Thin film phantoms and phantom systems
US6720766B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 17, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N29/0672
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Phantoms for testing and measuring the performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and x-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging systems have regions of precisely controlled magnetic resonance and x-ray absorption imaging properties. These regions contain subresolvable regions, or distinct micro regions, with pre-selected magnetic resonance or x-ray absorption properties, called scatterers. The regions are precisely positioned so as to define patterns which form images from which the performance of the imaging system can be evaluated to assure the quality of the images. The phantoms can reveal the combined influences of all the stages in the imaging chain in terms of modulation transfer function and resolution limits as well as other artifacts and defects in the system such as aliasing and degraded spatial frequency response which cannot be evaluated with conventional phantoms. The subresolution scattering regions may be formed by printing them on a thin film sheet or substrate using photo lithography, electrostatic xerographic printing or etching; the toner particles or deposited material forming the scatterers being sub-resolvable in size. Half-tone masks, such as blue noise mas…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.