Image quality and patient dose for different screen-film combinations

Comparisons of image quality and estimations of dose reductions were made for several new screen-film combinations including conventional and rare-earth systems under conditions similar to abdomen radiography. The evaluation was carried out using an ANSI type phantom and the TOR(CDR) image quality object developed by the University of Leeds. The parameters employed for the comparison were: entrance dose, high and low contrast threshold sensitivity and resolution. The advantages and limitations of the method are also discussed. Results show that images with high quality can be obtained with comparatively low patient doses, and that there are still wide differences in image quality for similar speed systems, depending on the manufacturer and on the chosen combination.