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Densitometric analysis of scans: important sources of artefact

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

R. R. Jacobson
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London, and King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
S. W. Turner
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London, and King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
R. E. Baldy
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London, and King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
W. A. Lishman*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London, and King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
*
1 Address for correspondence: Professor W. A. Lishman, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

Computed tomography (CT) research in psychiatry often relies on the assessment of minor structural changes. Recently, it has come to encompass changes in regional brain X-ray absorption density. The artefacts prone to be encountered in density measurements are reviewed, and illustrated by a series of studies carried out using a CT 1010 scanner. They are shown to be more important than hitherto assumed in the interpretation of CT scan research.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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