Bushong: Radiologic Science for Technologists, 10th Edition

Chapter 17: Digital Radiographic Technique

Test Bank

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The two principal characteristics of a medical image are _____.

a. spatial resolution and noise
b. spatial resolution and contrast resolution
c. contrast resolution and modular transfer function
d. contrast resolution and dynamic range

ANS: B
Spatial resolution and contrast resolution are the two principal characteristics of a
medical image.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 306

OBJ: Describe the principal characteristics of the medical image.

2. Spatial frequency is used to describe the quality of spatial resolution in terms of _____.
a. pixel size
b. modular transfer function
c. line pairs
d. contrast resolution

ANS: C
In medical imaging, the quality of spatial resolution is measured by the quantity of spatial
frequency.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 306

OBJ: Identify the use of spatial frequency to describe spatial resolution.

3. In digital imaging, spatial resolution is ultimately limited by _____.

a. focal spot size
b. spatial frequency
c. contrast resolution
d. pixel size

ANS: D
A digital imaging system cannot resolve anything smaller than one pixel.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 308

OBJ: Understand and describe the concept of spatial resolution.

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-2

4. What is the spatial frequency of a digital system that can resolve 100 um?
a. 5 lp/mm
b. 10 lp/mm
c. 50 lp/mm
d. 100 lp/mm

ANS: B
If a line is 100 um, a line pair is 200 um; therefore, 1 lp/200 um = 1 lp/0.2 mm, which
equals 20 lp/mm.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 307 OBJ: Understand the calculation of spatial
frequency.

5. If a digital system has a spatial resolution of 4 lp/mm, it can resolve an object as small as
_____ mm.
a. 8
b. 4
c. 0.25
d. 0.125

ANS: B
A spatial resolution of 4 lp/mm resolves 8 objects per mm, each object being 1/8 mm, or
0.125 mm.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 307 OBJ: Understand the calculation of spatial
frequency.

6. As spatial frequency increases the object size _____ and the spatial resolution _____.
a. increases, increases
b. decreases, decreases
c. decreases, increases
d. increases, decreases

ANS: C
As spatial frequency increases the object size decreases and the spatial resolution
increases.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 307

OBJ: Understand how spatial frequency relates to object size and spatial resolution.

7. If a digital radiography imaging system has a spatial resolution of 10 lp/mm, what is the
pixel size of that system?
a. 0.05 mm
b. 0.5 mm
c. 0.1 mm
d. 0.01 mm

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-3

ANS: A
A system with a spatial resolution of 10 lp/mm resolves 20 pixels/mm; therefore, each
pixel is 1/20 mm in size or 0.05 mm.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 308

OBJ: Understand the relationship of spatial resolution to pixel size.

8. If there were such thing as a perfect imaging system, the MTF would be equal to _____.
a. 5
b. 1
c. 2
d. 4

ANS: B
In a perfect system, the image size would equal the object size, and the MTF would
therefore be equal to one.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 308 OBJ: Understand the concept of MTF.

9. A _____ test tool is used to acquire data for an MTF curve.

a. bar pattern
b. post processing
c. signal-to-noise ratio
d. contrast-detail curve

ANS: A
A bar pattern test tool is used to acquire data for an MTF curve.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 308 OBJ: Describe how an MTF curve is produced.

10. The use of two screens in imaging results in a higher _____.

a. spatial frequency
b. pixel size
c. MTF
d. spatial resolution

ANS: C
The use of two screens increases the MTF because spatial resolution and spatial
frequency are decreased. Pixel size is not affected by screens.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 309 OBJ: Understand the factors that affect MTF.

11. The human visual system can distinguish _____ shades of gray.
a. 10
b. 30

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-4

c. 300
d. 1000

ANS: B
The human visual system can distinguish no more than 30 shades of gray.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 310

OBJ: Understand how the visual system perceives dynamic range.

