An Investigation of Calibration Phantoms for CT Scanners with Tube Voltage Modulation

The effects of calibration phantoms on the correction results of the empirical artifacts correction method (ECCU) for the case of tube modulation were investigated. To improve the validity of the ECCU method, the effect of the geometry parameter of a typical single-material calibration phantom (water calibration phantom) on the ECCU algorithm was investigated. Dual-material calibration phantoms (such as water-bone calibration phantom), geometry arrangement, and the area-ratio of dual-material calibration phantoms were also studied. Preliminary results implied that, to assure the effectiveness of the ECCU algorithm, the polychromatic projections of calibration phantoms must cover the polychromatic projection data of the scanning object. However, the projection range of a water calibration phantom is limited by the scan field of view (SFOV), thus leading to methodological limitations. A dual-material phantom of a proper size and material can overcome the limitations of a single-material phantom and achieve good correction effects.