Physics Case of the Day - Monday
Head CT of patient wearing
cervical collar imaged at 120kVp
using 256 slice scanner with 80 x
0.625mm detector configuration.
Because the gantry can’t tilt,
images were acquired in helical
mode and then reconstructed
obliquely. What is the source of
the artifacts seen in the lower
cerebellum?
Author: David M. Gauntt, Ph.D.
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Physics Case of the Day - Monday
The artifact in the image to the
right is a set of beam hardening
streaks streaks caused by dental
implants.
Author: David M. Gauntt, Ph.D.
Page 2
Physics Case of the Day - Monday
The topogram (below) confirms
the presence of significant dental
amalgam, and a true axial view
(right) through the plane of the
amalgam shows significant beam
hardening streaking.
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Physics Case of the Day - Monday
In a sagittal view, the artifact (yellow arrow) extends from
the dental amalgam back through the posterior fossa.
Page 4
Physics Case of the Day - Monday
When the data are reformatted into oblique images, the
artifact appears in small sections of multiple planes.
Page 5