Helical CT imaging performance of a new multislice scanner

The principles and operations of 4-slice helical CT are discussed. The SSP, image noise and artifacts of a 4-slice scanner are measured by phantom scans and compared with theoretical predictions and the measurements of single-slice CT. The evaluation of these physical attributes for all helical imaging modes of 4-slice scanner is summarized in an operation chart. The preliminary studies indicate that comparing with single-slice helical CT, the volume coverage speed of 4-slice helical CT can be at least twice as fast with fully comparable image quality, or, in many cases, 3 times as fast with diagnostically comparable image quality. Two examples are given to illustrate the clinical benefit of the speed performance improvement (and operation flexibility) provided by 4-slice helical CT.