Development and operation of a prototype cone-beam computed tomography system for X-ray medical imaging

This paper describes the development of a prototype cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) system for clinical use. The overall system design in terms of physical characteristics, geometric calibration methods, and three-dimensional image reconstruction algorithms are described. Our system consists of an X-ray source and a large-area flat-panel detector with the axial dimension large enough for most clinical applications when acquired in a full gantry rotation mode. Various elaborate methods are applied to measure, analyze and calibrate the system for imaging. The electromechanical and the radiographic subsystems through the synchronized control include: gantry rotation and speed, tube rotor, the high-frequency generator (kVp, mA, exposure time and repetition rate), and the reconstruction server (imaging acquisition and reconstruction). The operator can select between analytic and iterative reconstruction methods. Our prototype system contains the latest hardware and reconstruction algorithms and, thus, represents a step forward in CBCT technology.