IEC 62220-1:2003

INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
62220-1
First edition
2003-10
Medical electrical equipment –
Characteristics of digital X-ray imaging devices –
Part 1: Determination of the detective quantum
efficiency
Appareils électromédicaux –
Caractéristiques des appareils d'imagerie à rayonnement X –
Partie 1: Détermination de l'efficacité quantique de détection
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INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
62220-1
First edition
2003-10
Medical electrical equipment –
Characteristics of digital X-ray imaging devices –
Part 1: Determination of the detective quantum
efficiency
Appareils électromédicaux –
Caractéristiques des appareils d'imagerie à rayonnement X –
Partie 1: Détermination de l'efficacité quantique de détection
 IEC 2003  Copyright - all rights reserved
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– 2 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION .5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references. 6
3 Terminology and definitions . 7
4 Requirements . 8
4.1 Operating conditions. 8
4.2 X-RAY EQUIPMENT . 8
4.3 RADIATION QUALITY . 9
4.4 TEST DEVICE .10
4.5 Geometry.11
4.6 IRRADIATION conditions.13
4.6.1 General conditions.13
4.6.2 Exposure measurement .13
4.6.3 Avoidance of LAG EFFECTS .14
4.6.4 IRRADIATION to obtain the CONVERSION FUNCTION.14
4.6.5 IRRADIATION for determination of the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM .14
4.6.6 IRRADIATION with TEST DEVICE in the RADIATION BEAM .15
5 Corrections of RAW DATA .16
6 Determination of the DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY.16
6.1 Definition and formula of DQE(u,v) .16
6.2 Parameters to be used for evaluation .17
6.3 Determination of different parameters from the images .17
6.3.1 Linearization of data .17
6.3.2 The NOISE POWER SPECTRUM (NPS).18
6.3.3 Determination of the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION (MTF).20
7 Format of conformance statement.20
8 Accuracy.21
Annex A (normative) Determination of LAG EFFECTS .23
A.1 Test of additive LAG EFFECTS .23
A.2 Test of multiplicative LAG EFFECTS.24
Annex B (normative) Terminology – Index of defined terms.26
Annex C (informative) Calculation of the input NOISE POWER SPECTRUM.27
Bibliography.28

62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MEDICAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT –
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES –
Part 1: Determination of the detective quantum efficiency
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 62220-1 has been prepared by subcommittee 62B: Diagnostic
imaging equipment, of IEC technical committee 62: Electrical equipment in medical practice.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
62B/493/FDIS 62B/506/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

– 4 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
In this standard, terms printed in SMALL CAPITALS are used as defined in IEC 60788, in
Clause 3 of this standard or other IEC publications referenced in Annex B. Where a defined
term is used as a qualifier in another defined or undefined term it is not printed in SMALL
CAPITALS, unless the concept thus qualified is defined or recognized as a “derived term
without definition”.
NOTE Attention is drawn to the fact that, in cases where the concept addressed is not strongly confined to the
definition given in one of the publications listed above, a corresponding term is printed in lower-case letters.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
2006-12. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed;
• withdrawn;
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 5 –
INTRODUCTION
DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES are increasingly used in medical diagnosis and will widely
replace conventional (analogue) imaging devices such as screen-film systems or analogue X-
RAY IMAGE INTENSIFIER television systems in the future. It is necessary, therefore, to define
parameters that describe the specific imaging properties of these DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING
DEVICES and to standardize the measurement procedures employed.
There is growing consensus in the scientific world that the DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
(DQE) is the most suitable parameter for describing the imaging performance of an X-ray
imaging device. The DQE describes the ability of the imaging device to preserve the signal-to-
NOISE ratio from the radiation field to the resulting digital image data. Since in X-ray imaging,
the NOISE in the radiation field is intimately coupled to the exposure level, DQE values can
also be considered to describe the dose efficiency of a given imaging device.
NOTE 1 In spite of the fact that the DQE is widely used to describe the performance of imaging devices, the
connection between this physical parameter and the decision performance of a human observer is not yet
1)
completely understood [1], [3].
