Computerized tomography with X-ray, emission, and ultrasound sources

Abstract

This paper reviews the major developments that have taken place during the last three years in imaging with computed tomography (CT) using X-ray, emission, and ultrasound sources. Space limitations have resulted in some selection of topics by the author. There are four major sections dealing with algorithms, X-ray CT, emission CT, and ultrosound CT. Since most of the currently used algorithms are of filtered-backprojection type, we have concentrated on these in the section on algorithms (with emphasis on their implementation aspects). In X-ray CT an important question raised during the last few years has concerned the parameter measured by a CT scanner, given the fact that the X-rays used in CT scanners are polychromatic and the fact that tissue attenuation coefficients are energy dependent. Answers to this question are reviewed in the section on X-ray CT where we have also discussed the artifacts caused by the polychromaticity of the X-ray photons. Methods for the removal of these artifacts have also been reviewed. In emission CT the biggest development of the last three years is the great interest in positron tomography, although space constraints have dictated an essentially introductory treatment and not all aspects of the single photon and positron tomography have been surveyed. Finally, we have reviewed recent developments in ultrasound CT. We have pointed out that because of the sensitivity of this technique to refraction, it is currently limited to soft tissue structures, with ultrasonic detection of tumors in the female breast a significant application.