1.
Alm Carlsson, Gudrun
(författare)
Bragg-Gray Dosimetry : Theory of Burch
2001
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The theoretical approach to Bragg-Gray dosimetry is: a Bragg-Gray cavity is a cavity (detector) so small that, when inserted into a medium, it does not disturb the fluence of charged particles existing in the medium. This means that the ideal Bragg-Gray cavity (detector) is one of infinitesimal dimensions, a "point" detector. In practice, such detectors do not exist but many real detectors may, in a first approximation, be treated as Bragg-Gray detectors to a high degree of accuracy. Corrections needed (so called perturbation corrections) to account for the deviation of the signal from a practical detector from that of an ideal one has been treated by, e.g., ICRU 1984, Alm Carlsson, 1985, Svensson and Brahme 1986, Alm Carlsson 1987. Derivation of "perturbation corrections" needs careful consideration and under-standing of the ideal case, i.e., that from which deviations are to be corrected for. The ideal case of a Bragg-Gray detector has been treated by Bragg 1912, Gray 1936, Laurence 1937, Spencer and Attix 1955 and Burch 1955. The formulation of Bragg-Gray theory by Spencer and Attix has found wide practical application and has been treated in detail elsewhere. The theory of Burch treats the same problem as did Spencer and Attix, viz., the significance of generation and slowing down of delta-particles in both medium and detector. Burch treated the problem in considerable detail but didn't find a solution for practical calculations. From a physical point of view, however, there is much to learn from Burch's approach. Also, his treatment of so called track ends, evaluated in some detail by Burch 1957, has been adapted in later versions of the Spencer-Attix formulation of Bragg-Gray theory.
2.
Alm Carlsson, Gudrun
(författare)
Fanos Teorem
2002
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
I ett oändligt medium erhålles en fullt uppbyggd fluens i alla punkter av mediet. I ett ändligt medium erhålles inte full uppbyggnad av fluensen på avstånd mindre än en maximal "partikelräckvidd" från begränsningsytorna. Fanos teorem har visats gälla för alla punkter i ett oändligt medium men kan endast gälla i det inre av ett ändligt medium där förhållandena är ekvivalenta med dem i det oändliga mediet.
3.
Alm Carlsson, Gudrun
(författare)
Spencer-Attix Cavity Theory
2002
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The cavity theory by Spencer and Attix treats the energy deposition in a Bragg-Gray (B-G) cavity (detector). Originally the theory was developed for the case of a B-G detector inside a medium irradiated with photons and assuming electronic equilibrium in the medium at the position of the cavity. The theory is also applicable in media irradiated with other types of uncharged ionizing particles (e.g., neutrons) and charged particles such as electrons and protons. The special case of photon irradiation under CPE (charged particle equilibrium) conditions was coupled to a model for calculating the energy spectrum of the equilibrium fluence of electrons in the undisturbed medium. For other situations, e.g., in a medium externally irradiated with electrons, the problem is to evaluate the energy spectrum of the electron fluence at the point considered in the medium. Today, this is mostly accomplished using Monte Carlo simulations. A Bragg-Gray cavity is regarded to be so small that: the energy imparted to the cavity from electrons released by photons in the cavity is negligible compared to the energy imparted from electrons released by photons in the surrounding medium and passing through the cavity the cavity should not disturb the fluence of electrons in the medium, i. e., the fluence of electrons traversing the cavity is assumed to be identical to that existing at the point of interest in the medium in the absence of the cavity.
4.
Alm Carlsson, Gudrun
(författare)
Spencer-Attix kavitetsteori
2001
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Spencer-Attix kavitetsteori behandlar energideponeringen i en Bragg-Gray kavitet (detektor) inuti ett medium bestrålat med fotoner och med elektronjämvikt i mediet på kavitetens plats. Med en Bragg-Gray kavitet menas en kavitet så liten att energideponeringen i kaviteten från elektroner frigjorda av fotoner i kaviteten är försumbar jämfört med energideponeringen från elektroner frigjorda av fotoner i omgivande mediet och som passerar in kaviteten kaviteten skall inte nämnvärt störa fluensen av elektronerna i mediet, dvs kaviteten antas i varje punkt genomkorsad av samma fluens av elektroner, som finns i mediet i frånvaro av kaviteten
5.
Dance, David, et al.
(författare)
Influence of anode/filter material and tube potential on contrast, signal-to-noise ratio and average absorbed dose in mammography: a Monte Carlo study
2000
Ingår i: British Journal of Radiology. - 0007-1285. ; 73, s. 1056-1067
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The comparative performance of mammographic X-ray systems that use different anode/filter combinations has been assessed for screen±®lm and digital imaging. Monte Carlo techniques have been used to calculate average glandular dose as well as contrast and signal-tonoise ratio for imaging two test details. Five anode/filter combinations have been studied to establish the potential for dose saving or image quality improvement. For screen±film mammography, it was found that little bene®t is gained by changing from a standard 28 kV molybdenum/molybdenum spectrum for breasts up to 6 cm thick. For thicker breasts, where the tube potential for the standard technique might be increased, 20% improvement in contrast can be achieved without dose penalty using molybdenum/rhodium or rhodium/rhodium spectra, whereas dose savings of more than 50% can be attained whilst maintaining contrast using tungsten/rhodium or rhodium/aluminium spectra. In digital mammography, a molybdenum/ molybdenum spectrum delivers the lowest dose for a 2 cm breast, but gives the highest dose for thicker breasts. Tungsten/rhodium or rhodium/aluminium spectra provide the lowest doses at greater thicknesses. It is concluded that for screen±film mammography, molybdenum/ molybdenum is the spectrum of choice for all but the thickest or most glandular breasts. In digital mammography, an alternative spectrum is preferable for breasts thicker than 2 cm.
