, with the intent of Measurements has reported that 48 % of the providing more accurate characterization of the dose average total dose to citizens in the U.S. is from and image-quality from modern, high-performance medical-imaging procedures, and of this about CT systems. 49 % is due to CT. Thus, approximately 24 % of the radiation burden to the U.S. population is from CT John M. Boone examinations. Stephen M. Seltzer # International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 2013

Journal

Journal of the ICRU – Oxford University Press

Published: Apr 1, 2012

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