Assessment of objective image quality in digital radiography: noninvasive determination of the detective quantum efficiency

In order to determine an objective measure of a system's image quality, we developed a simple, non-invasive measurement procedure to determine the detective quantum efficiency of digital radiographic systems, especially image intensifier-tv systems. Therefore we set up measurement procedures for the quantities intensity transfer function (ITF) (also called characteristic curve), modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS) and the low frequency drop (LFD). The quantities ITF, MTF, NPS and LFD are determined by the analysis of images of simple, standardized test objects (a slit, Al-filters of different thickness and a lead disk). The images are automatically evaluated by means of an Apple Macintosh workstation and the program NIH image with some special extensions. The resulting quantities MTF, NPS, LFD are combined to determine the noise equivalent quanta (NEQ) and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE). By means of this measurement procedure quantities, that describe the objective image quality like NEQ and DQE, can be determined in a simple way. Only a set of 45 images is needed for diagnosis of a system. This method provides a powerful analysis tool for image quality, that is applicable in the field and can be done from a remote location. It may be used in a clinical environment (e.g. in constancy testing).