title: A factorial experiment on image quality and radiation dose.
abstract: To find if factorial experiments can be used in the optimisation of diagnostic imaging, a factorial experiment was performed to investigate some of the factors that influence image quality, kerma area product (KAP) and effective dose (E). In a factorial experiment the factors are varied together instead of one at a time, making it possible to discover interactions between the factors as well as major effects. The factors studied were tube potential, tube loading, focus size and filtration. Each factor was set to two levels (low and high). The influence of the factors on the response variables (image quality, KAP and E) was studied using a direct digital detector. The major effects of each factor on the response variables were estimated as well as the interaction effects between factors. The image quality, KAP and E were mainly influenced by tube loading, tube potential and filtration. There were some active interactions, for example, between tube potential and filtration and between tube loading and filtration. The study shows that factorial experiments can be used to predict the influence of various parameters on image quality and radiation dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences, Orebro University, S-70182 Orebro, Sweden. Eva.Norrman@orebroll.se
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Norrman
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Persliden
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015233:Models, Statistical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011827:Radiation; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens