Balancing patient dose and image quality

The formation of images in diagnostic radiology involves a complex interdep endence of many factors. The ideal balance is to obtain an image which is a dequate for the clinical purpose with the minimum radiation dose. Factors w hich affect radiation dose and image quality can be grouped under three hea dings; radiation quality, photon fluence and removal of scattered radiation . If optimal performance is to be achieved, it is necessary to understand h ow these factors influence image formation and affect radiation dose, and a pply methodology for image quality and dose analysis at each stage in the d evelopment and use of X-ray equipment. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.