[Experimental in vitro study to evaluate a flat-panel detector system].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the contrast-detail performance of a flat-panel detector system, we performed a comparative study of this flat-panel system versus storage phosphor and conventional screen-film systems.


METHODS
Bone models made of human humeri were prepared with foreign bodies, fracture lines and drilled holes to create artificial fractures, osteolyses or metastases. Immersed in a water bath, hard copy images of these models were acquired with the same exposure dose (55 kV; 3.2 mAs) on the flat-panel detector, two state-of-the-art storage phosphor systems (PCR, ADC) and two conventional screen-film systems (Insight, T-Mat). Using a standardized protocol with a 4-point scale for a lesion, 220 different images were analyzed as to their appearance by 5 independent radiologists. The statistical significance of the differences between the used modalities and the observers was determined with a sign test.


RESULTS
Especially the drilled holes showed differences between the modalities. The flat-panel detector showed significantly slightly better results locally than the two storage phosphor systems. The same applied to the Insight screen-film systems, but the intraindividual differences between the modalities were not clinically relevant.


CONCLUSIONS
Under the conditions of the chosen experimental design, the flat-panel detector showed results comparable to the conventional screen-film and the state of the art storage phosphor radiographs. The use in skeletal radiography is possible.
Meier
S
S
Klinik und Poliklinik für Radiologie, Universität Mainz. smeier@mail.uni-mainz.de
Mildenberger
P
P
Oberholzer
K
K
Krummenauer
F
F
Thelen
M
M
D001630:Bezoars / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008954:Models, Biological; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results