title: Radiographic quality, tube potential, and patient dose.
abstract: Measurements were made to determine if there was an optimal kVp that would maximize radiographic contrast for various materials while minimizing average patient dose. Radiographs were made of a 17-cm-thick plexiglass phantom (to simulate a typical abdomen) with added regions of plexiglass, hydroxyapatite, and iodine with peak kilovoltages from 40 to 150 kVp and 2 mm A1 added filtration. Radiographs were also made of a 4-cm-thick plexiglass phantom to simulate a typical breast, with added regions of plexiglass, hydroxyapatite, and fat at a peak kilovoltage from 35 to 100 kVp and with 1 mm added filtration. For the thicker phantom it was found that the contrast per average absorbed dose for the added plexiglass, hydroxyapatite, and iodine increased by about 3, 2, and 0.4, respectively, when going from 50 to 150 kVp. Contrast was measured relative to a reference region on the phantom. Similar data for the thinner phantom showed an increase of about 35% in contrast per average absorbed dose for plexiglass and fat but a decrease by about 30% for hydroxyapatite as the kVp changes from 35 to 100 kVp.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008961:Models, Structural; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013679:Technology, Radiologic