Optimizing Spatial Resolution with the Mechanical Design of an X-ray Compu1ed Tomography Scanner

With an understanding of the x-ray physics of a computed tomography (CT) [1-4] scanner with discrete detectors, and with knowledge of the scanner's geometry (the spatial relationship among the x-ray source, the detectors, and the object being scanned), it is possible to predict the achievable spatial resolution in images of objects of a certain size and density. However, if the size of the x-ray focal spot must be changed or if an object larger or smaller than the one for which the scanner is optimized is to be scanned, the spatial resolution may change. To maximize spatial resolution for a range of objects and x-ray sources, a scanner can be designed with a variable geometry, so that the spatial relationship of the scanner components can be changed to best fit each application.