12. The number of gray shades that an imaging system can reproduce is called its _____.
a. spatial frequency
b. contrast
c. spatial resolution
d. dynamic range

ANS: D
The number of gray shades that an imaging system can reproduce is called its dynamic
range.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 310 OBJ: Define dynamic range.

13. Screen-film radiography has a dynamic range of _____.

a. 10
b. 100
c. 1,000
d. 10,000

ANS: C
Screen-film radiography has a dynamic range of 1,000.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 310 OBJ: Understand the concept of dynamic range.

14. The bit capacity of each pixel identifies the _____ of a digital imaging system.
a. dynamic range
b. grey scale
c. spatial frequency
d. MTF

ANS: A
The bit capacity of each pixel identifies the dynamic range of a digital imaging system.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 310 OBJ: Understand dynamic range in digital
imaging.

15. The _____ digital imaging system uses the highest dynamic range.
a. computed tomography

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-5

b. mammography
c. magnetic resonance
d. angiography

ANS: B
The mammography digital imaging system uses the highest dynamic range.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 310

OBJ: Describe the comparative dynamic range of all digital imaging systems.

16. The portion of useful image-forming x-rays is referred to as the _____.

a. frequency
b. MTF
c. signal
d. noise

ANS: C
The portion of useful image-forming x-rays is referred to as the signal.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 312 OBJ: Describe signal-to-noise ratio.

17. Recent studies have shown that denser breast tissue is best imaged with _____.
a. xerography
b. computed tomography
c. screen-film mammography
d. digital mammography

ANS: D
Recent studies have shown that denser breast tissue is best imaged with digital
mammography.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 312

OBJ: Understand the advantages of using digital imaging for mammography.

18. As mAs is increased the signal to noise ratio is _____.

a. decreased
b. increased
c. not affected
d. doubled

ANS: B
As mAs is increased the signal to noise ratio is increased.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 312 OBJ: Understand the factors that affect SNR.

19. Image detail is also called _____.

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-6

a. spatial resolution
b. spatial frequency
c. signal to noise ratio
d. dynamic range

ANS: A
Image detail is also called spatial resolution.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 312 OBJ: Define spatial resolution.

20. Of all radiographic imaging systems, _____ has the best contrast resolution.
a. digital radiography
b. mammography
c. magnetic resonance imaging
d. computed tomography

ANS: B
Of all radiographic imaging systems, computed tomography has the best contrast
resolution.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 315

OBJ: Describe the contrast resolution of different imaging systems.

21. With digital imaging, patient dose can be reduced by using higher _____ techniques.
a. mAs
b. kVp
c. optical density
d. contrast

ANS: B
With digital imaging, patient dose can be reduced by using higher kVp techniques.

DIF: Easy REF: page 315

OBJ: Understand how digital techniques can reduce patient dose.

22. DQE is _____.

a. density quantum effect
b. direct quantum efficiency
c. detective quantum efficiency
d. detective quantum energy

ANS: C
DQE is detector quantum efficiency.

DIF: Easy REF: page 316 OBJ: Define DQE.

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

 Test Bank 17-7

23. If an image receptor has a high probability of interacting with the x-ray beam, then it has
a high _____.
a. DQE
b. SNR
c. MTF
d. lp/mm

ANS: A
If an image receptor has a high probability of interacting with the x-ray beam, then it has
a high DQE.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 316 OBJ: Define DQE.

24. The use of an image receptor with _____ DQE can result in _____ patient doses.
I. low, lower
II. high, lower
III. high, higher
IV. low, higher
a. I
b. II
c. I & III
d. II & IV

ANS: D
The use of an image receptor with high DQE can result in lower patient doses.

DIF: Difficult REF: page 317

OBJ: Understand the relationship between DQE and patient dose.

25. Digital radiography images should be repeated if there is a problem with _____.
a. contrast
b. overexposure
c. brightness
d. none of the above

ANS: D
With digital radiography, problems with overexposure or inadequate brightness or
contrast can be corrected during post-processing.

DIF: Moderate REF: page 311

OBJ: Understand how post-processing reduces the need for repeats.

Copyright © 2013 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.