NOTE 2 The standard IEC 61262-5 specifies a method to determine the DQE of X-RAY IMAGE INTENSIFIERS at
nearly zero SPATIAL FREQUENCY. It focuses only on the electro-optical components of X-RAY IMAGE INTENSIFIERS, not
on the imaging properties as this standard does. As a consequence, the output is measured as an optical quantity
(luminance), and not as digital data. Moreover, IEC 61262-5 prescribes the use of a RADIATION SOURCE ASSEMBLY,
whereas this standard prescribes the use of an X-RAY TUBE. The scope of IEC 61262-5 is limited to X-RAY IMAGE
INTENSIFIERS and does not interfere with the scope of this standard.
The DQE is already widely used by manufacturers to describe the performance of their
equipment. The specification of the DQE is also required by regulatory agencies (such as the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) for admission procedures. However, there is presently
no standard governing either the measurement conditions or the measurement procedure with
the consequence that values from different sources may not be comparable.
This standard has therefore been developed in order to specify the measurement procedure
together with the format of the conformance statement for the DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
of DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES.
In the DQE calculations proposed in this standard, it is assumed that system response is
measured for objects that attenuate all energies equally (task-independent) [5].
The standard will be beneficial for manufacturers, users, distributors and regulatory agencies.
It can be regarded as the first of a series describing all the relevant parameters of DIGITAL X-
RAY IMAGING DEVICES.
———————
1)
Figures in square brackets refer to the bibliography.

– 6 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
MEDICAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT –
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES –
Part 1: Determination of the detective quantum efficiency
1 Scope
This part of IEC 62220 specifies the method for the determination of the DETECTIVE QUANTUM
EFFICIENCY (DQE) of DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES as a function of exposure and of SPATIAL
FREQUENCY for the working conditions in the range of the medical application as specified by
the MANUFACTURER.
This part of IEC 62220 is applicable to projection DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES producing
IMAGES in digital format that are used for medical diagnosis. It is restricted to DIGITAL X-RAY
IMAGING DEVICES that are used for radiographic imaging, such as CR systems, selenium-based
systems, flat panel detectors, optically coupled CCD detectors, and digital X-RAY IMAGE
INTENSIFIERS used for single exposures.
This part of IEC 62220 is not applicable to
– DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICES intended to be used in mammography or in dental
radiography;
– COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY:
– systems in which the X-ray field is scanned across the patient; and
– devices for dynamic imaging (where series of images are acquired, as in fluoroscopic or
cardiac imaging).
NOTE The devices noted above are excluded because they contain many parameters (for instance, beam
qualities, geometry, time dependence, etc.) which differ from those important for general radiography. It is intended
to treat some of these techniques in separate standards as has been done for other topics, for instance for speed
and contrast, in IEC and ISO standards.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60336:1993, X-ray tube assemblies for medical diagnosis – Characteristics of focal spots
IEC 60601-2-7: Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-7: Particular requirements for the safety
of high-voltage generators of diagnostic X-ray generators
IEC 60788:1984, Medical radiology – Terminology
IEC 61267:1994, Medical diagnostic X-ray equipment – Radiation conditions for use in the
determination of characteristics
ISO 12232:1998, Photography – Electronic still-picture cameras – Determination of ISO speed

62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 7 –
3 Terminology and definitions
For the purposes of this part of IEC 62220 the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
CENTRAL AXIS
line perpendicular to the ENTRANCE PLANE passing through the centre of the entrance field
3.2
CONVERSION FUNCTION
plot of the large area output level (ORIGINAL DATA) of a DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE versus
the number of exposure quanta per unit area (Q) in the DETECTOR SURFACE plane
NOTE 1 Q is to be calculated by multiplying the measured exposure excluding back scatter by the value given in
column 2 of Table 2.
NOTE 2 Usually AIR KERMA is substituted for exposure.
NOTE 3 Many calibration laboratories, such as national metrology institutes, calibrate RADIATION METERS to
measure AIR KERMA.
3.3
DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
DQE(u,v)
ratio of two NOISE POWER SPECTRUM (NPS) functions with the numerator being the NPS of the
input signal at the DETECTOR SURFACE of a digital X-ray detector after having gone through the
deterministic filter given by the system transfer function, and the denominator being the
measured NPS of the output signal (ORIGINAL DATA)
NOTE Instead of the two-dimensional DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY, often a cut through the two-
dimensional DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY along a specified SPATIAL FREQUENCY axis is published.
