In computed tomography:

a. Partial volume effect is increased with thinner slice.

b. Beam hardening effect is lessened by using a 0.5 copper filter, mounted on x-ray
tube.
c. Quantum noise is a fundamental limit to the quality of CT image.
d. In third generation scanner, patient dose is higher than a fourth generation scanner.
e. CT detectors should have a narrow dynamic range.

a. F, reduced.
b. T
c. T
d. F, tube is closer to patient in fourth generation scanners and hence more dose.
e. F, wide range..

An effective dose of 6mSv:

a. is the annual dose limit for a trainee

b. is the maximum dose that a non-classified worker may receive in a year
c. is about the mean patient dose for an A-P film of the abdomen
d. carries a risk of 1 in 3000 of fatal cancer
e. would be excessive for a CT head examination

Answer:

a) T
b) T
c) F
d) T
e) T.

Regarding gamma cameras:

a. Uniformity of field is tested with a flood field phantom.

b. defective photomultiplier is seen as a linear defect.
c. short exposure is required during measurement of field uniformity for best results.
d. Individual photomultiplier performance cannot be measured.
e. typically uniformity is about 5%.

Answer:

a. T
b. F ....seen as a dark area in the image.
c. F ....sufficiently long exposure is required to reduce noise.
d. F ....by computing histogram of the counts in individual pixels.
e. F ....about 1-2%.

At a constant mAS, increase in KVP will:

a. Produce X-rays of increased wave length.

b. Increase the effect of scatter on an X-ray.
c. Increase the amount of scatter produced within the patient

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d. Increase in contrast
e. Increase film blackening

Answer:

a – F,
b – T,
c – F,
d – F,
e-T

At high KVP X-ray emitted is of greater energy which has a shorter wave length.

At increase KVP amount of scatter produced is reduced.

At increase KVP film contrast tends to decrease.

Regarding photographic density:

a. It is measure of blackness of a film

b. It can be measures objectively
c. Useful density required in diagnostic X-ray film is from 0.25 to 4
d. Film base usually contributes a density of about 0.07
e. Background fog on an unexposed film usually contributes a density of about 0.05.

Answer:

a – T,
b – F,
c – F,
d – T,
e-T

Photographic density can be subjective as judged by the eye or objective has measured by a
densitometer

Useful density range is from 0.25 to 2.

Densities less than 0.25 are too light to be seen by human eye and greater than 2 are dense

Regarding Image quality in CT scan:

a. Attempt to improve spatial resolution will decrease the contrast resolution by

increase in noise level.
b. Attempt to improve contrast resolution may degrade the spatial resolution.
c. spatial resolution can be improved by decreasing the pixel size.
d. high contrast spatial resolution is not determined by computer reconstruction.
e. Spatial resolution is expressed in lp/cm.

Answer:

a. T
b. T
c. T

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d. F
e. T
Regarding CT:

a. Patient exposure is about 1-5cGY.

b. Resolution is not improved with smaller pixel size.
c. Resolution improves with with larger matrix size.
d. Interlacing full matrix size moniter is used for display
e. Spatial resolution is about 0.5mm.

Answer:

a.T
b.F
c.T
d.F
e.T

Regarding the focal spot in Macroradiography:

a. Focal spot size needs checking at regular intervals.

b. Focal spot size of 0.3 mm or less should be measured by star test/line-pair pattern.
c. resolving capacity of focal spot can be measured by pin hole technique.
d. focal spot size changes with different kVp and mAs used.
e. Focal spot MTF improves with magnification.

Answer:

a. T
b. T ......For greater than 0.3 mm pinhole technique should be used.
c. F ......star test pattern measures the resolving capacity (which is a function of both size &
radiation intensity distribution).
d. T ...... e.g blooming.
e. F ......It deteriorates rapidly with magnification. However, screen MTF improves with
magnification.

Reference: lecture notes by Susan J Armstrong.

In Mammography:

a. thin breasts are imaged using Molybdenum target and filter with a glass window.
b. continuous spectrum is desirable to improve contrast.
c. tube loading is not a significant problem.
d. glass tube is better than a metal tube.
e. film with gamma of about 2 is preferred.

Answer:

a. F, beryllium window is used to reduce unnecessary beam attenuation.

b. F, continuous spectrum increases breast tissue absorbed dose. Characteristic radiation is
used for imaging.
c. F, because of small focal spot and inefficient X-ray production.
d. F, as this has more extra-focal radiation.

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e. F, gamma=3 is used.

Reference: Physics for Medical imaging by Farr chapter 3.

Regarding radionuclides:

a. Iodine-123 has a longer half-life than Technetium-99m

b. Krypton-81m emits a lower gamma energy than Technetium-99m
c. Iodine-131 is used preferentially in thyroid scans
d. Technetium-99 has a half-life of 6 hours
e. Gamma rays and beta rays are emitted from technetium-99m as it decays

Answer:

a. T, I-123 has a half-life of 13h and Tc-99m has a half-life of 6h.

b. F, Kr-81m emits a gamma energy of 190 KeV and Tc-99m emits a gamma energy of 140
keV.
c. F, I-123 is now used as it doesn't produce beta rays, although it is more expensive and is
produced in a cyclotron. I-131 is produced in a reactor.
d. F, Tc-99m has a half-life of 6 hours; Tc-99 has a half-life of 200,000 years.
e. F, Tc-99m has pure gamma emission. As it has a short half-life as well, a reasonably large
activity can be administered, thereby reducing noise.

