Improving image quality by optimizing beam width and helical pitch in CT

BACKGROUND: Expanding computed tomography (CT) detector coverage broadens the beam width, but inaccurate tube current application can reduce image quality at the boundaries between body regions with different attenuation values along the z-axis. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop and validate a new CT scanning technique with a fixed pitch to achieve higher imaging quality. METHODS: A cylindrical water phantom and an anthropomorphic chest phantom with different diameters represent a human body with different attenuation values. By optimizing the beam width and helical pitch, the pitch is fixed during scanning. The mean noise of the images and the standard deviation were calculated, and the coefficient of variation (COV) was compared to evaluate the uniformity of image noise according to the beam width. RESULTS: At the boundaries between regions with different attenuation values, the 10mm beam width (COV: 0.065) in the water phantom showed a 47.7% COV reduction of image noise compared with the 20mm beam width (COV: 0.125). In addition, the 20mm beam width (COV: 0.146) in the chest phantom showed a 29.3% COV reduction of image noise compared with the 40mm beam width (COV: 0.206). Thus, as the beam was narrowed, the mean noise was similar, but the standard deviation was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed CT scanning technique with a fixed pitch, optimized beam width, and helical pitch demonstrates that image quality can be improved without increasing radiation dose at the boundary between regions with different attenuation values.