3.4
DETECTOR SURFACE
area which is closest to the IMAGE RECEPTOR PLANE with all protecting parts (including the
ANTI-SCATTER GRID and components for AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE CONTROL, if applicable) that can
be safely removed out of the RADIATION BEAM without damaging the digital X-ray detector
3.5
DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE
device consisting of a digital X-ray detector including the protective layers installed for use in
practice, the amplifying and digitizing electronics, and a computer providing the ORIGINAL DATA
(DN) of the image
3.6
IMAGE MATRIX
arrangement of matrix elements in a preferably Cartesian coordinate system
3.7
LAG EFFECT
influence from a previous image on the current one
3.8
LINEARIZED DATA
ORIGINAL DATA to which the inverse CONVERSION FUNCTION has been applied
NOTE The LINEARIZED DATA are directly proportional to the exposure.

– 8 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
3.9
MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION
MTF(u,v)
modulus of the generally complex optical transfer function, expressed as a function of SPATIAL
FREQUENCIES u and v
3.10
NOISE
fluctuations from the expected value of a stochastic process
3.11
NOISE POWER SPECTRUM
(NPS)
W(u,v)
modulus of the Fourier transform of the NOISE auto-covariance function. The power of NOISE,
contained in a two-dimensional SPATIAL FREQUENCY interval, as a function of the two-
dimensional frequency
NOTE In literature, the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM is often named “Wiener spectrum” in honour of the mathematician
Norbert Wiener.
3.12
ORIGINAL DATA
DN
RAW DATA to which the corrections allowed in this standard have been applied
3.13
PHOTON FLUENCE
Q
mean number of photons per unit area
3.14
RAW DATA
pixel values read directly after the analogue-digital-conversion from the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING
DEVICE without any software corrections
3.15
SPATIAL FREQUENCY
u or v
inverse of the period of a repetitive spatial phenomenon. The dimension of the SPATIAL
FREQUENCY is inverse length
4 Requirements
4.1 Operating conditions
The DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE shall be stored and operated according to the
MANUFACTURER’S recommendations. The warm-up time shall be chosen according to the
recommendation of the MANUFACTURER. The operating conditions shall be the same as those
intended for clinical use and shall be maintained during evaluation as required for the specific
tests described herein.
Ambient climatic conditions in the room where the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE is operated
shall be stated together with the results.
4.2 X-RAY EQUIPMENT
For all tests described in the following subclauses, a CONSTANT POTENTIAL HIGH-VOLTAGE
GENERATOR shall be used (IEC 60601-2-7). The PERCENTAGE RIPPLE shall be equal to, or less
than, 4.
62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 9 –
The NOMINAL FOCAL SPOT VALUE (IEC 60336) shall be not larger than 1,2.
For the measurement of exposure, calibrated RADIATION METERS shall be used. The
uncertainty (coverage factor 2)[2] of the readings shall be less than 5 %.
NOTE 1 “Uncertainty” and “coverage factor” are terms defined in the ISO Guide to the expression of uncertainty in
measurement [2].
NOTE 2 RADIATION METERS to read AIR KERMA are, for instance, calibrated by many national metrology institutes.
4.3 RADIATION QUALITY
The RADIATION QUALITIES shall be one or more out of four selected RADIATION QUALITIES
specified in IEC 61267 (see Table 1). If only a single RADIATION QUALITY is used, RADIATION
QUALITY RQA5 should be preferred.
For the application of the RADIATION QUALITIES, refer to IEC 61267:1994.
NOTE 1  According to IEC 61267, RADIATION QUALITIES are defined by a fixed ADDITIONAL FILTRATION and a
HALF-VALUE LAYER that is realized with this filtration by a suitable adaptation of the X-RAY TUBE VOLTAGE,
starting from the approximate X-RAY TUBE VOLTAGE (Table 1).
