Leveraging multi-layer imager detector design to improve low-dose performance for megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography.

Leveraging multi-layer imager detector design to improve low-dose performance for megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography.
Phys Med Biol. 2017 Dec 13;:
Authors: Hu YH, Rottmann J, Fueglistaller R, Myronakis ME, Wang A, Huber P, Shedlock D, Morf D, Baturin P, Star-Lack JM, Berbeco RI
Abstract
While megavoltage (MV) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) provides many advantages over kilovoltage (kV) CBCT, clinical adoption is limited by its high doses. Multi-layer imager (MLI) EPIDs increase DQE(0) while maintaining high resolution. However, even well-designed, high-performance MLIs suffer from increased electronic noise from each readout, degrading low-dose image quality. To improve low-dose performance, shift-and-bin addition (ShiBA) imaging is proposed, leveraging the unique architecture of the MLI. ShiBA combines hardware readout-binning and super-resolution concepts, reducing electronic noise while maintaining native image sampling. The imaging performance of full-resolution (FR); standard, aligned binned (BIN); and ShiBA images in terms of noise power spectrum (NPS), electronic NPS, modulation transfer function (MTF), and the ideal observer signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) - the detectability index (d') - are compared. The FR 4-layer readout of the prototype MLI exhibits an electronic NPS magnitude 6-times higher than a state-of-the-art single layer (SLI) EPID. Although the MLI is buil...

Source: Physics in Medicine and Biology - December 13, 2017 Category: Physics Authors: Hu YH, Rottmann J, Fueglistaller R, Myronakis ME, Wang A, Huber P, Shedlock D, Morf D, Baturin P, Star-Lack JM, Berbeco RI Tags: Phys Med Biol Source Type: research