[Intl_DxMedPhys] GE Pristina Flat Field Uniformity

[Sarah McKenney]

We also saw an "Orange Peel" artifact (named by David Hall @ UCSD) on an
install last Sept. It would reappear within 24hrs of a flat field.

We did not accept the systems, and GE also gave us some hand-selected
filters to resolve the issue.


*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*

*Sarah E. McKenney, PhD, DABR *(she/her/hers)




On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 4:07 PM Wunderle, Kevin via
Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu> wrote:

> Hi Matt,
>
>
>
> I can offer an informed speculation. Many moons ago, I experienced
> something very similar on half a dozen GE Senograph FFDM units. The issue
> we encountered was due to imperfections in the x-ray filters and the
> imaging system's inability to perfectly align the filter wheel once it
> cycled.
>
>
>
> Our experience mirrored your description with similar artifacts. After
> performing a flat-field calibration, the flat-field images looked great
> until the filter wheel was rotated. This could be done manually on the
> system interface, or it could happen automatically when the system was
> rebooted.
>
>
>
> I suggest you (or your service person) perform your flat-field
> calibration, reshoot your flat-field artifact eval (which should look
> great), then manually cycle the filter several times and reshoot. If this
> is the cause, those artifacts will reappear. Repeat this for both the Rh
> and Ag filters.
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, on the older GE systems, there was no way to improve the
> filter wheel positioning accuracy. When we experienced the issue, we shut
> down six units and GE flew in mammo experts from Buc, France to investigate
> and mitigate the problem. The only solution was to obtain hand-picked
> filters from China that were as close to perfectly flat as possible which,
> for all intent and purpose, resolved the issue.
>
>
>
> Let us know if this turns out to be the root cause.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
> [image: The Ohio State University]
> *Kevin Wunderle, PhD, FAAPM, FACR*
> Professor, Department of Radiology
>
> Diagnostic Medical Physicist
> 395 W. 12th Avenue,
>
> Floor 4, Room 424
>
> Columbus, OH, 43210
> 216-245-5513 Mobile
> kevin.wunderle at osumc.edu
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <
> intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> *On Behalf Of *Palmer,
> Matthew R. (BIDMC - Radiology) via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
> *Sent:* Monday, January 26, 2026 4:39 PM
> *To:* DxMedPhys List <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu>
> *Subject:* [Intl_DxMedPhys] GE Pristina Flat Field Uniformity
>
>
>
> Dear Colleagues, Multiple times recently, I’ve found artifacts when
> performing the Artifact Eval and Flat Field uniformity test, on the 2D
> Rh/Ag acquisitions for the GE Pristina mammo unit. I’ve pasted in a portion
> of my iPhone snapshot
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
>
>
> Multiple times recently, I’ve found artifacts when performing the Artifact
> Eval and Flat Field uniformity test, on the 2D Rh/Ag acquisitions for the
> GE Pristina mammo unit.  I’ve pasted in a portion of my iPhone snapshot
> from the AWS display.  The image quality isn’t pristine(a) and I’ve
> introduced a Moire pattern (there’s no ‘zipper’-like artifact in reality)
> but I think you can see the mottled appearance pretty clearly.
>
>
>
> After the FSE runs the gain cal, the artifacts disappear – for about a day
> then reappear.
>
>
>
> FSE’s feedback from GE experts is that not to worry – the artifacts won’t
> affect clinical images.  That’s hard to swallow.
>
>
>
> I was astonished that the tech’s weren’t picking up the artifacts in their
> weekly QC so I ran their Flat Field test from the tech IQST Weekly QC
> page.  The images shown briefly (but not saved as far as I can tell) during
> the test sequence look perfect (although you can’t adjust the window/level).
>
>
>
> I’m wondering if anyone has had this problem or can shed any light on it.
>
>
>
> Matt Palmer
>
> BIDMC Radiology
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Matthew R. Palmer, PhD, DABR*
> Director, Medical Imaging Physics, Department of Radiology
>
> Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
> Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
> 330 Brookline Avenue
> Boston, MA 02215
> office: 617-667-0176 fax: 617-667-2770
> mobile: 617-794-1736 pager: 617-632-7243 #32214
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> PLEASE NOTE: This message is intended for the use of the person to whom it
> is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged, confidential
> and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the
> intended recipient, your use of this message for any purpose is strictly
> prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please delete
> the message and notify the sender so that we may correct our records. See
> our web page at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.bilh.org__;!!KGKeukY!zNG1p3LrU1PJxnLUP0D4L6_zJ0pN6s1fT3NjCMRlpE0evJzSnuQfFEgm36gtiioEN7k32-3WpVgKBkaPPHHNNwnKU13oYBN6RLuE6hewsF5O8t85$ 
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.bilh.org__;!!KGKeukY!yPXjQjwtVfXFt-7mTxRycQxsuL5wT3jVEnZVQtVDhgKLkcWAtRAcVpzHasCOwejFq3t4iE207kdiJ4S7kfrqV3zLI7pq7IHjXHYpMUWnz72j2EY$>
> for a full directory of Beth Israel Lahey Health sites, staff, services and
> career opportunities.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/private/intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list/attachments/20260127/5e1719a0/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 3605 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/private/intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list/attachments/20260127/5e1719a0/attachment.png>