Noise limitations for small-animal microcomputed tomography

Nancy L. Ford; Michael M. Thornton; David W. Holdsworth

doi:10.1117/12.465578

3 May 2002 Noise limitations for small-animal microcomputed tomography

Nancy L. Ford, Michael M. Thornton, David W. Holdsworth

Proceedings Volume 4682, Medical Imaging 2002: Physics of Medical Imaging; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.465578
Event: Medical Imaging 2002, 2002, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Recent advances in mouse genomics, including the production of transgenic mouse models, have created an interest in developing non-invasive imaging techniques for small-animal imaging applications. X-ray computed tomography (CT) can provide images with high-resolution isotropic voxels and low noise in relatively short acquisition times. In addition, CT provides volume data set, which allows the viewer to clearly visualize the spatial orientation of tissues within the mouse. We propose a model for an ideal, quantum-noise limited CT scanner for small-animal orientation of tissues within the mouse. We propose a model for an ideal, quantum- noise limited CT scanner for small-animal imaging with the objective of examining the fundamental limits of precision as a function of resolution and dose to the animal. The variance was calculated for several doses and voxel sizes to determine the precision in the linear attenuation coefficient values for the idealized small-animal volume CT scanner. For whole-body exposure of 1.5 Gy, our study predicts precision of +/- 5.8 percent in linear attenuation coefficient, with (0.1 mm)³ isotopic voxels. This work shows the effect of photon noise on the precision that can be expected for micro-computed tomography of small animals in vivo for a given isotopic voxel size and x-ray dose to the animal. The predictions of this work ca be used to design novel imaging systems for use in small-animal research.

Citation Download Citation

Nancy L. Ford, Michael M. Thornton, and David W. Holdsworth "Noise limitations for small-animal microcomputed tomography", Proc. SPIE 4682, Medical Imaging 2002: Physics of Medical Imaging, (3 May 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.465578

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