Basic performance evaluation of the first model of 4-dimensional CT-scanner

We have developed a prototype of 4-dimensional (4D) CT-scanner that employs continuous rotation of cone-beam. Because a cone-beam scan along a circle orbit did not collect a complete set of data to make rigid reconstruction of volume (313 image), it might bring disadvantages or artifacts. To examine effects of the cone-beam data collection on. image quality, we have evaluated basic performances of the prototype and compared them to those of a state-of-the-art multi-detector (MD) CT-scanner. As the results image characteristics such as noise, uniformity, high contrast and low contrast detectability of 4D CT were independent of z-coordinate, and comparable to those of MD CT. The transverse spatial resolution of 4D CT was independent of z-coordinate, and showed slightly better performance than that of MD CT, while the longitudinal spatial resolution of 4D CT was the same as the transverse one, and much better than that of MD CT in the present scan conditions. Isotropic resolving power of 0.5mm was achieved for 4D CT. A Feldkamp artifact was observed in distortion measurement though its clinical meaning has not been clarified. Exposure dose measured with CT dose index (CTDI) for 4D CT was comparable to that for MD CT. As a whole our first model of 4D CT-scanner was successful to take a volume data of 10cm long along longitudinal direction in a single rotation scan with comparable image quality and exposure dose to the state-of-the-art MD CT-scanner.