title: Contrast-detail analysis of three flat panel detectors for digital radiography.
abstract: In this paper we performed a contrast detail analysis of three commercially available flat panel detectors, two based on the indirect detection mechanism (GE Revolution XQ/i, system A, and Trixell/Philips Pixium 4600, system B) and one based on the direct detection mechanism (Hologic DirectRay DR 1000, system C). The experiment was conducted using standard x-ray radiation quality and a widely used contrast-detail phantom. Images were evaluated using a four alternative forced choice paradigm on a diagnostic-quality softcopy monitor. At the low and intermediate exposures, systems A and B gave equivalent performances. At the high dose levels, system A performed better than system B in the entire range of target sizes, even though the pixel size of system A was about 40% larger than that of system B. At all the dose levels, the performances of the system C (direct system) were lower than those of system A and B (indirect systems). Theoretical analyses based on the Perception Statistical Model gave similar predicted SNRT values corresponding to an observer efficiency of about 0.08 for systems A and B and 0.05 for system C.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Fisica Sanitaria, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria Nuova, V.le Risorgimento 80, 42100 Reggio Emilia (RE), Italy. gianni.borasi@asmn.re.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borasi
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samei
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nitrosi
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tassoni
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media