Quality control phantom for digital chest radiography.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and test a chest phantom for routine quality control testing of digital radiography systems.


METHODS
The phantom was constructed from sheets of copper, aluminum, and acrylic, which were cut and arranged to yield a radiographic projection resembling that of a human thorax. Regional test objects allowed quantitative assessment of optical density, contrast detail, and spatial resolution. Validation tests were performed to assess image stability in a stable imaging environment and sensitivity to changes in image quality when they occur.


RESULTS
The phantom yielded consistent pseudoclinical images when used in a routine quality control program and facilitated detection of simulated problems that were induced in imaging system performance.


CONCLUSIONS
The chest phantom enables quantitative, full-system testing of digital radiography system as they are used clinically for chest radiography.
Chotas
H G
HG
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Floyd
C E
CE
Johnson
G A
GA
Ravin
C E
CE
D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011786:Quality Control; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000592:standards*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000592:standards*