Basic imaging properties of a new screen-film system for chest radiography

To evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of a new screen-film system (advanced screen-film system; AD system) for chest radiography, its fundamental imaging properties compared with a conventional screen-film system (HR-4/HR-S) were investigated. The basic imaging properties were evaluated by measuring characteristic (H&D) curves, relative speeds, MTFs (modulation transfer functions), WS (Wiener spectra), and x-ray attenuations of screens. The detail visibilities and pathological details of various diseases in chest radiographs of patients were evaluated subjectively. The film gradient of the AD system was slightly lower at low radiographic density, and higher at high density, as compared with a conventional screen-film system. The screen speed of the AD system was 212% greater than that of the conventional system and the film speed was 53% that of the conventional film. As the result the total speed of the AD system was slightly higher compared with the conventional system. The spatial resolution of the AD system was comparable to or slightly lower than that of the conventional system. The noise level of the AD system was considerably lower than that of the conventional system at low (D=0.5) and middle (D=1.0) radiographic density levels. However, it was high at high radiographic density (D=1.8). The radiographic densities in the underpenetrated areas with the AD system were greater than those of the conventional system when the lung densities are matched comparable. Improvement in noise level with the AD system at low and middle density levels may be useful for detection of various diseases in chest radiographs. (C) 1996 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.