[Fabrication of improved multi-slit equipment to obtain the input-output characteristics of computed radiography systems: correction of the heel effect, and application to high tube-voltage experiments].

Multi-slit equipment is a new experimental apparatus that can measure the input-output characteristics of a CR (computed radiography) system with limited influence of the fading effect. Kimoto et al. recently proposed a new type of multi-slit apparatus in which the multi-slit setup, the insertion region of the phosphor plate, and plate shielding are integrated to create a single handy-type item (an all-in-one type multi-slit apparatus). However, some problems remained unsolved. The aims of this study were to devise a setup for application to high tube voltage conditions, and to improve the all-in-one type multi-slit equipment so as to correct the heel effect. We examined the capabilities of our improved multi-slit equipment using diagnostic X-ray apparatus and found that it can obtain input-output characteristics with 5% accuracy for tube voltages of 40-140 kV and SID (source to image receptor distances) of 50-200 cm.