Maulik R.

Shah
B. E. (Inst & Control Engg.)
M. S. (Biomed Engg., USA)
PGDHA (Apollo Hospital)


Consultant Biomedical Engineer
Medical Equipment Planner
Hospital Project Consultant

Mobile : 9824019971
Email : mailtomaulik@gmail.com
www.atozforhospital.com



Basic & Conceptual
Information
about
Computed Tomography.
Equipment
Arrangement

Radiography
v/s
Tomography
Tomo = image // to long axis of the body
CT = image is transverse to the body
Basic C T Principles
Computed
Tomography has the x-
ray tube move across
the so the image is
called a transverse
image or one
perpendicular to the
long axis of the body.

Computed Tomography
Development
Computed tomography has gone through five
major design advancements since 1970
Each development improved both scan time
and resolution or image quality.
Scan time have been reduced from 5 minutes
to 50 ms.
First scanner used a very tightly collimated
pencil beam.
Generations
First Generation Scanners
Translation/Rotation
Tube produced a finely collimated beam or pencil
beam
1 to 3 detectors were placed opposite the tube for
radiation detection
4.5 minutes to gather enough information for one
slice
Tube was only able to rotate 180 degrees
First Generation
1971
Pencil Thin Beam of Radiation
Translate and Rotate
X-ray source and detector fixed
relative position
One degree of rotation possible
Scan Time (Single Image)
5 min
128 x 128 images
Patient
X-ray tube
Detector
First Generation CT Scanner
Pencil Beam
Translate-Rotate Design
180 one degree images
or translations.
One or two detectors.
5 minutes scan time
Second Generation
Fan-shaped x-ray beam
30 or more detectors
20 seconds per slice or 10 minutes for a 40
slice exam
180 degree rotation
Long data reconstruction time
Second Generation
1974
X-rays
Multiple Pencil
Fan Shaped 3 - 26 degrees
Still Translate and Rotate
X-ray source and detector still fixed
relative position
Rotation increased from one to three
degrees
Scan time (Single Image)
3.5 min
Eventually 5.3 sec
X-ray tube
Detectors
Second Generation CT Scanner
Translate-Rotate
Fan beam collimation so
there is more scatter
radiation.
5 to 30 detectors
10 degrees /translation
18 per scan.
30 second scan times
Faster scan time


Third Generation
Fan-shaped x-ray beam
960 detectors opposite the x-ray tube
Complete 360 degree rotation Rotate/Rotate
movement
One rotation = one slice
Second data acquisition could be made as the
tube and detectors move in the opposite
direction.
Time reduced to 1 sec per slice
3
rd
generation configuration

Third Generation
1977
X-ray
Fan Shaped
21 - 45 degrees
Rotation Only
Array of Detectors

Scan Time (Single Image)
4.8 sec
Eventually reduced to 2.5
seconds
Detectors
X-ray tube
Third Generation CT Scanner
Rotate-Rotate
Fan shaped beam of 30
to 60 for full patient
coverage.
Constant Source to
detector distance due to
curvilinear detector
array.

Third Generation CT Scanner
If one detector fails, a
ring artifact appears.
1 second scan times
Superior reconstruction
and resolution.
Fourth Generation
Developed in 1980s
Fixed ring of as many as 4800 detectors,
completely surrounding the patient, Rotate
only movement
Rotating x-ray tube provides short bursts of
radiation
Detectors collect the remnant radiation to
reconstruct into an image
1 minute for multiple slices

4
th
generation
configuration
Fourth Generation
1980
X-ray
Wide Fan
48 - 120 degrees
Rotation Only
Full Ring of Detectors
Scan Time (Single Image)
5 Sec
Eventually reduced to ~1 sec


X-ray tube
Ring of Detectors
Fourth Generation CT Scanner
The tube rotates around
a stationary ring of
detectors.
Fan beam
Variable slice thickness
with pre and post
patient collimation.
Fourth Generation CT Scanner
As many as 8000
detectors.
1 second scan time.
Auto-detector
calibration so no ring
artifact.
High radiation dose
compared to earlier
scanners.
Fifth Generation
CT Scanner
This is the latest
generation of CT.
Allows for continuous
rotation of the tube for
spiral CT.
5th Generation also
includes two novel
designs: