RAD 216 ADVANCED

IMAGING MODALITIES

Conventional Radiographic
Tomography

TOMOGRAPHY

Tomo (to cut or incise) graphy (to

make a recording of). It produces
images of anatomical structures
with minimal superimposition of
other structures by means of
blurring.

TOMOGRAPHY

Conceived by a Dutch engineer and

medical student, B.G. Ziedses des
Plantes in 1921. He is credited with
the development of planigraphy,
photographic subtraction and
refinement of the stereoscopic
technique.

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Do you rememberstereoscopy

TOMOGRAPHY

des Plantes first prototype

(working model) was built
in 1931. The French
company Massiot produced
the first commercial
tomography device in
1936.

TOMOGRAPHY

Is accomplished by moving the x-ray

tube and image receptor about
(above and below) an anatomical
structure.

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TOMOGRAPHY

Can also be achieved by moving the

anatomical parts containing the
structures of interest (but not the
tube and IR). This is called
AUTOTOMOGRAPHY.

AUTOTOMOGRAPHY

FACTORS INFLUENCING
TOMOGRAPHY
EXPOSURE AMPLITUDE
DISTANCE OBJECTS ARE FROM THE
FOCAL PLANE
TOMOGRAPHIC MODE UTILIZED

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 TOMOGRAPHIC HARDWARE: OVERVIEW

TOMOGRAPHIC HARDWARE: FULCRUM ASSEMBLY

TOMOGRAPHIC HARDWARE: CONTROL CONSOLE

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FULCRUM

The pivot point of the tomographic

movement between the x-ray tube
and IR. Objects within the focal
(object) plane exhibit minimal
blurring.

FULCRUM AND FOCAL PLANE

EXPOSURE AMPLITUDE
(ARC)

The amount of tube travel during

the exposure. The greater the
amount of travel, the greater the
degree of tomographic blurring.

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 EXPOSURE AMPLITUDE (OR EXPOSURE ARC)

EXPOSURE ARC (ANGLE) &

SECTION THICKNESS

Also determines the section thickness

(object plane) of the tomographic
image. A large arc (angle) produces
a thin tomographic section. A small
angle produces a thick tomographic
section.

EXPOSURE ARC & SECTION

THICKNESS: LARGE EXPOSURE ANGLE:

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 EXPOSURE ARC & SECTION THICKNESS: SMALL
EXPOSURE ANGLE:

EXPOSURE ARC (ANGLE) AND

IMAGE CONTRAST

Affects image contrast. A small

exposure angle produces tomograms
of high (short-scale) contrast. A
large angle produces tomograms of
low (long-scale contrast).

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DISTANCE FROM THE FOCAL
PLANE

The greater an object is from the

focal plane, the greater the degree of
blurring that the object exhibits.

DISTANCE FROM FOCAL PLANE

TOMOGRAPHIC MODES
LINEAR
CIRCULAR
ELLIPTICAL
SPIRAL
HYPOCYCLOIDAL
FIGURE-8

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9
TOMOGRAPHIC MODE

The more complex the tomographic

movement, the more uniform the
blurring.

IMAGE ARTIFACTS
PARASITE LINES (STREAKING)
PHONTOM IMAGES

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PARASITE LINES

Can result with linear tomography

where the dominant axis of the
anatomical structure is positioned
parallel to x-ray tube travel.

PHANTOM IMAGES

Can occur when using complex

tomographic modes and small
exposure angle, where separate, but
redundant structures such as teeth or
ribs are blurred together. The result
appears to be an image resembling
pathology.

PANOGRAPHIC
TOMOGRAPHY

A technique utilizing slit-scan

tomography. Used in dental
radiography (Panorex).

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PANOGRAPHIC UNIT

PANOREX IMAGE

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