6.
Sandborg, Michael, et al.
(författare)
Calculation of contrast and signal-to-noise degradation factors for digital detectors in chest and breast imaging
2003
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The Monte Carlo model of an x-ray imaging system, used in the EU 5th framework project by the Linköping and London partner to study chest and breast imaging, was developed jointly by the London and Linköping partners. It incorporates a model of the x-ray imaging system (x-ray tube, filtration, anti-scatter device and image receptor etc.) and the patient by using a voxel phantom of an adult male. Validation and calibration experiments have been performed for both the chest (Ullman et al 2003b) and the breast model. The model allows inclusion of anatomical or pathological details at particular positions in the anatomy and is able to calculate measures of image quality such as contrast and signal-to-noise ratio and measures of radiation risk for example entrance air kerma and effective dose. It allows alteration of imaging system settings such as tube voltage, filtration, beam size and position, choice of anti-scatter device and choice of image detector etc. The model is a useful tool for optimisations since it has been shown that in chest and lumbar spine radiography is able to predict clinical image quality as assessed by a group of radiologists. In the Monte Carlo model (MC-model) the image quality measures are calculated assuming a perfectly sharp imaging system and correction factors need to be applied to the computed data in order to make the image quality measures agree on an absolute scale. The calculation of correction factors for contrast and signal-tonoises are described in this report. A similar report focusing on analogue screen-film chest and lumbar spine radiography was completed some years ago and some of the concepts and methods are similar.
7.
Sandborg, Michael, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
Demonstration of correlation between physical and clinical image quality measures in chest and lumbar spine imaging.
2000
Ingår i: Digest of papers of the 2000 world congress on medical physics. CD-Rom Chicago July 23-28,2000. - : IEEE. - 0780364651 ; , s. 3078-3081 vol.4
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Clinical and physical assessments of image quality are compared and the correlation between the two derived. Clinical assessment has been made by a group of expert radiologists who evaluated the fulfillment of the European Image Criteria for chest and lumbar spine radiography; yielding the so-called Image Criteria Score, ICS. Physical measures of image quality were calculated using a Monte Carlo model of the complete imaging system. This model includes a voxelised male anatomy and calculates contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of various anatomical details and a measure of useful dynamic range. Correlations between the ICS and the physical image quality measures were sought. Four lumbar spine and 16 chest imaging systems were evaluated and simulated with the model. The most useful physical quantities for chest radiography were the dynamic range and contrast of blood vessels in the retro-cardiac area. In lumbar spine, it was the signal-to-noise ratio of trabecular structures. The significant correlation is encouraging and shows that clinical image quality can be predicted provided the imaging conditions are well known and that relevant measures of physical image quality are used to assess the quality of the image
8.
Sandborg, Michael, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
Demonstration of correlations between clinical and physical image quality measures in chest and lumbar spine screen-film radiography
2001
Ingår i: British Journal of Radiology. - : British Institute of Radiology. - 0007-1285 .- 1748-880X. ; 74:882, s. 520-528
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The ability to predict clinical image quality from physical measures is useful for optimization in diagnostic radiology. In this work, clinical and physical assessments of image quality are compared and correlations between the two are derived. Clinical assessment has been made by a group of expert radiologists who evaluated fulfilment of the European image criteria for chest and lumbar spine radiography using two scoring methods: image criteria score (ICS) and visual grading analysis score (VGAS). Physical image quality measures were calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation model of the complete imaging system. This model includes a voxelized male anatomy and was used to calculate contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of various important anatomical details and measures of dynamic range. Correlations between the physical image quality measures on the one hand and the ICS and VGAS on the other were sought. 16 chest and 4 lumbar spine imaging system configurations were compared in frontal projection. A statistically significant correlation with clinical image quality was found in chest posteroanterior radiography for the contrast of blood vessels in the retrocardiac area and a measure of useful dynamic range. In lumbar spine anteroposterior radiography, a similar significant correlation with clinical image quality was found between the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the trabecular structures in the L1-L5 vertebrae. The significant correlation shows that clinical image quality can, at least in some cases, be predicted from appropriate measures of physical image quality.
9.
Sandborg, Michael, et al.
(författare)
Report on the study and optimisation of chestand lumbar spine X-ray imaging
2000
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The optimisation of radiological equipment and equipment parameters is a key stage in the optimisation of image quality and patient dose in diagnostic radiology. It is essential, however, to underpin such optimisation with theoretical modelling which can provide both the direct quantification of the effect on image quality and dose of changes in system parameters and the opportunity for optimisation of equipment selection and use. Our principal contribution to the joint CEC-project 'Predictivity and Optimisation in Diagnostic Radiology' is in modelling of planar chest and lumbar spine radiographic examinations. The results of this work for the chest PA, lumbar spine AP and lumbar spine lateral examinations are presented in this report. Prior to this, several development stages have been completed which include the calibration and validation of our methods by measurements in the clinical environment on patients and patient images. These important aspects are not dealt with in detail here, but are described in separate reports. This report focuses on three aspects from our results of using our Monte Carlo model of the patient and imaging equipment: (1) Study of the effects on image quality and patient dose when the imaging parameters are varied; Establishment of imaging parameters and systems that result in as least as good image quality as systems with good performance singled out from results of clinical trials (optimisations); Comparison of the results from the model with the results from clinical trials performed by partners in the joint CEC-project. An objective of the report is to present our results at a level of detail not usually possible in the refereed scientific literature. The report should therefore not be read all at once, but preferably used as a ‘reference library’ or documentation of all our efforts. There are many interesting results and findings from this collaborative work and these will be submitted for publication to the appropriate journals.
10.
