PMID: 8587535Nov 1, 1995Paper

Slit camera focal spot measurement errors in mammography

Medical Physics
S TangR L Tanner

Abstract

Mammography x-ray tube focal spot sizes are routinely measured during acceptance testing and annual performance audits. The National Electrical Manufactures Association (NEMA) recommends the slit camera for this purpose. Investigated were the effect of slit rotational misalignment, tilt misalignment, image film density, film and screen-film image receptors, microscope magnification and reticule accuracy, and observer variation on slit camera focal spot measurements. Our results indicate that small rotational misalignment (< 5 degrees) and tilt misalignment (< 3 degrees) introduce insignificant error. Measured focal spot size increased slightly with image optical density, indicating that for consistent results the image optical density variations should be minimized. Also desirable for accurate field measurements is a high power microscope (25-50x) and a reticule with divisions of < or = 0.02 mm. Screen-film imaging consistently resulted in a slightly smaller measured focal spot size than direct film. The greatest source of error was due to observer variation. Of interest is that reader variability showed a consistent pattern and variation between two measurements by the same observer was much smaller than between observer varia...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 5, 2002·Australasian Physical & Engineering Sciences in Medicine·A R CraigJ J Nicoll
Dec 10, 1999·Medical Physics·C D BradfordJ M Waidelich
Jul 1, 1997·Investigative Radiology·W HudaC J Belden

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antifungals

An antifungal, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, and others. Discover the latest research on antifungals here.

Antifungals (ASM)

An antifungal, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, and others. Discover the latest research on antifungals here.