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Park and Sung: A Comparative Study of Image Quality and Radiation Dose with Changes in Tube Voltage and Current for a Digital Chest Radiography
Chest Radiology
Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2010; 62(2): 131-137.

Published online: 28 February 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2010.62.2.131

A Comparative Study of Image Quality and Radiation Dose with Changes in Tube Voltage and Current for a Digital Chest Radiography

Boram Park, M.D., Dong Wook Sung, M.D.

1Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Dong Wook Sung, M.D., Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Hoegi-dong 1, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-702, Korea. Tel. 82-2-958-8625, Fax. 82-2-968-0787, sungdw@paran.com

Received 13 June 2009       Accepted 22 September 2009

Copyright © 2010 The Korean Society of Radiology

Abstract

Purpose

High-voltage techniques applicable for analog radiographs are usually used in digital radiographs. We compared the image quality of the different exposure conditions to produce conditions of high image quality and low radiation dose.

Materials and Methods

The tube voltage ranged from 70 to 133 kV, whereas the tube current ranged from 2 to 6.3 mAs. The digital radiograph images of a chest phantom were obtained at each setting. We measured the radiation doses of each condition, and counted the visible test objects. The numbers of objects for each condition were compared with the standards used at our institution.

Results

The standard settings were set at 133 kVp and 2 or 4 mAs. Compared to the image quality at 133 kVp and 2 mAs, the radiation dose was lowest at a setting of 109 kVp and 2 mAs. Compared to the image quality of 133 kVp and 4 mAs, the radiation dose was lowest at 109 kVp and 4 mAs.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest that radiation dose can be reduced without compromising image quality by a low-voltage technique in digitial radiography.

Keywords: Radiography, Image Quality, Radiation Dosage

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Correlation of numbers of discs and radiation doses. Visible discs increase as the radiation dose increase.

jksr-62-131-g001
Fig. 2

(A) 133kVp, 6.3 mAs. Radiation dose was the highest (241.2 µGy). On average, 49.17 discs were seen. (B) 70kVp, 2mAs. Radiation dose was lowest (16.9 µGy). On average, 32.38 discs were seen.

jksr-62-131-g002
Fig. 3

(A) 109 kVp, 2mAs. Mean visible discs were 43.71 and not statistically different from that of in 133 kVp and 2mAs (B) (mean=45).

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Fig. 4

(A) In condition of 109 kVp and 4 mAs, mean visible discs were 48.04 and not statistically different from that of 133 kVp, 4 mAs (B) (mean=49.13).

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Table 1

Radiation Doses (µGy) of Each Tube Voltage (kVp) and Current (mAs) and Radiation Disease of the Conditions that Showed Similar Image Quality to That of Standard Technique

jksr-62-131-i001

*Radiation doses of conditions that showed similar image quality to that of 133 kVp and 2 mAs (p<0.05)

†Rdiation doses of conditions that showed similar image quality to that of 133 kVp and 4 mAs (p<0.05)

Table 2

Numbers of Visible Discs of Each Condition

jksr-62-131-i002

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