[Intl_DxMedPhys] GE Pristina Flat Field Uniformity

Wed Jan 28 10:07:28 EST 2026

I have also had this issue, though not as extreme, on several GEs in the
last couple years. I was also told about the cold tube calibrations and
they were fixed by new collimators. Guess which one is the Ag filter on
this one.

-Erika Ripley, Ph.D., DABR, DABSNM
Texas Licensed Medical Physicist
972-938-7626

On Tue, Jan 27, 2026, 9:14 PM David Erickson via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
<intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu> wrote:

> Hey Matt, I’ve seen this exact looking issue before recently (maybe two
> months ago). Before I answer to this recent experience I will say that
> sometimes the Rh/Ag combo doesn’t look amazing but upon inspection of the
> RAWS per the manual, they
> Hey Matt,
> I’ve seen this exact looking issue before recently (maybe two months ago).
>
> Before I answer to this recent experience I will say that sometimes the
> Rh/Ag combo doesn’t look amazing but upon inspection of the RAWS per the
> manual, they don’t look as bad. Some are much better than others—-I test
> about 20-30 a year. But recently it was different; terrible on mags and
> terrible with the Bucky; even distracting in the phantom scoring.
>
> I was told by GE that their Ag filter makeup was recently changed within
> the collimator (not entirely sure what that means) which is responsible for
> this.
>
> I could not in good faith pass it when observed initially so a second
> collimator was sent and swapped out. It was better than the first but still
> not great—-better because apparently there is a new calibration procedure
> with collimators having this new filter where calibrations have to be
> completed slowly and on a “cold tube”. From my understanding this is a
> known issue. The “cold tube” calibration procedure helps but images still
> are not my favorite. Acceptable but not my favorite imo.
> Interpreting rads were made aware initially too of this system and were
> instructed to call out anything egregious—-all quiet thus far.
>
> Hope that helps. Let me know if you find out more or hear anything else!
>
> Respectfully,
> David Erickson, MS, DABR
> Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physics
> david.dephysics at gmail.com
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 10:31 High, Maynard via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
> <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu> wrote:
>
>> This “orange peel” artifact, whatever the cause is quite common in
>> Pristina ACR accreditation phantom submissions. So common that as an ACR
>> phantom reviewer, I cringe every time I see a Pristina phantom to score,
>> because there is
>>
>> This “orange peel” artifact, whatever the cause is quite common in
>> Pristina ACR accreditation phantom submissions. So common that as an ACR
>> phantom reviewer, I cringe every time I see a Pristina phantom to score,
>> because there is a good possibility of seeing this unacceptable artifact.
>> In such cases I am then obliged to spend considerable time typing out
>> recommendations to the site for corrective action. My advice usually is to
>> 1) bring in GE service to address the artifact, and if that does not
>> resolve the artifact, 2) escalate to a higher service level in GE and keep
>> escalating until they send out an FSE who actually understands what is
>> going on.
>>
>> Thank you listers for the very informative posts. I feel now I can be a
>> little more focused in my advice by adding that the artifact is commonly
>> filter related.
>>
>>
>>
>> Maynard High
>>
>> Westchester Medical Center / NYMC
>>
>> maynard.high at wmchealth.org
>>
>> 914-493-1410
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <
>> intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> *On Behalf Of *Wunderle,
>> Kevin via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
>> *Sent:* Monday, January 26, 2026 7:07 PM
>> *To:* Palmer, Matthew R. (BIDMC - Radiology) <mpalmer at bidmc.harvard.edu>;
>> DxMedPhys List <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu>
>> *Subject:* [EXTERNAL] Re: [Intl_DxMedPhys] GE Pristina Flat Field
>> Uniformity
>>
>>
>>
>> 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
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/search/395*W.*12th*Avenue,**A0D*0A*Floor*4,*Room*424?entry=gmail&source=g__;KysrKyUlKysrKw!!KGKeukY!0rgZy4USbn1wfHqo0w-S8OhuB6d6rahNd5osjV5oUP0X93to6dSw02_wHB75eIcZx6gkssL1-D_pD607fJdN8YWizkqmFHhiVWaiK-dp8-CYoomZ$>
>> is the cause, those artifacts will reappear. Repeat this for both the Rh
>> and Ag filters.
>>
>>
>>
>> Unfortunately, on the older GE systems, there was no way to improve the
>> filter wheel positioning accuracy. When we experienced the issue, we shut
>> down six units and GE flew in mammo experts from Buc, France to investigate
>> and mitigate the problem. The only solution was to obtain hand-picked
>> filters from China that were as close to perfectly flat as possible which,
>> for all intent and purpose, resolved the issue.
>>
>>
>>
>> Let us know if this turns out to be the root cause.
>>
>>
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>>
>> [image: The Ohio State University]
>> *Kevin Wunderle, PhD, FAAPM, FACR*
>> Professor, Department of Radiology
>>
>> Diagnostic Medical Physicist
>> 395 W. 12th Avenue,
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/search/395*W.*12th*Avenue,**A0D*0A*Floor*4,*Room*424?entry=gmail&source=g__;KysrKyUlKysrKw!!KGKeukY!0rgZy4USbn1wfHqo0w-S8OhuB6d6rahNd5osjV5oUP0X93to6dSw02_wHB75eIcZx6gkssL1-D_pD607fJdN8YWizkqmFHhiVWaiK-dp8-CYoomZ$>
>>
>> Floor 4, Room 424
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/search/395*W.*12th*Avenue,**A0D*0A*Floor*4,*Room*424?entry=gmail&source=g__;KysrKyUlKysrKw!!KGKeukY!0rgZy4USbn1wfHqo0w-S8OhuB6d6rahNd5osjV5oUP0X93to6dSw02_wHB75eIcZx6gkssL1-D_pD607fJdN8YWizkqmFHhiVWaiK-dp8-CYoomZ$>
>>
>> Columbus, OH, 43210
>> 216-245-5513 Mobile
>> kevin.wunderle at osumc.edu
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <
>> intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> *On Behalf Of *Palmer,
>> Matthew R. (BIDMC - Radiology) via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
>> *Sent:* Monday, January 26, 2026 4:39 PM
>> *To:* DxMedPhys List <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu>
>> *Subject:* [Intl_DxMedPhys] GE Pristina Flat Field Uniformity
>>
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/search/395*W.*12th*Avenue,**A0D*0A*Floor*4,*Room*424?entry=gmail&source=g__;KysrKyUlKysrKw!!KGKeukY!x1Ye2myMoGx7t6eqSmrJb14MQRBKUizKko_mQ1eXOuhtKfOs0tQb9fMzPOzpUP1VlSFTl6uv92IHRrwQ0RopC1jCuHz7NqaQ_Jh5Gg$ >
>>
>>
>>
>> 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
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>> Boston, MA 02215
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>> office: 617
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/search/330*Brookline*Avenue**B0D*0ABoston,*MA*02215**B0D*0Aoffice:*617?entry=gmail&source=g__;KysrKyUlKysrKyUlKw!!KGKeukY!0rgZy4USbn1wfHqo0w-S8OhuB6d6rahNd5osjV5oUP0X93to6dSw02_wHB75eIcZx6gkssL1-D_pD607fJdN8YWizkqmFHhiVWaiK-dp86ln8buf$>-667-0176
>> fax: 617-667-2770
>> mobile: 617-794-1736 pager: 617-632-7243 #32214
>>
>>
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