The Study on the Reduction of Patient Surface Dose Through the use of Copper Filter in a Digital Chest Radiography

디지털 흉부 촬영에서 구리필터사용에 따른 환자 표면선량 감소효과에 관한 연구

The most critical point in the medical use of radiation is to minimize the patient's entrance dose while maintaining the diagnostic function. Low-energy photons (long wave X-ray) among diagnostic X-rays are unnecessary because they are mostly absorbed and contribute the increase of patient's entrance dose. The most effective method to eliminate the low-energy photons is to use the filtering plate. The experiments were performed by observing the image quality. The skin entrance dose was 0.3 mmCu (copper) filter. A total of 80 images were prepared as two sets of 40 cuts. In the first set (of 40 cuts), 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of signal + noise image set. In the second set of 40 cuts, 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of non-signal image (noisy image) with random location of diameter 4 mm and 3 mm thickness of acryl disc for ROC signal at the chest phantom. P(S/s) and P(S/n) were calculated and the ROC curve was described in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Accuracy were evaluated after reading by five radiologists. The number of optically observable lesions was counted through ANSI chest phantom and contrast-detail phantom by recommendation of AAPM when non-filter or Cu filter was used, and the skin entrance dose was also measured for both conditions. As the result of the study, when the Cu filter was applied, favorable outcomes were observed on, the ROC Curve was located on the upper left area, sensitivity, accuracy and the number of CD phantom lesions were reasonable. Furthermore, if skin entrance dose was reduced, the use of additional filtration may be required to be considered in many other cases.

의학적으로 방사선을 사용 시 가장 중요한 점은 환자의 병을 진단 가능하되 피폭선량을 최소화시켜야 한다는 점이다. 진단용 X-선 중 장파장부분은 대부분 흡수에 관여하게 되어 환자의 피폭선량을 증가시키므로 불필요하다. 이러한 장파장영역을 제거하기 위한 방법으로 가장 효과적인 방법은 여과 판의 사용이다. 이에 부가여과가 없는 경우와 0.3mmCu filter 사용 시의 화질과 피부입사선량에 대해 실험을 해 보았다. ROC 신호용 지름 4mm, 두께 3mm의 아크릴 디스크를 chest phantom에 랜덤하게 위치시키면서 non filter 및 Cu filter시 각 각 20매씩 총 40매의 신호+잡음영상을 촬영하고, 또한 신호가 없는 영상(잡음만의 영상)을 각 각 20매씩 40매 촬영하여 총 80매의 영상을 준비한 후 5명의 방사선종사자가 판독 후 P(S/s), P(S/n) 구하여, ROC곡선을 그리고, 감도와 특이도 및 곡선하면적을 구해 평가하였다. 또한 AAPM(American Association of Physicists in Medicine by the American Institute of Physics)권고에 따른 ANSI chest phantom과 Contrast-detail phantom을 이용하여 non filter 또는 Cu filter사용 시 시각적으로 관찰 가능한 병소의 갯수를 파악하였으며, 또한 두 경우에서 피부입사선량을 측정하였다. 그 결과 Cu filter사용 시에 ROC곡선이 좌상방향에 위치하고, 감도, 곡선하면적 및 CD phantom 병소의 갯수에서 모두 좋은 결과를 나타내었다. 또한 피부입사선량은 감소가 되어 여러 측면에서 부가필터의 사용을 검토해 볼 필요가 있으리라 사료된다.