Quality control phantom for digital chest radiography.

Abstract

To develop and test a chest phantom for routine quality control testing of digital radiography systems. 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. 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. The chest phantom enables quantitative, full-system testing of digital radiography system as they are used clinically for chest radiography.