Modulation transfer function evaluation of cone beam computed tomography for dental use with the oversampling method

The aim was to investigate the possibility of evaluating the modulation transfer function (MTF) of cone beam CT (CBCT) for dental use using the oversampling method.

The CBCT apparatus (3D Accuitomo) with an image intensifier was used with a 100 mum tungsten wire placed inside the scanner at a slight angle to the plane perpendicular to the plane of interest and scanned. 200 contiguous reconstructed images were used to obtain the oversampling line-spread function (LSF). The MTF curve was obtained by computing the Fourier transformation from the oversampled LSF. Line pair tests were also performed using Catphan(R).

The oversampling method provided smooth and reproducible MTF curves. The MTF curves revealed that the spatial resolution in the z-axis direction was significantly higher than that in the axial direction. This result was also confirmed by the line pair test.

MTF analysis was performed successfully using the oversampling method. In addition, this study clarified that the 3D Accuitomo had high spatial resolution, especially in the z-axis direction.