Frank N. Ranallo PhD, Presenter: Grant, General Electric Company

Ken L. Schreibman PhD, MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Timothy Peter Szczykutowicz PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Equipment support, General Electric Company Research Grant, Siemens AG

When preservation of bone detail is important one must not only use the proper bone reconstruction algorithm, but also must keep the body part as close to the center of the SFOV as possible. Though this may be difficult with some imaging tasks, such as imaging of the shoulder and elbow, every effort should be made to this end. For the best resolution, the RFOV should also be kept small, ideally to 20 cm or less.  Technologists and radiologists must be aware of the loss of resolution that occurs in bone imaging away from the center of the SFOV. This can be particularly detrimental in bone imaging of the shoulder and elbow. When possible on the scanner, a higher resolution mode utilizing focal spot deflection should be used if high resolution imaging is required away from the scanner iso-center.

Both the positioning of an object in the scan field of view (SFOV) and the size of the reconstructed field of view (RFOV) can significantly affect and degrade the image sharpness and result images that can miss important pathology. This problem can be improved in several ways.

Ranallo, F, Schreibman, K, Szczykutowicz, T, A Degradation of Diagnostic Image Quality in Musculoskeletal CT Imaging: Loss of Image Sharpness in CT Bone Imaging due to Positioning within the Scan Field of View - Causes and Several Possible Solutions.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14045696.html