비정질 셀레늄층과 비정질 실리콘TFT배열을 사용하는 디지털 X-선 검출기의 영상특성 평가

Image Quality Evaluation of Digital X-Ray Detector Using Amorphous Selenium Layer and Amorphous Silicon TFT Array

이 연구에서는 저자들이 개발한 비정질 셀레늄층과 비정질 실리콘TFT배열을 사용하는 직접방식 디지털 X-선 영상 검출기에 대해 IEC (international electrotechnical commission)와 같은 국제표준으로 권고된 측정방법에 따라 특성을 평가하였다. 영상 성능 묘사에 사용되는 측정은 응답특성(response characteristic), 변조전달함수(MTF, modulation transfer function), 잡음전력스펙트럼(NPS, noise power spectrum), 양자검출효율(DQE, detective quantum efficiency), 양자제한 성능을 포함하고 있다. 영상특성평가 결과, 개발된 검출기의 DQE 값은 최저주파수와 최고주파수에서 각각 40%와 25%이었다. 해외 타사의 제품과 비교해서도 우월한 값을 나타내었다. 또한 MTF는 간접방식 DR, CR과 비교하면 매우 우월한 성능을 보이고 있다. 또한 양자 제한된 특성을 평가한 결과, 0.023 mR 이하에서만 제한된 특성을 보여 일반촬영용도로서 적합성을 확인할 수 있었다.

In this study, we have conducted characterization of imaging performance for a flat panel digital X-ray detector using amorphous Selenium and a-Si TFT which was developed by the authors. The procedures for characterization were in concordance with internationally recommended standards such as IEC (international electrotechnical commission). The measures used for imaging performance characterization include response characteristic, modulation transfer function (MTF), detective quantum efficiency (DQE), noise power spectrum (NPS), and quantum limited performance. The measured DQEs at lowest and highest spatial frequencies were 40% and 25% respectively, which was superior to that of commercial products by overseas vendor. The MTF values were significantly superior to that of CR and indirect type DRs. The quantum limited performance showed the detector was limited by quantum noise at the entrance exposure level below 0.023 mR, which is sufficiently low for general X-ray examination.