Performance evaluation of the GE eXplore CT 120 micro-CT for various scanning protocols

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the General Electric (GE) eXplore CT 120 microCT using the methodology and image quality assurance vmCT phantom developed for the GE eXplore Ultra. In addition, Quality assurance in Radiology and Medicine (QRM) low contrast and bar pattern phantoms were used. The phantoms were imaged using the six protocols regularly used in our laboratory (Fast scan 220 (PI) or 360 (P2): 70 kV, 32 rnA, 220 or 360 views; Soft tissue fast scan (P3): 70 kV, 50 rnA, 220 views; Soft tissue step & shoot (P4): 80 kV, 32 rnA, 220 views; Low Noise (P5): 100 kV, 50 rnA, 720 views; and In Vivo Bone scan (P6): 100 kV, 50 rnA, 360 views). Data were reconstructed with an isotropic voxel size of 100 μm or 50 μm for detector-binning 4×4 and 2×2, respectively. The Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) obtained with the slanted edge and coil methods agreed very well. A 10% MTF was observed in the range 3.6-4.8 mm^-1 (P1&2 = 4.2; P3&4 = 4.8; P5 = 3.6 and P6 = 3.8), corresponding to 95-138 μm resolutions. The smallest bars visually observed on the QRM BarPattern phantom image were 100 μm for all protocols. The geometric accuracy was better than 0.1 %. A highly linear (R2 > 0.999) relationship between measured and expected CT number for both the CT number accuracy and linearity sections of the vmCT phantom was observed with a voltage dependent slope. A cupping effect was observed on the uniform slices. This effect was clearly highlighted by the uniformity-to-noise ratio (PI = 0.58, P2&3&4 = 0.75, P5 = 1.35 and P6 = 2.74) especially for the low-noise protocols P5 and P6. The best contrast discrimination as assessed using the low contrast phantom was observed for P2 and P5 protocols. In conclusion the eXplore CT 120 achieved a resolution in the range 95-138 μm. It was found to be linear and geometrically accurate. The major difference between the protocols - as the noise level which limits the detectability of low contrasts.