Assessment of image quality and radiation dose in some models of digital radiography systems - A Pehamed FLUORAD A plus D phantom study

Abstract

Digital radiography (DR) systems have been recently introduced as a developed technology that is replacing conventional film-screen systems in many countries around the world. Ideal situation in radiography is to maximize the image quality while minimizing the patient dose. The purpose of this study was to compare image quality and radiation dose in different digital radiography systems. Four different digital systems are compared in terms of their image quality performance and dose area product (DAP). Images of Pehamed FLUORAD AthornD phantom were obtained for each DR system. Image quality parameters (contrast resolution (CR), spatial resolution (SR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR)) and DAP were significantly different between different digital systems. It was shown that all four quantities increased with increasing exposure parameters in all systems. Image quality parameters of the SEDECAL system were higher than that in other systems (p <= 0.05). At the stable DAP (100 mGy.cm(2)), means of CR, CNR, and SR in the SEDECAL system were 6.38 +/- 0.797, 29.70 +/- 0.85 and 3.10 +/- 0.38 lp/mm, respectively. The results of this investigation can be taken into consideration in the selection and purchasing of new systems in order to preserve patients as well as radiographers from unnecessary radiation dose.