동전을 이용한 제조사 별 디지털 방사선 영상 시스템의 자동노출제어 성능 평가

Automatic Exposure Control Performance Evaluation of Digital Radiographic Imaging System by Manufacturer Using Coins

In this study, we proposed an image quality control for an automatic exposure control (AEC) of digital radiographic imaging system and tried to analyze the performance of the AEC by various manufacturer. The subjects of the experiment were analyzed for the AEC image quality evaluation using digital radiation generators from four manufacturer such as PHILIPS, GE Healthcare, SAMSUNG Healthcare, DK Medical Solution. We used as materials for the implementation of the image quality evaluation by coins (500 won, KOMSCO, Korea). This study evaluated the performance evaluation of the AEC as image quality and exposure dose (Milliampere-seconds; mAs). The image quality evaluation was tried visual assessment by two radiologic technologists and contrast to noise (CNR) by ImageJ. The exposure dose investigated mAs on digital radiation generators. The radiographic coin images acquired 360 images based on change in the control factors of the AEC, which were kVp, the consistency of field configuration and dominant zone, sensitivity and density. As a result, there was a significant difference in the AEC performance between manufacturer. The CNR by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 1.9 times. The exposed tube current by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 5.8 times. It is expected that our proposed evaluation method using coins could be applied as the AEC performance evaluation method in the future.