Imaging Chain

  • Focal Spot

    Focal Spot
    the area of an X-ray tube that emits X-rays to create an image
  • XRay Tube

    XRay Tube
    located in the gantry of CT scanner
    emits beams of X-rays that pass through the patient's body
  • Beam Shaping Filter

    Beam Shaping Filter
    bow tie” (BT) filters are used to spatially modulate the x-ray beam in a CT scanner
  • Pre patient collimation

    Pre patient collimation
    a device in a CT scanner that limits the area of the patient exposed to the X-ray beam
  • Xray beam

    Xray beam
    passes through the patient's body, and detectors measure how the beam changes as it passes through different tissues
  • Scan Field of View

    Scan Field of View
    refers to the actual area of anatomy that is scanned by the machine during data acquisition
  • Patient

    Patient
    patient lies on a bed that slowly moves through the gantry while the x-ray tube rotates around the patient, shooting narrow beams of x-rays through the body
  • Pre detector collimator

    Pre detector collimator
    The collimator is located between the patient and the detectors.
    It absorbs low-energy X-rays and reduces scattered radiation.
    This reduces image noise and improves contrast.
    It also decreases the number of photons needed for image production, which lowers the patient's total radiation exposure
  • Detector

    Detector
    a digital X-ray device that captures X-rays that pass through a patient's body. The detector converts the X-rays into electrical signals that are sent to a computer to create an image.
  • Electrical signal

    Electrical signal
    created when x-rays pass through a patient's body and hit detectors. These signals are then converted into images by a computer.
  • ADC

    ADC
    Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is a measurement of cellularity that can be used in conjunction with CT scans in radiation therapy
  • Digital Data

    Digital Data
    series of image files that are created from X-ray images of a patient
  • Computer array processor

    Computer array processor
    high-speed computer that processes large amounts of digital data to create images. Array processors are used to perform repetitive operations like image processing and reconstruction.
  • DAC

    DAC
    for "Digital-to-Analog Converter," which is the component responsible for converting the digital data acquired by the CT scanner into an analog signal that can be displayed on a monitor, essentially creating the visible image on the screen
  • Monitor

    Monitor
    Where images collected are displayed