CT Equipment and Technology Flashcards
7 cards from real Computed Tomography Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 CT Equipment and Technology flashcards as text
What is the primary component responsible for X-ray production in a CT scanner?
Answer: X-ray tube
The X-ray tube generates the X-ray beam used for CT imaging through thermionic emission, converting electrical energy into X-ray photons.
What technology allows modern helical CT scanners to rotate continuously without stopping?
Answer: Slip ring technology
Slip ring technology enables continuous electrical contact between the rotating gantry and stationary components, allowing uninterrupted 360° rotation.
What is the primary function of the pre-patient collimator in a CT scanner?
Answer: To define the width of the X-ray beam along the z-axis
The pre-patient collimator controls beam width along the z-axis, defining the nominal slice thickness for CT acquisition.
Which detector material is most commonly used in modern solid-state CT detectors?
Answer: Gadolinium oxysulfide (GOS)
Gadolinium oxysulfide is widely used in modern CT detectors due to its high X-ray absorption efficiency, fast afterglow decay, and mechanical stability.
What is the 'gantry' in a CT scanner?
Answer: The rotating frame housing the X-ray tube and detector array
The gantry is the large donut-shaped housing that contains the rotating X-ray tube, detector array, and associated electronics.
What is the purpose of the bow-tie (wedge) filter in CT?
Answer: To compensate for the varying thickness of the patient's body cross-section
The bow-tie filter attenuates the beam more at the periphery (thinner patient edges) than at the center, equalizing detector signal and reducing skin dose.
What is the typical gantry rotation time for a modern high-speed CT scanner?
Answer: 0.27–0.5 seconds per rotation
Modern multi-detector CT scanners complete a full 360° rotation in as little as 0.27 seconds, enabling fast cardiac and dynamic imaging.