Quality control phantom for digital chest radiography.

PURPOSE

To develop and test a chest phantom for routine quality control testing of digital radiography systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The phantom was constructed from sheets of copper, aluminum, and acrylic, which were cut and arranged to yield a radiographic projection resembling that of a human thorax. Regional test objects allowed quantitative assessment of optical density, contrast detail, and spatial resolution. Validation tests were performed to assess image stability in a stable imaging environment and sensitivity to changes in image quality when they occur.

RESULTS

The phantom yielded consistent pseudoclinical images when used in a routine quality control program and facilitated detection of simulated problems that were induced in imaging system performance.

CONCLUSION

The chest phantom enables quantitative, full-system testing of digital radiography system as they are used clinically for chest radiography.