Quantitative comparison using generalized relative object detectability (G-ROD) metrics of an amorphous selenium detector with high resolution microangiographic fluoroscopes (MAF) and standard flat panel detectors (FPD)

Abstract

A novel amorphous selenium (a-Se) direct detector with CMOS readout has been designed, and relative detector performance investigated. The detector features include a 25μm pixel pitch, and 1000μm thick a-Se layer operating at 10V/μm bias field. A simulated detector DQE was determined, and used in comparative calculations of the Relative Object Detectability (ROD) family of prewhitening matched-filter (PWMF) observer and non-prewhitening matched filter (NPWMF) observer model metrics to gauge a-Se detector performance against existing high resolution micro-angiographic fluoroscopic (MAF) detectors and a standard flat panel detector (FPD). The PWMF-ROD or ROD metric compares two x-ray imaging detectors in their relative abilities in imaging a given object by taking the integral over spatial frequencies of the Fourier transform of the detector DQE weighted by an object function, divided by the comparable integral for a different detector. The generalized-ROD (G-ROD) metric incorporates clinically relevant parameters (focal-spot size, magnification, and scatter) to show the degradation in imaging performance for detectors that are part of an imaging chain. Preliminary ROD calculations using simulated spheres as the object predicted superior imaging performance by the a-Se detector as compared to existing detectors. New PWMF-G-ROD and NPWMF-G-ROD results still indicate better performance by the a-Se detector in an imaging chain over all sphere sizes for various focal spot sizes and magnifications, although a-Se performance advantages were degraded by focal spot blurring. Nevertheless, the a-Se technology has great potential to provide breakthrough abilities such as visualization of fine details including of neuro-vascular perforator vessels and of small vascular devices.

Detectability assessment of an x‐ray imaging system using the nodes in a wavelet packet decomposition of a star–bar object

“…For this reason, image quality assessment in terms of task-based tests like those exploring detectability of the imaging system is being developed and implemented. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Image data acquisition and image display are two main stages of the imaging process. 15 During acquisition, data are first captured and stored.…”

“…However, in order to provide a definitive way of rating the image quality of a system, additional tests based on the effectiveness with which the image can be used for its intended task 7 must be carried out. For this reason, image quality assessment in terms of task‐based tests like those exploring detectability of the imaging system is being developed and implemented 8‐14 …”

Detectability assessment of an x-ray imaging system using the nodes in a wavelet packet decomposition of a star-bar object

“…Nowadays, image quality assessment in terms of task-based tests is being developed [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] .…”