Table 1 – RADIATION QUALITY (IEC 61267:1994) for the determination
of DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY and corresponding parameters
Approximate HALF-VALUE ADDITIONAL
RADIATION
X-RAY TUBE LAYER (HVL) FILTRATION
QUALITY No.
VOLTAGE
kV mm Al mm Al
RQA 3 50 4,0 10,0
RQA 5 70 7,1 21,0
RQA 7 90 9,1 30,0
RQA 9 120 11,5 40,0
NOTE 2 The additional filtration is the filtration added to the inherent filtration of the X-RAY TUBE.
NOTE 3 The capability of X-RAY GENERATORS to produce low exposure levels may not be sufficient, especially for
RQA9. In this case, it is recommended that the distance FOCAL SPOT to DETECTOR SURFACE be increased.

– 10 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
4.4 TEST DEVICE
The TEST DEVICE for the determination of the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION and the
magnitude of LAG EFFECTS shall consist of a 1,0 mm thick tungsten plate (purity higher than
90 %) 100 mm long and at least 75 mm wide (see Figure 1). Inadequate purity of tungsten
shall be compensated by increased thickness.
The tungsten plate is used as an edge TEST DEVICE. Therefore, the edge which is used for the
test IRRADIATION shall be carefully polished straight and at 90° to the plate. If the edge is
irradiated by X-rays in contact with a screenless film, the image on the film shall show no
ripples on the edge larger than 5 μm.
The tungsten plate shall be fixed on a 3 mm thick lead plate (see Figure 1). This arrangement
is suitable to measure the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING
DEVICE in one direction.
Pb (2)
b
W (1)
a
e
b
c
d
f
IEC  2253/03
NOTE The TEST DEVICE consists of a 1,0 mm thick tungsten plate (1) fixed on a 3 mm thick lead plate (2).
Dimension of the lead plate: a: 200 mm, d: 70 mm, e: 90 mm, f: 100 mm.
Dimension of the tungsten plate: 100 mm × 75 mm.
The region of interest (ROI) used for the determination of the MTF is defined by b × c, 50 mm × 100 mm (inner long
dashed line).
The irradiated field on the detector (outer dashed line) is at least 160 mm × 160 mm.
Figure 1 – TEST DEVICE
62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 11 –
4.5 Geometry
The geometrical set-up of the measuring arrangement shall comply with Figure 2. The X-RAY
EQUIPMENT is used in that geometric configuration in the same way as it is used for normal
diagnostic applications. The distance between the FOCAL SPOT of the X-RAY TUBE and the
DETECTOR SURFACE should be not less than 1,50 m. If, for technical reasons, the distance
cannot be 1,50 m or more, a smaller distance can be chosen but has to be explicitly declared
when reporting results.
The TEST DEVICE is placed immediately in front of the DETECTOR SURFACE. The centre of the
edge of the TEST DEVICE should be aligned to the CENTRAL AXIS of the X-ray beam.
Displacement from the CENTRAL AXIS will lower the measured MTF. The CENTRAL AXIS can be
located by maximizing the MTF as a function of TEST DEVICE displacement.
The recommended procedure is that the TEST DEVICE and the X-ray field be centred on the
detector. If this is not done, the position of the centre of the X-ray field and of the TEST DEVICE
needs to be stated.
In the set-up of Figure 2, the DIAPHRAGM B1 and the ADDED FILTER shall be positioned near the
FOCAL SPOT of the X-RAY TUBE. The diaphragms B2 and B3 should be used, but may be
omitted if it is proven that this does not change the result of the measurements. The
DIAPHRAGMS B1 and - if applicable - B2 and the ADDED FILTER shall be in a fixed relation to the
position of the FOCAL SPOT. The DIAPHRAGM B3 - if applicable - and the DETECTOR SURFACE
shall be in a fixed relation at each distance from the FOCAL SPOT. The square DIAPHRAGM B3 –
if applicable – shall be 120 mm in front of the DETECTOR SURFACE and shall be of a size to
allow an irradiated field at the DETECTOR SURFACE of at least 160 mm × 160 mm. The
RADIATION APERTURE of DIAPHRAGM B2 may be made variable so that the beam remains tightly
collimated as the distance is changed. The irradiated field at the DETECTOR SURFACE shall be
at least 160 mm × 160 mm.
