Virtual grid

Last revised by Joachim Feger on 14 Apr 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Er A, Feger J, Murphy A, et al. Virtual grid. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 20 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-98800

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-98800

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/98800

rID:

98800

Article created:

9 Apr 2022, Amanda Er ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Amanda Er had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Amanda Er's current disclosures

Last revised:

14 Apr 2024, Joachim Feger ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Joachim Feger's current disclosures

Revisions:

4 times, by 4 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Sections:

Imaging Technology, Radiography

Synonyms:

Noise suppression algorithm
Virtual grid software

Virtual grid software is a relatively new innovation utilizing no physical grid at all. Instead, the original purpose of a grid is replicated by an algorithm ¹ based on fundamental mathematics (i.e. Laplace transformation, wavelet transformation and Gaussian decomposition) which iteratively reconstructs the radiograph.

Clinical applications

These algorithms are capable of removing scatter radiation and improving image contrast for a wide variety of body thicknesses ³, with the resultant image proving not significantly different ⁴ from a grid radiograph.

Technique

Physical principles

The use of a virtual grid allows the operator to reduce their exposure from the already optimal setting. Certain manufacturers are able to allow for up to a 50% reduction ¹ in mAs, hence effectively halving the radiation dose to the patient for a similarly diagnostic image.

Such advances in imaging technology have been brought about in an attempt to eliminate ² the presence of artifacts such as:

Despite its current limited use, experts ¹ have touted virtual grids to be the future for imaging technology, with physical grids being a thing of the past.