Information and artifact in computed tomography image statistics
Author(s) -
Duerinckx Andre J.,
Macovski Albert
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.594771
Subject(s) - signal (programming language) , artifact (error) , noise (video) , statistics , tomography , medical imaging , higher order statistics , mathematics , correlation , correlation function (quantum field theory) , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics) , pattern recognition (psychology) , computer science , signal processing , physics , optics , spectral density , telecommunications , radar , geometry , programming language
In conventional computed tomography images only the average CT number, which is a first‐order statistical parameter, is used to characterize the tisues by giving an estimate of tissue density. Second order statistical parameters such as the signal variance and cross‐correlation function have also been used to obtain additional information to discriminate between certain tissues and lesions. However, the contribution of quantum noise to the signal variance and cross‐correlation function creates, for the conventional CT patient dose, a background signal often larger than the signal containing the information about tissue structure. The misleading information, called “artifacts”, in second‐order image statistics caused by quantum noise, is studied.