The attenuating properties of the DIAPHRAGMS shall be such that their transmission into
shielded areas does not contribute to the results of the measurements. The RADIATION
APERTURE of the DIAPHRAGM B1 shall be large enough so that the PENUMBRA of the RADIATION
BEAM will be outside the sensitive volume of the monitor detector R1 and the RADIATION
APERTURE of DIAPHRAGM B2 – if applicable.
A monitor detector should be used to assure the precision of the X-RAY GENERATOR. The
monitor detector R1 may be inside the beam that irradiates the DETECTOR SURFACE if it is
suitably transparent and free of structure; otherwise, it shall be placed outside the beam. The
precision (standard deviation 1σ) of the monitor detector shall be better than 2 %. The
relationship between the monitor reading and the exposure at the DETECTOR SURFACE shall be
calibrated for each RADIATION QUALITY used (see also 4.6.2). To minimize the effect of back-
scatter from layers behind the detector a minimum distance of 500 mm to other objects should
be provided.
NOTE The calibration of the monitor detector may be sensitive to the positioning of the ADDED FILTER and to the
adjustment of the shutters built into the X-RAY SOURCE. Therefore, these items should not be altered without re-
calibration of the monitor detector.
This geometry is used either to irradiate the DETECTOR SURFACE uniformly for the
determination of the CONVERSION FUNCTION and the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM or to irradiate the
DETECTOR SURFACE behind a TEST DEVICE (see 4.6.6). For all measurements, the same area of
the DETECTOR SURFACE shall be irradiated. The centre of this area, with respect to either the
centre or the border of the digital X-ray detector, shall be recorded.
For the determination of the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM and the CONVERSION FUNCTION, the TEST
DEVICE shall be moved out of the beam.

– 12 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
B1
Added filter
Monitor detector R1
B2
1,5 m min.
B3
TEST DEVICE
120 mm
Detector surface
IEC  2254/03
NOTE No TEST DEVICE is used for the measurement of the CONVERSION FUNCTION and the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM.
Figure 2 – Geometry for exposing the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE in order to determine
the CONVERSION FUNCTION, the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM and the MODULATION TRANSFER
FUNCTION
62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 13 –
4.6 IRRADIATION conditions
4.6.1 General conditions
The calibration of the digital X-ray detector shall be carried out prior to any testing, i.e., all
operations necessary for corrections according to Clause 5 shall be effected. No re-calibration
of the digital X-ray detector shall be allowed between any measurement of the series.
The exposure level shall be chosen as that used when the digital X-ray detector is operated
for the intended use in clinical practice. This is called the “normal“ level and shall be specified
by the MANUFACTURER. At least two additional exposure levels shall be chosen, one 3,2 times
the normal level and one at 1/3,2 of the normal level. No change of system settings (such as
gain etc.) shall be allowed when changing exposure levels.
NOTE 1 A factor of three in the exposure above and below the “normal” level approximately corresponds to the
bright and dark parts within one clinical radiation image.
To cover the range of various different clinical examinations, additional “normal” levels may
be chosen. For these additional “normal” levels other system settings may be chosen and
kept constant during the test procedure.
Each IRRADIATION shall be made without interruption. The variation of exposure shall be
carried out by variation of the X-RAY TUBE CURRENT or the IRRADIATION TIME or both. The
IRRADIATION TIME and exposure level shall be similar to the conditions for clinical application of
the digital X-ray detector. LAG EFFECTS shall be avoided (see 4.6.3).
The IRRADIATION conditions shall be stated together with the results (see Clause 7).
The RADIATION QUALITY shall be assured when varying the X-RAY TUBE CURRENT or the
IRRADIATION TIME and shall be checked at the lowest exposure level.
4.6.2 Exposure measurement
The exposure at the DETECTOR SURFACE is measured with an appropriate RADIATION METER.
