title: A new tool for benchmarking cardiovascular fluoroscopes.
abstract: This article reports the status of a new cardiovascular fluoroscopy benchmarking phantom. A joint working group of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCA&I) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) developed the phantom. The device was adopted as NEMA standard XR 21-2000, "Characteristics of and Test Procedures for a Phantom to Benchmark Cardiac Fluoroscopic and Photographic Performance," in August 2000. The test ensemble includes imaging field geometry, spatial resolution, low-contrast iodine detectability, working thickness range, visibility of moving targets, and phantom entrance dose. The phantom tests systems under conditions simulating normal clinical use for fluoroscopically guided invasive and interventional procedures. Test procedures rely on trained human observers.
authors.affiliation: Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, New York 10021, USA. sbalter@aol.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balter
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Heupler
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wondrow
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity