AERB/RSD/MDX/CT/ATR/2009

ACCEPTANCE / PERFORMANCE TEST FOR

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) SCANNER

RADIOLOGICAL SAFETY DIVISION

ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD,
NIYAMAK BHAVAN, ANUSHAKTINAGAR
MUMBAI-400 094
 TESTS TO BE CARRIED OUT FOR THE TYPE APPROVAL OF THE COMPUTED
TOMOGRAPHY(CT) SCANNER

PART-I

1.1. Name & Address of the :

manufacturer

1.2 Name and Address of local :

agent/supplier

1.3. Name and address of the :

institution, where the CT scanner
is tested

1.4 Model name of the scanner :

1.5 Type Approval No. :

1.6 Features of the scanner : Conventional / Spiral

Single slice/ Multiple slice

1.7 Tests conducted by :

Date: Signature

Name

Designation

Company seal

PART-II
 SPECIFICATIONS & TECHNICAL DETAILS OF THE SCANNER

A. X-RAY GENERATOR

1. Make & Model :

2. Operating potential (kVp) :

3. Operating current (mA) :

4. Mains Requirement :

5. Generator Capacity (power) :

6. Scan time per rotation :

7. Scan time for full helical scan :

8. Type of rectification : Full wave/ Multi-pulse

B. X-RAY TUBE

1. Make & model of the tube :

2. Type of anode/material/angle : Rotating/Stationary

2. No. of focal spots : One/ Two

Focal spot dimensions :

Focus-1 ------------- mm X ----------- mm

Focus-2 ------------- mm X ----------- mm

C. BEAM COLLIMATION SYSTEM

1. Selectable slice thickness in mm/ :
Slice acquisition mode

2. Pre-patient/post-patient collimator :
(collimator width)/(detector width)
3. Fan angle of scan beam :

D. GANTRY

1. Type of the scan motion : Rotate-Rotate/ Stationary-Rotate

2. Continuous rotation : available (Limits : )

: not available

3. Rotation mechanism : slip ring/ other

4. Gantry aperture diameter : ---------------- cm

5. Gantry tilt (maximum)

Gantry top towards couch : -------------

Gantry top away from the couch : -------------

Angular accuracy :

6. Light-field localizer type :Laser/focussed light beam

Position of light field localizer : At scan plane/ external to scan aperture

7. Focus-isocentre distance :

8. Focus-detector distance :

9. Maximum Field of View (FOV) :

10. Bi-way patient communication system :

E. PATIENT SCANNING TABLE

1. Maximum movements
(Full out to full in scan table length) : ---------- cm
 Minimum table incrementation available: -------- mm

Indexing accuracy :  --------- mm

Minimum table height :  --------- cm

Maximum table height : ± --------- cm

2. Location of table position indicators

Gantry : Yes/No
Table : Yes/No
Control console : Yes/No
Scan Image : Yes/No

3. Table tilt : Possible/ Not possible

a. If possible

Head end up : -------------

Head end down : -------------

Angulation accuracy : -------------

F. DETECTORS

1. Type : Scintillator/Photodiode

Scintillator/PM tube

Pressurised xenon chamber

Other (specify)

Type of scintillator :

2. Number of detectors(Total) :
Number of Reference Detectors :
Number of Measuring Detectors :
Total No. of Detector rows :
Number of measuring channels :
3. Recommended calibration frequency

Air calibration scans :

Water calibration scans :

4. Availability of imaging phantom : Yes / No

PART-III

A. MECHANICAL TESTS

A.1 Alignment of table to gantry

Check the congruence between the gantry midline and table midline using plumb
Line.

Result (Gantry midline to table midline) :

Tolerance :  5 mm

A.2 Scan localization light accuracy (use film without screen)

Exposure parameters: kVp : mAs : Slice thickness (min) :

Result :

Alignment error : Internal laser light :------------ mm

External laser light:------------ mm

Tolerance :  2.0 mm

A.3. Gantry tilt

Exposure parameters : kVp : mAs :

Result

Actual gantry tilt :

Measured gantry tilt :

Tolerance :  30
A.4. Table position /incrementation ( same film can be used for tests A2, A3, and A4)

Initial table position (arbitrary):

Load on couch :

Exposure parameters : kVp : mAs : Slice thickness :

Applied table incrementation :

Table position from reference 1cm 2 cm 3 cm 4 cm 5 cm

position

Expected

Measured

Tolerance :  2.0 mm

B. COLLIMATION TEST

B.1. Radiation Profile Width

Exposure parameters : kVp : mAs :

Result :

Applied Slice Measured density

thickness (mm) profile width (FWHM)

Tolerance :  1.0 mm (without post patient collimator)

C. TESTS ON X-RAY GENERATOR

C.1 Measurement of operating potential

Set kV Measured kVp

 mA station mA station mA station mA station Ave kVp
I II III IV

Tolerance :  2 kVp

C.2 4. Timer Accuracy

Set Time Observed Time % Error

Tolerance: Tolerance :  10 %

C.3. Measurement of mA linearity

Operating parameters : kVp : Slice thickness : Time:

mA settings Output in Gy Gy/mAs

mAs I II III (X)

Xmax – Xmin
Coefficient of linearity (COL) = --------------
Xmax+ Xmin

Tolerance in COL :  0.1

C.5 Output Consistency

Operating parameters : mAs : Slice thickness :

kVp Output Mean (X) COV

1 2 3 4 5

Coefficient of Variation (COV) = X-1 (  [Xi -X ]2/n-1)½

Tolerance in COV :  0.05

D.1. Low contrast resolution

Use low contrast resolution test phantom.

Operating parameters : kVp : mAs : Slice thickness

Window width :
Result :

Low contrast resolution : ---------- mm at -------- % contrast difference

Tolerance : 5.0 mm at 1% contrast difference (minimum)

2.5 mm at 0.5 % contrast difference (expected)

D.2. High contrast resolution

Use high contrast resolution test phantom.

Operating parameters : kVp : mAs : Slice thickness :

Window width : Use high resolution algorithm.

Result :

Size of the smallest resolvable bar/hole pattern : -----------mm (-------- lp/cm)

Tolerance : At 10% contrast difference the size of the bar/hole pattern that could
be resolvable should be 1.6 mm ( 3.12 lp/cm).
Expected high contrast resolution : 0.8 mm (  6.25 lp/cm)
F. RADIATION DOSE TESTS

F.1. Measurement of Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDI)

Use pencil ionization chamber connected to a suitable electrometer or TLD, in

conjunction with a head/body phantom. Measure the dose in the axial and peripheral
cavities of the phantom for typical techniques.

Operating parameters : kVp : 80 / 100 / 140 mAs : 100 Slice thickness :

Result: Head Body

Axial dose : --------- mGy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

Peripheral dose : --------- mGy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

: --------- mGy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

: ---------mGy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

: ---------m Gy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

Peripheral dose(Mean): ---------mGy/mAs -----------mGy/mAs

CTDIc : --------- mGy/mAs ----------mGy/mAs

CTDIp (mean) : --------- mGy/mAs ----------mGy/mAs

Weighted CTDI (CTDIw) = 1/3 CTDIc + 2/3 CTDIp

CTDIw : ----------- mGy/mAs

Tolerance :  20% of the quoted value (Expected)

 40% of the quoted value (maximum)

G. Radiation leakage levels from X-ray tube housing at 1 M from the focus

Operating Potential: kV, mAs: mA X Sec

( use maximum kV available in the machine for leakage measurement)

Radiation Leakage Level (mR/hr)

 Front(Cathode) Back (Anode) Left Right

Max leakage = --------- mAmin X ----Max leakage mR/hr

60 X -----mA used for measurement

Maximum radiation leakage from tube = ------------- mR in one hour

Result: Maximum radiation leakage at 1 meter from the focus for workload of 180
mAmin in one hour is mR.

Recommended upper limit:

Leakage radiation level at 1 meter from the focus should be  115 mR in one hour.

Date: Tested by: Signature

Name

Designation

Company

Signature of customer/user
Seal of the institution
 Compilation of QA test results of Computed Tomography equipment
Model Name:

Sr. Specific
Parameters tested Measured values Tolerance Remarks
No. values
Alignment of table to
1 ±5 mm
gantry
2 Gantry tilt ±30
Table indexing accuracy
3 ±2 mm
(mm)
4 Slice thickness (mm) ±1 mm

Accuracy of Operating
5 ±2 kV
Potential (kV)

6 Accuracy of Timer < 10 %

Linearity of tube current

7 ± 0.1
(CoL)
Reproducibility of output
8 CoV < 0.05
(CoV)
Radiation dose test
9 CTDI –( mGy/100 mAs) ± 20 %
at 120 kV
5.0 mm at 1%
10 Low contrast resolution
contrast

11 High contrast resolution 3.12 lp/cm

Radiation Leakage level

< 1mGy in one
12 from X-Ray tube housing
hour
140 kV at 100 mA

I hereby undertake that all the information provided above is correct and in accordance with the
detailed Quality Assurance report enclosed herewith.
Date: Tested by: Signature
Name
Designation
Company
Signature of customer/user
Seal of the institution