For this purpose, the digital X-ray detector is removed from the beam and the RADIATION
DETECTOR of the RADIATION METER is placed behind APERTURE B3 in the DETECTOR SURFACE
plane. Care shall be taken to minimize the back-SCATTERED RADIATION. The correlation
between the readings of the RADIATION METER and the monitoring detector, if used, shall be
noted, and shall be used for the exposure calculation at the DETECTOR SURFACE when
irradiating the DETECTOR SURFACE to determine the CONVERSION FUNCTION, the NOISE POWER
SPECTRUM and the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION. It is recommended that about five
exposures be monitored and that the average be used for the correct exposure.
NOTE 2 To reduce back-SCATTERED RADIATION, a lead screen of 4 mm in thickness may be placed 450 mm behind
the RADIATION DETECTOR. It has been proven by experiments that, under these conditions, the back-SCATTERED
RADIATION is not more than 0,5 %. If the lead screen is at a distance of 250 mm, the back-SCATTERED RADIATION is
not more than 2,5 %.
If it is not possible to remove the digital X-ray detector out of the beam, the exposure at the
DETECTOR SURFACE may be calculated via the inverse square distance law. For that purpose,
the exposure is measured at different distances from the FOCAL SPOT in front of the DETECTOR
SURFACE. For this measurement, radiation, back-scattered from the DETECTOR SURFACE, shall
be avoided. Therefore, a minimum distance between the DETECTOR SURFACE and the
RADIATION DETECTOR of 450 mm is recommended.
If a monitoring detector is used, the following equation shall be plotted as a function of the
distance d between the FOCAL SPOT and the RADIATION DETECTOR:
monitor detector reading
f (d) =
radiation detector reading
– 14 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
By extrapolating this approximately linear curve up to the distance between the FOCAL SPOT
and the DETECTOR SURFACE r , the ratio of the readings at r can be obtained and the
SID SID
exposure at the DETECTOR SURFACE for any monitoring detector reading can be calculated.
If no monitoring detector is used, the square root of the inverse RADIATION METER reading is
plotted as a function of the distance between the FOCAL SPOT and the RADIATION DETECTOR.
The extrapolation etc. is carried out as in the preceding paragraph.
NOTE 3 To reduce back-SCATTERED RADIATION, a lead shield of 4 mm thickness may be placed in front of the
DETECTOR SURFACE.
4.6.3 Avoidance of LAG EFFECTS
LAG EFFECTS may influence the measurement of the CONVERSION FUNCTION and the NOISE
POWER SPECTRUM. They may, therefore, influence the measurement of DETECTIVE QUANTUM
EFFICIENCY.
The influence may be split into an additive component (additional offset) and a multiplicative
component (change of gain). The magnitude of both components shall be estimated.
For the determination of possible LAG EFFECTS, the digital X-ray detector shall be operated
according to the specifications of the MANUFACTURER. The minimum time interval between two
successive exposures (as determined by the tests given in Annex A) must be maintained to
prevent the contaminating LAG EFFECTS on the measurement of the DETECTIVE QUANTUM
EFFICIENCY.
NOTE The following parameters may contribute to LAG EFFECTS: time of IRRADIATION relative to read-out, method
of erasure of remnants of previous IRRADIATION, time from erase to re-IRRADIATION, time from read-out to re-
IRRADIATION, or the inclusion of intervening “dummy” read-outs used to erase the effects of a previous IRRADIATION.
To test the magnitude of LAG EFFECTS, the test procedures as given in Annex A shall be used.
4.6.4 IRRADIATION to obtain the CONVERSION FUNCTION
The settings of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE shall be the same as those used when
exposing the TEST DEVICE. The IRRADIATION shall be carried out using the geometry of Figure 2
but without any TEST DEVICE in the beam. The exposure is measured according to 4.6.2. The
CONVERSION FUNCTION shall be determined from exposure level zero up to four times the
normal exposure level.
The CONVERSION FUNCTION for exposure level zero shall be determined from a dark image,
realized under the same conditions as an X-ray image. The minimum X-ray exposure level
shall not be greater than one-fifth of the normal exposure level.
Depending on the form of the CONVERSION FUNCTION the number of different exposures varies;
if only the linearity of the CONVERSION FUNCTION has to be checked, five exposures, uniformly
distributed within the desired range, are sufficient. If the complete CONVERSION FUNCTION has
to be determined, the exposure shall be varied in such a way that the maximum increments of
logarithmic (to the base 10) exposure is not greater than 0,1. The RADIATION QUALITY for all
exposure levels shall be assured and shall be checked at the lowest exposure level. In case
of deviations from this requirement, the FOCAL SPOT to DETECTOR SURFACE distance may have
to be increased.
