title: Temporal resolution measurement of 128-slice dual source and 320-row area detector computed tomography scanners in helical acquisition mode using the impulse method.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the temporal resolution (TR) of modern computed tomography (CT) scanners using the impulse method, and assess the actual maximum TR at respective helical acquisition modes.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the actual TR of helical acquisition modes of a 128-slice dual source CT (DSCT) scanner and a 320-row area detector CT (ADCT) scanner, we assessed the TRs of various acquisition combinations of a pitch factor (P) and gantry rotation time (R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TR of the helical acquisition modes for the 128-slice DSCT scanner continuously improved with a shorter gantry rotation time and greater pitch factor. However, for the 320-row ADCT scanner, the TR with a pitch factor of <1.0 was almost equal to the gantry rotation time, whereas with pitch factor of >1.0, it was approximately one half of the gantry rotation time. The maximum TR values of single- and dual-source helical acquisition modes for the 128-slice DSCT scanner were 0.138 (R/P=0.285/1.5) and 0.074s (R/P=0.285/3.2), and the maximum TR values of the 64×0.5- and 160×0.5-mm detector configurations of the helical acquisition modes for the 320-row ADCT scanner were 0.120 (R/P=0.275/1.375) and 0.195s (R/P=0.3/0.6), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the TR of a CT scanner is not accurately depicted in the specifications of the individual scanner, appropriate acquisition conditions should be determined based on the actual TR measurement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Nakatsugawa Municipal General Hospital, 1522-1 Komanba, Nakatsugawa, Gifu 508-0011, Japan. Electronic address: hara_tnk2@ybb.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Shizuoka Cancer Centre, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi, Sunto, Shizuoka 411-8777, Japan. Electronic address: at.urikura@scchr.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urikura
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0942, Japan. Electronic address: ichikawa@mhs.mp.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ishinkai Yao General Hospital, 1-41 Numa, Yao, Osaka 581-0036, Japan. Electronic address: hoshi0311@hera.eonet.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan. Electronic address: eiji2403@tk9.so-net.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nishimaru
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Nakatsugawa Municipal General Hospital, 1522-1 Komanba, Nakatsugawa, Gifu 508-0011, Japan. Electronic address: shinji-niwa.gifu@aria.ocn.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niwa
mesh_terms: D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Gantry rotation time; Helical acquisition mode; Pitch factor; Temporal resolution