Regarding X-ray production:

a. X-rays produced when fast moving electrons are suddenly stopped by impact on
metal target.
b. The velocity of these electrons around the double speed of light.
c. The kienetic energy of the electrons is converted into heat ( 1% ) and into X-ray
(99%).
d. 80% or more of the X-rays emitted by a diagnostic X-ray tube are bremsstrahlung.
e. A K-electron cannot be ejected if the peak tube voltage is less than Ek.

Answer:

a. T
b. F, The velocity is around the half speed of light.
c. F, The kienetic energy of the electrons is converted into heat ( 99%) and into X-ray (1%).
d. T
e. T

Reference : Farr, Physics for medical imaging

Relating to the Quantum Sink, following are true:

a. part of the system with least number of electrons persquare mm of image field
b. SNR is maximum.
c. relative noise is the maximum.
d. image information can be improved by altering links closer to the viewer than the
Quantum sink
e. is the strongest link in the chain

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Answer:

a. T
b. F
c. T
d. F
e. F

Reference: Farr and Roberts

Regarding intensity of an X-ray beam:

a. proportional to the square of the kV.

b. unaffected by the mA.
c. inversly proportional to the square of the distance from the target.
d. decreases as the filtration is increased.
e. unaffected by the atomic number of the target.

Answer:

a. T
b. F,Intensity is proportional to square of kV x mA.
c. T, According to Inverse Square Law.
d. T
e. F,greater for high atomic number targets

Reference: Physics for Medical Imaging by Farr & Roberts.

Regarding diffusion weighted imaging:

a. exploits the presence of random motion (brownian) of protons.

b. B values for stroke imaging are around 1000 mm2s
c. property of directional independence
d. ADC is devoid of T2 effects
e. hyperacute infarcts are bright on diffusion.

Answer:

a. F, motion of water molecules

b. F, B value s mm-2
c. F, directional dependence
d. T.
e. T.

Regarding the resolution in the Image Intensifier:

a. It has a spatial resolution of 4-5lp/mm.

b. It is principally affected by blurring caused by light spread on the output phospor.
c. The centre of the image has worse resolution than the periphery.
d. The resolution is as good with 35mm film as that of an intensifier.
e. Spatial resolution improves with contrast.

Answer:

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a. T
b. F, it is principally affected by the blurring caused by the light spread on the input phospor.
c. F, the periphery has a worse resolution than the centre due to defect of the electron lens.
d. F, it is only about half as good as the intensifier, though a 100mm film has a resolution
nearly as good as that of an intensifier.
e. T

Reference: Farr, Physics for Medical Imaging

A rotating anode:

a. Has a large diameter for increased loading.

b. Can have stress cut to increase speed.
c. Has an external device monitoring its radiant heat.
d. Can rotate up to 10,000 rpm.
e. Can have either single or double bearing.

Answer:

a. T, up to 200 mm in some tubes.

b. F, stress cuts relieve expansion problems.
c. T, this signals the generator if the anode heat capacity is about to be exceeded.
d. T
e. T

Regarding Compton process:

a. is partial absorption.
b. angle of scatter is inversely proportional to energy and range of recoil electron.
c. independent of the number of free electrons.
d. principle is more important in low atomic number material.
e. in the diagnostic range of energies , the absorption by the material is more than
60%.

Answer:

a. T.
b. F, its actually proportional, the greater the angle of scatter the greater the energy and
range of recoil electron
c. F, the Compton process involves interaction with free electrons and hence not dependant
on the atomic number
d. T, and photoelectric absorption is more important in materials with high atomic number
e. F, this is a partial absorption process and in the diagnostic range of energies the magnitude
of absorption is about 20% with the rest being scattered

Reference: Physics for medical imaging , Farr

The cathode of an X-ray tube:

a. Is made of nickel.
b. Can house dual filaments.
c. Controls the shape of electron beam.
d. Is connected to the positive supply.
e. Can have a separate negative voltage.

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Answer:

a. T
b. T
c. T
d. F, cathodes are always negative.
e. T, this is used to control electron beam size.

Regarding the photoelectric effect:

a. Both free and bound electrons are involved.

b. is greater in aluminium than lead for a given photon energy.
c. results in emission of characteristiv radiation.
d. A positron may be wmitted.
e. produces significant sattar radiation in the diagnostic energy range.

Answer:

a. F, the photoelectric effect involves an interaction with a bound electro.

b. F.
C. T.
D. F, A positron is emitted in pair producation.
E. F, Most scattar in diagnostic radiation is produced by the compton process, however when
contrast such as baruim and iodine are used , secondary radiation via the photoelectric effect
may reach the film.

Ref: Curry & Thomas. Christensen's physics of diagnostic radiology

The intensity of X-ray beam:

a. Depends on the atomic number of target.

b. Is directly proportional to the kV.
c. Is directly proportional to the current.
d. Is increased by filtration.
e. Is proportional to the filament current.

Answer:

a. T,
b. F, is proportional to kV2.
c. T.
d. F, filtration decreases beam intensity.
e. T, this controls tube current.

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