A pitfall of using the circular-edge technique with image averaging for spatial resolution measurement in iteratively reconstructed CT images

Reduction of metal artefacts from bilateral hip prostheses during lower extremity computed tomography angiography: an experimental phantom study

INTRODUCTION

Image quality reduction due to metallic artefacts is a significant challenge during vascular computed tomography (CT) imaging of the lower extremities in patients with hip prostheses. This study aims to analyse various reconstruction algorithms' ability to reduce metal artefacts due to two types of hip prostheses during lower extremity CT angiography examinations.

METHODS

A pelvis phantom was fabricated with the insertion of a tube filled with contrast media to simulate the femoral artery, and the phantom was then CT scanned with and without hip prostheses. Multimodal images were acquired using different kilovoltage peak (kVp) settings and reconstructed with different algorithms, such as filtered back projection (FBP), iterative reconstruction (iDose4), iterative model-based reconstruction (IMR) and orthopaedic metal artefact reduction (O-MAR). Image quality was assessed based on image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and Hounsfield unit (HU) deviation.

RESULTS

The IMR approach significantly improved image quality compared to iDose4 and FBP. For the vascular region, O-MAR improves SNR by 5 ± 1, 23 ± 5 and 42 ± 9 for FBP, iDose4 and IMR respectively, and improves HU precision towards the baseline values by 49% and 83% for FBP and IMR, respectively. The noise reduction was 71% and 89% for FBP and IMR, and 57% for iDose4. O-MAR greatly enhances SNR corrections among the most severe artefacts, with 29 ± 1 and 43 ± 4 for FBP and IMR, compared to iDose4 by 37 ± 7.

CONCLUSION

IMR combined with O-MAR could improve the CT angiography of the lower extremities of patients with a hip prosthesis.

Analysis of the precision of modulation transfer function measurements with a circular edge: influence of object circularity

Purpose

To measure the modulation transfer function (MTF) using a circular edge, we generate a synthesized edge spread function from multiple profiles radiating from the center, assuming that the circular object is perfectly round. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the influence of the shape change of the circular edge on the measurement precision of the MTF.

Approach

To examine this relationship, we generated simulated images with intentionally distorted circular edges and analyzed the correlation between circularity and the calculated MTF. This simulation was designed to replicate the MTF properties of an actual computed tomography image and was applied to isolate the effect of shape distortion on MTF measurements. MTF measurements were conducted on 11 different circularity images to determine the spatial frequencies at which the MTF values are 50% (f 50 ) and 10% (f 10 ), and the error rates to the true value were calculated.

Results

Our findings revealed a correlation between circularity and the measured MTF value. Specifically, an 1% decrease in circularity from the perfect circle condition resulted in an approximately - 35 % change in f 50 . This decrease in MTF values was attributed to the presence of rectangular spatial blurring, which occurs when a distorted circular image is used to generate the synthetic edge profile.

Conclusions

This study provided insights into the influence of the shape changes in the circular edge on MTF measurements. The present findings contribute to a better understanding of the evaluation results and measurement errors when describing the image quality characteristics modalities using the circular edge technique.

Simulation Analysis on the Performance of a Circular-Edge Technique in Measurements of the Modulation Transfer Function

The modulation transfer function (MTF) plays an important role in characterizing medical imaging systems. For such characterization, the circular-edge technique has become a prevalent task-based methodology. When determining the MTF with complicated task-based measurements, error factors must be well understood to properly interpret the results. In this context, the aim of this work was to study the changes in measurement performance in the analysis of the MTF using a circular edge. To eliminate the systematic error related to the measurement and suitably manage the error factors, images were generated by Monte Carlo simulation. Further, a performance comparison with the conventional method was conducted; in addition, the influence of the edge size and contrast and the setting error of the center coordinates were investigated. The difference from the true value and the standard deviation relative to the average value were applied to the index as the accuracy and precision, respectively. The results demonstrated that the smaller the circular object used and the lower the contrast, the grater the deterioration in the measurement performance. Furthermore, this study clarified the underestimating of the MTF in proportion to the square of the distance with respect to the setting error of the center position, which is important for the synthesis of the edge profile. Evaluations in the backgrounds wherein there are multiple factors affecting the results are complex, and the system users must properly judge the validity of the characterization results. These findings provide meaningful insight in the context of MTF measurement techniques.