title: Aliased noise in X-ray CT images and band-limiting processing as a preventive measure.
abstract: X-ray CT projection data often include components with frequencies that are markedly higher than the pixel Nyquist frequency f PN, which is determined by the pixel size. Noise components higher than f PN are folded back into a region lower than f PN through the backprojection process, thereby creating aliased noise. With clinical CT scanners, we evaluated the aliased noise using an aliasing prevention measure, band-limiting processing (BLP), which suppresses frequency components higher than f PN in the projection data. Indices we used to evaluate improvement by BLP were the noise power spectrum (NPS), modulation transfer function (MTF), signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) spectrum, matched filter SNR (MF SNR), and two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) test. With BLP, the NPS was decreased not only beyond f PN, but also within f PN. The same level of MTF was maintained as that without BLP within f PN. No remarkable reduction in spatial resolution was observed. The SNR spectrum and the MF SNR of the BLP image nearly agreed with those of an ideal state without aliased noise. A notable improvement in the visuoperceptual image quality by BLP was recognized with a reconstruction field of view (FOV) of more than 45 cm. We then applied BLP to clinical data and confirmed that significant aliased noise of a large FOV image was removed without notable side effects. The results showed that at least some CTs suffering from aliased noise can be improved by proper band-limiting.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan, satok@med.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shidahara
authors.forename: Mitsunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yanagawa
authors.forename: Noriyasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: Issei
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*