Open AccessQAMaster: A new software framework for phantom‐based computed tomography quality assurance
Author(s) -
Karius Andre,
Bert Christoph
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of applied clinical medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.83
H-Index - 48
ISSN - 1526-9914
DOI - 10.1002/acm2.13588
Subject(s) - imaging phantom , quality assurance , image quality , nuclear medicine , image resolution , cone beam computed tomography , computed tomography , software , computer science , medicine , medical physics , artificial intelligence , radiology , image (mathematics) , external quality assessment , pathology , programming language
The regular evaluation of imaging performance of computed tomography (CT) scanners is essential for CT quality assurance. For automation of this process, the software QAMaster was developed at the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, which provides based on CT scans of the CatPhan® 504 (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, USA) automated image quality analysis and documentation by evaluating CT number accuracy, spatial linearity, uniformity, contrast‐noise‐ratio, spatial resolution, noise, and slice thickness. Dose assessment is supported by calculations of the weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDI w ) and weighted cone beam dose index (CBDI w ). QAMaster was tested with CatPhan® 504 scans and compared to manual evaluations of these scans, whereby high consistency of the respective results was observed. The CT numbers, spatial linearity, uniformity, contrast‐noise‐ratio, noise, and slice thickness deviated by only (0.13 ± 0.25) HU, (0.02 ± 0.05) mm, (−0.01 ± 0.03)%, 0.8 ± 1.8, (0.131 ± 0.05) HU, and (0.004 ± 0.005) mm between both evaluations, respectively. The QAMaster results for spatial resolution did not differ significantly ( p = 0.34) from the CatPhan® 504 based manual resolution assessment. Dose computations were fully consistent between QAMaster and manual calculations. Thus, QAMaster proved to be a comprehensive and functional software for performing an automated CT quality assurance routine. QAMaster will be open‐source after its release.