Process of conversion of continuous (analog) signals, such as the detected radiation (voltage), into numbers. This is carried out with an analog to digital converter. There are two kinds of discretization involved: the voltage is only measured (sampled) at particular discrete times and only voltages within a particular range and separated by a particular minimum amount can be distinguished. Voltages beyond this range are said to exceed the dynamic range of the digitizer.

This unit of temperature is still used customarily in the United States.
Definition: 0° is the coldest temperature achieved by using an ice and salt mixture, and 100° is set at the temperature of the human body. On this scale, the freezing point of water turned out to be about 32°F and the boiling point about 212°F.
1°F equals 5/9°C. To convert a temperature in °F to the Celsius scale, first subtract 32° and then multiply by 5/9. In the other direction, to convert a temperature in °C to the Fahrenheit scale, multiply by 9/5 and then add 32°. The unit was defined by the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit.

See also Kelvin, Celsius.

Fluoroscopy is used to study moving body structures in real time. A fluoroscope is used to produce a continuous (advanced fluoroscopy machines provide pulsed techniques to lower the amount of radiation) x-ray beam, passing through the body part being examined and transmitted to a monitor so that dynamic images of deep tissue structures can be visualized. Fluoroscopy is primarily used for gastrointestinal exams, genitourinary studies, cardiovascular imaging and for invasive procedures performed by interventional radiologists and angiographers under fluoroscopic guidance. Fluoroscopy can also produce a static record of an image formed on the output phosphor of an image intensifier. The image intensifier is an x-ray image receptor that increases the brightness of a fluoroscopic image by electronic amplification and image minification. Modern fluoroscopy systems combine less radiation with better image quality due to digital image processing and flat-panel technology.
Roentgen's discovery of x-rays related directly to fluoroscopy, because fluorescence on the material in the room draws his attention to the x-ray's properties. In 1896, Thomas A. Edison created the first fluoroscope, consisting of a zinc-cadmium sulfide screen that was placed above the patient's body in the x-ray beam and provides a faint fluorescent image. In first-generation units, the exam room required complete darkness. The users wear red goggles for up to 30 minutes prior to the examination, to adapt the eyes to darkness. After this, the radiologist stared directly at a yellow-green fluorescent image through a sheet of lead to prevent the x-ray beam from striking the eyes.

Image quality is an important value of all radiographic imaging procedures. Accurate measures of both image quality and patient radiation risk are needed for effective optimization of diagnostic imaging. Images are acquired for specific purposes, and the result depends on how well this task is performed. The imaging performance is mainly influenced by the imaging procedure, examined object, contrast agents, imaging system, electronic data processing, display, maintenance and the operator. Spatial resolution (sharpness), contrast resolution and sensitivity, artifacts and noise are indicators of image quality.
A high image contrast provides the discrimination between tissues of different densities.
The image resolution states the distinct visibility of linear structures, masses and calcifications.
Noise and artifacts degrade the image quality. In computed tomography (CT), high spatial resolution improves the visibility of small details, but results in increased noise. Increased noise reduces the low contrast detectability. Noise can be reduced by the use of large voxels, increased radiation dose, or an additional smoothing filter, but this type of filter increases blurring.
An image acquisition technique taking these facts into account maximizes the received information content and minimizes the radiation risk or keeps it at a low level.

See also As Low As Reasonably Achievable.

Linearity is a property of a system, characterized by output that is directly proportional to the input.
In computed tomography (CT), linearity describes the amount to which the CT number of a material is exactly proportional to the density of this material (in Hounsfield units). This accuracy between the linear attenuation coefficient and the CT number is also utilized to describe the performance of a CT scanner.
The linearity of a gamma camera is a measure of the geometrical correctness of the images.