A New Method to Evaluate Fluoroscopic System Collimator Performance
Recommended Citation
Steiner JR, Morrison CK, Vaya M, Bevins N, Christophel J, and Vanderhoek M. A new method to evaluate fluoroscopic system collimator performance. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2024; e14536.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-9-2024
Publication Title
Journal of applied clinical medical physics [electronic resource] / American College of Medical Physics
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Fluoroscopy uses collimators to limit the radiation field size. Collimators are often evaluated annually during equipment performance evaluations to maintain compliance with regulatory and/or accreditation bodies. A method to evaluate and quantify fluoroscopy collimator performance was developed.
METHODS: A radiation field and displayed image measurement device consisting of radiopaque rulers and radiochromic film strips was placed on the x-ray source assembly exit window to evaluate fluoroscopy collimator performance. This method was used to evaluate collimator performance on 79 fluoroscopic imaging systems including fixed C-arms, mobile C-arms, mini C-arms, and radiographic fluoroscopic systems.
RESULTS: The excess length (EL), excess width (EW), and sum EL + EW of the radiation field relative to the displayed image were measured and compared to the limits specified in 21CFR1020.32. Four systems exceeded these limits. Placing the radiation measurement device at the x-ray source assembly exit window relative to the image receptor cover increased the film exposure rate by a factor up to 14.6. The time required to set up and complete the fluoroscopy collimator performance measurements using this method ranged from 5 to 10 min.
CONCLUSIONS: This method provides an easily implemented quantitative measure of fluoroscopy system collimator performance that satisfies regulatory and accreditation body requirements.
PubMed ID
39382833
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
First Page
14536
Last Page
14536