4.6.5 IRRADIATION for determination of the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM
The settings of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE shall be the same as those used when
exposing the TEST DEVICE. The IRRADIATION shall be carried out using the geometry of Figure 2
but without any TEST DEVICE in the beam. The exposure is measured according to 4.6.2.

62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 15 –
A square area of approximately 125 mm × 125 mm located centrally behind the 160 mm
square DIAPHRAGM is used for the evaluation of an estimate for the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM to
be used later on to calculate the DQE.
For this purpose, the set of input data shall consist of at least four million independent image
PIXELS arranged in one or several independent flat-field images, each having at least 256
PIXELS in either spatial direction. If more than one image is necessary, all individual images
shall be taken at the same RADIATION QUALITY and AIR KERMA. The standard deviation of the
IRRADIATIONS used to get the different images shall be less than 10 % of the mean.
NOTE The minimum number of required independent image PIXELS is determined by the required accuracy which
defines the minimum number of ROIs. For an accuracy of the two-dimensional NOISE POWER SPECTRUM of 5 %, a
minimum of 960 (overlapping) ROIs are needed meaning 16 million independent image pixels with the given ROI
size. The averaging and binning process applied afterwards to obtain a one-dimensional cut reduces the minimum
number of required independent image PIXELS to four million, still assuring the necessary accuracy.
Care shall be taken that there is no correlation between the subsequent images (LAG EFFECT;
see 4.6.3). No change of system setting is allowed when making the IRRADIATIONS.
The images for the determination of the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM shall be taken at three
exposure levels (see 4.6.1): the normal one and two others, each differing by a factor of 3,2
from the normal one.
4.6.6 IRRADIATION with TEST DEVICE in the RADIATION BEAM
The IRRADIATION shall be carried out using the geometry of Figure 2. The TEST DEVICE is
placed directly on the DETECTOR SURFACE. The TEST DEVICE is positioned in such a way that
the edge is tilted by an angle α relative to the axis of the PIXEL columns or PIXEL rows, where
α is between 1,5° and 3°.
NOTE 1 The method of tilting the TEST DEVICE relative to the rows or columns of the IMAGE MATRIX is common in
other standards (ISO 15529 and ISO 12233) and reported in numerous publications when the pre-sampling
MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION has to be determined.
The TEST DEVICE has to be adjusted in such a way that it is perpendicular to the CENTRAL AXIS
of the RADIATION BEAM and the edge of the TEST DEVICE is aligned as closely as possible to the
CENTRAL AXIS of the RADIATION BEAM.
NOTE 2 Deviations from this ideal set-up will result in a lower measured MTF.
Two IRRADIATIONS shall be made with the TEST DEVICE in the RADIATION BEAM, one with the
TEST DEVICE oriented approximately along the columns, the other with the TEST DEVICE
approximately along the rows of the IMAGE MATRIX. The positions of the other components
shall not be changed. For the new position, a new adjustment of the TEST DEVICE shall be
made.
The images for the determination of the MTF shall be taken at one of the three exposure
levels (see 4.6.1).
– 16 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
5 Corrections of RAW DATA
The following linear and image-independent corrections of the RAW DATA are allowed in
advance of the processing of the data for the determination of the CONVERSION FUNCTION, the
NOISE POWER SPECTRUM, and the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION:
– The RAW DATA of bad or defective pixels may be replaced by appropriate data as in normal
clinical use.
– A flat-field correction comprising
• correction of the non-uniformity of the radiation field,
• correction for the offset of the individual pixels and
• gain correction for the individual pixels
may be applied as in normal clinical use.
– A correction for geometrical distortion may be made as in normal clinical use.
NOTE Some detectors execute linear image processing due to their physical concept. As long as this image
processing is linear and image-independent, these operations are allowed.
