Modulation transfer function evaluation of cone beam computed tomography for dental use with the oversampling method.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the possibility of evaluating the modulation transfer function (MTF) of cone beam CT (CBCT) for dental use using the oversampling method.


METHODS
The CBCT apparatus (3D Accuitomo) with an image intensifier was used with a 100 mum tungsten wire placed inside the scanner at a slight angle to the plane perpendicular to the plane of interest and scanned. 200 contiguous reconstructed images were used to obtain the oversampling line-spread function (LSF). The MTF curve was obtained by computing the Fourier transformation from the oversampled LSF. Line pair tests were also performed using Catphan(R).


RESULTS
The oversampling method provided smooth and reproducible MTF curves. The MTF curves revealed that the spatial resolution in the z-axis direction was significantly higher than that in the axial direction. This result was also confirmed by the line pair test.


CONCLUSIONS
MTF analysis was performed successfully using the oversampling method. In addition, this study clarified that the 3D Accuitomo had high spatial resolution, especially in the z-axis direction.
Watanabe
H
H
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 5-45 Yushima 1-chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138549, Japan. hiro.orad@tmd.ac.jp
Honda
E
E
Kurabayashi
T
T
D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods*