Mario Reinwand

A research prototype system for quantum-counting clinical CT

Recent publications emphasize the benefits of quantum-counting applied to the field of Computed Tomography (CT). We present a research prototype scanner with a CdTe-based quantum-counting detector and 20 cm field-of-view (FOV). As of today there is no direct converter material on the market able to operate reliably in the harsh high-flux regime of clinical CT scanners. Nevertheless, we investigate the CT imaging performance that could be expected with high-flux capable material. Therefore we chose pixel sizes of 0.05 mm2, a good compromise between high-flux counting ability and energy resolution. Every pixel is equipped with two energy threshold counters, enabling contrast-optimization and dual-energy scans. We present a first quantitative analysis of contrast measurements, in which we limit ourselves to a low-flux scenario. Using an Iodine-based contrast agent, we find 17% contrast enhancement at 120 kVp, compared to energy-integrating CT. In addition, the general dual-energy capability was confirmed in first measurements. We conclude our work by demonstrating good agreement of measurement results and detailed CT-system simulations.

Dual energy with dual source CT and kVp switching with single source CT: a comparison of dual energy performance

Stimulated by the introduction of clinical dual source CT, the interest in dual energy methods has been increasing in the past years. Whereas the potential of material decomposition by dual energy methods is known since the early 1980ies, the realization of dual energy methods is a wide field of todays research. Energy separation can be achieved with energy selective detectors or by varying X-ray source spectra. This paper focuses on dual energy techniques with varying X-ray spectra. These can be provided by dual source CT devices, operated with different kVp settings on each tube. Excellent spectral separation is the key property for use in clinical routine. The drawback of higher cost for two tubes and two detectors leads to an alternative realization, where a single source CT yields different spectra by fast kVp switching from reading to reading. This provides access to dual-energy methods in single source CT. However, this technique comes with some intrinsic limitations. The maximum X-ray flux is reduced in comparison to the dual source system. The kVp rise and fall time between each reading reduces the spectral separation. In comparison to dual source CT, for a constant number of projections per energy spectrum the temporal resolution is reduced; a reasonable trade of between reduced numbers of projection and limited temporal resolution has to be found. The overall dual energy performance is the guiding line for our investigations. We present simulations and measurements which benchmark both solutions in terms of spectral behavior, especially of spectral separation.