[Intl_DxMedPhys] Paediatric CT phantoms - Image quality

[Szczykutowicz, Timothy P]

For a newborn, a typical Nalgene filled with water is good. The typical vendor water phantom is too big, same for the smallest module of the mercury phantom.

I would just focus on noise, dose, and scan speed for peds. (so a water phantom is fine)

I don’t think you need to put in a contrast object or high resolution module. The kernel will decide the resolution, you can just copy that from protocols your rads already like. Mainly you are just looking to measure noise and make sure your tube can deliver enough dose at the fastest scan speed. You are going to likely be using 70-80 kV for newborns anyway (I am guessing, based on fact acr and vendor phantoms were too big for you, those are all good for larger size peds), so that part is easy. But you get into trouble quick with dose output at these low voltages when you program the protocols to scan fast (fastest rotation time and widest collimation and highest pitch your rads will tolerate (usually about 1.5)).

This is Nalgene trick is what I did when we got the mercury phantom and evaluated it for gammex (whitepaper is in my textbook on that and on the sun nuclear website). Of course I didn’t mention this in the whitepaper for them though 😉

-stick

Timothy P. Szczykutowicz, Ph.D., DABR
Associate Professor
Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics and BME
University of Wisconsin Madison
Cell# 1-716-560-7751<tel:(716)%20560-7751>
Office# 1-608-263-5729
he/him/his

From: Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> On Behalf Of Baxter, Patricia [ISLH] via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
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Subject: [Intl_DxMedPhys] Paediatric CT phantoms - Image quality


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Hi ListServ: I have the paediatric CTDI phantom, but only ACR and the vendor phantoms for image quality. What do you use to determine image quality when evaluating paediatric CT protocol changes? Pat Patricia Baxter, MSc, MCCPM (she/her) Island
Hi ListServ:

I have the paediatric CTDI phantom, but only ACR and the vendor phantoms for image quality.
What do you use to determine image quality when evaluating paediatric CT protocol changes?

Pat

Patricia Baxter, MSc, MCCPM (she/her)
Island Health: Leader, Radiation Safety, Imaging Physics and Quality Control
Diagnostic Imaging Physicist
Cell: 250.361.7261
E-mail: patricia.baxter at islandhealth.ca<mailto:patricia.baxter at islandhealth.ca>

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I am privileged to live, learn and work on the unceded traditional lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən languaged peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.

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