6 Determination of the DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
6.1 Definition and formula of DQE(u,v)
The equation for the frequency-dependent DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY DQE(u,v) is :
W (u,v)
2 2 in
DQE(u,v) = G MTF (u,v)
(1)
W (u,v)
out
The source for this equation is the Handbook of Medical Imaging I (equation 2.153) [4],
In this standard, the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM at the output W (u, v) and the MODULATION
out
TRANSFER FUNCTION MTF(u,v) of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE shall be calculated on the
LINEARIZED DATA. The LINEARIZED DATA are calculated by applying the inverse CONVERSION
FUNCTION to the ORIGINAL DATA (according to subclause 6.3.1) and are expressed in number of
exposure quanta per unit area. The gain G of the detector at zero SPATIAL FREQUENCY
(equation (1)) is part of the conversion function and does not need to be separately
determined.
Therefore the working equation for the determination of the frequency-dependent DETECTIVE
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY DQE(u,v) according to this standard is :
W (u,v)
in
DQE(u,v) = MTF (u,v) (2)
W (u,v)
out
where
MTF(u,v) is the pre-sampling MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING
DEVICE, determined according to subclause 6.3.3;
W (u,v) is the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM of the radiation field at the DETECTOR SURFACE,
in
determined according to subclause 6.2;
W (u,v) is the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM at the output of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE,
out
determined according to subclause 6.3.2.

62220-1  IEC:2003(E) – 17 –
6.2 Parameters to be used for evaluation
For the determination of the DETECTIVE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY, the value of the input NOISE
POWER SPECTRUM W (u,v) shall be calculated:
in
W (u,v) = K ⋅ SNR (3)
in a in
where
K is the measured AIR KERMA, unit: µGy;
a
SNR is the squared signal-to-NOISE ratio per AIR KERMA, unit: 1/( mm ⋅µGy) as given in
in
column 2 of Table 2.
The values for SNR in Table 2 shall apply for this standard.
in
Table 2 – Parameters mandatory for the application of this standard
RADIATION QUALITY SNR
in
No.
1/(mm ⋅⋅⋅⋅µGy)
RQA 3 21759
RQA 5 30174
RQA 7 32362
RQA 9 31077
Background information on the calculation of SNR is given in Annex C.
in
6.3 Determination of different parameters from the images
6.3.1 Linearization of data
The LINEARIZED DATA are calculated by applying the inverse CONVERSION FUNCTION to the
ORIGINAL DATA on an individual PIXEL basis. Since the CONVERSION FUNCTION is the output level
(ORIGINAL DATA) as a function of the number of exposure quanta per unit area, the linearized
data have units of exposure quanta per unit area.
NOTE In case of a linear CONVERSION FUNCTION this calculation reduces to the multiplication by a conversion
factor.
The CONVERSION FUNCTION is determined from the images generated according to 4.6.4.
The output is calculated by averaging 100 × 100 pixels of those ORIGINAL DATA in the centre of
the exposed area. The PIXEL values shall be the ORIGINAL DATA, meaning the RAW DATA values
which are corrected according to Clause 5 only. This output is plotted against the input signal
being the number of exposure quanta per unit area Q calculated by multiplying the AIR KERMA
by the value given in column 2 of Table 2 (see 6.2).
The experimental data points shall be fitted by a model function. If the CONVERSION FUNCTION
is assumed to be linear (only 5 exposures made according to 4.6.4) only a linear function
shall be fitted. The fit-result has to fulfil the following requirements:
– Final R ≥ 0,99; and
– no individual experimental data point deviates from its corresponding fit result by more
than 2 % relatively.
– 18 – 62220-1  IEC:2003(E)
6.3.2 The NOISE POWER SPECTRUM (NPS)
The NOISE POWER SPECTRUM at the output of the DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE (W (u,v)) shall
out.
be determined from the images generated according to 4.6.5.
The portion of the uniformly exposed area of the digital X-ray detector used for NPS analysis
shall be divided into square areas, called ROIs. Each ROI for calculating an individual sample
for the NOISE POWER SPECTRUM shall be 256 × 256 PIXELS in size. These areas shall overlap by
128 PIXELS in both, the horizontal and vertical direction (see Figure 3). Let the first area be the
one in the upper left corner of the total region analysed. The next is produced by moving the
rectangular a
...