Tin Filter
Filtering out unnecessary photons for powerful low-dose scanning
Achieve an optimized spectrum for dose efficiency with the Tin Filter by filtering out unnecessary photons. This delivers powerful low-dose scanning at the level of conventional X-ray examinations.
The Tin Filter cuts out lower energies to reduce dose and optimize image quality at the interface between soft tissue and air. This has direct benefits in lung and colon imaging, for example. Clinical experience also shows that Tin Filter technology reduces beam hardening artifacts and improves image quality in bony structures, making it also extremely useful in orthopedic examination.
- Optimize scans for early detection and vulnerable patients
- Provide high diagnostic confidence in lung scans1
- Enhance sensitive scans, e.g., for sinuses2 and pediatrics
- Improve spectral separation in Dual Energy scans3
Physics background
Illustration of 70 kVp and 120 kVp spectra without the use of a Tin Filter, and 100 kVp and 150 kVp spectra with spectral shaping by tin (Sn) filtration (Sn100 kV and Sn150 kV, respectively). The Tin Filter reduces radiation dose by blocking low-energy X-ray photons. (Figure 1)
Comparison of image noise at the same dose (CTDIvol) for various patient diameters. Starting from approximately 20 cm, spectra with tin filtration are more dose efficient than traditional spectra. (Figure 2)
Clinical Cases
Add significant benefits for your patients – from head to toe.
Publications
| Full Reference | Topic | Body Part |
| High-pitch low-dose abdominopelvic CT with tin-filtration technique for detecting urinary stones Zhang GM, Shi B, Sun H, Xue HD, Wang Y, Liang JX, et al. Abdom Radiol, 2017 Aug;42(8):2127-34. | Lower dose whilst improving image quality | Kidney stones |
| Low-dose abdominal computed tomography for detection of urinary stone disease – Impact of additional spectral shaping of the X-ray beam on image quality and dose parameters Dewes P, Frellesen C, Scholtz JE, Fischer S, Vogl TJ, Bauer RW, et al. Eur J Radiol. 2016 Jun;85(6):1058-62. | Lower dose whilst improving image quality | Kidney stones |
| Approaches to ultra-low radiation dose coronary artery calcium scoring based on 3rd generation dual-source CT: A phantom study McQuiston AD, Muscogiuri G, Schoepf UJ, Meinel FG, Canstein C, Varga-Szemes A. Eur J Radiol. 2016 Jan;85(1):39-47. | Agatson equivalent CaScoring | Heart/CaScoring |
Ultra-low Dose and Ultra-fast Scan in a Patient with Dyspnea | Low dose, Fast speed | Chest/Lung |
| Ultra-low-dose CT with tin filtration for detection of solid and sub solid pulmonary nodules: a phantom study Martini K, Higashigaito K, Barth BK, Baumueller S, Alkadhi H, Frauenfelder T. Br J Radiol. 2015 Oct; 88(1056): 20150389. | Detection of sub-solid nodules is feasible with ultra-low-dose protocols | Chest/Lung |
| Unenhanced third-generation dual-source chest CT using a tin filter for spectral shaping at 100 kVp Haubenreisser H, Meyer M, Sudarski S, Allmendinger T, Schoenberg S, Henzler T. Eur J Radiol. 2015 Aug;84(8):1608-13. | Lower dose whilst improving image quality | Chest/Lung |
| Imaging the Parasinus Region with a Third-Generation Dual Source CT and the Effect of Tin Filtration on Image Quality and Dose Lell MM, May MS, Brand M, Eller A, Bruder T, Hofmann E, et al. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Jul,36(7):1225-30. | Low dose, Use CT instead of cone beam | Sinus |
| The Importance of Spectral Separation. An Assessment of Dual-Energy Spectral Separation for Quantitative Ability and Dose Efficiency Krauss B, Grant KL, Schmidt BT, Flohr TG. Invest Radiol 2015 Feb;50(2):114-8. | Dual Energy spectral seperation | All |
| Very Low-Dose (0.15 mGy) Chest CT Protocols Using the COPDGene 2 Test Object and a Third-Generation Dual-Source CT Scanner With Corresponding Third-Generation Iterative Reconstruction Software Newell JD Jr, Fuld M, Allmendinger T, Sieren JP, Chan KS, Guo J, et al. Invest Radiol, 2015 Jan;50(1):40-5. | Very low dose levels (0.15 mGy) | Chest/Lung |
| Ultra-low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography for Pulmonary Nodule Detection. First Performance Evaluation of Single Energy Scanning With Spectral Shaping Gordic S, Morsbach F, Schmidt B, Allmendinger T, Flohr T, Husarik D, et al. Invest Radiol. 2014 Jul;49(7): 465-73. | Lower dose whilst improving image quality | Chest/Lung |
| Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT With Additional Tin Filtration: Dose and Image Quality Evaluation in Phantoms and In Vivo Primak AN, Ramirez Giraldo JC, Eusemann CD, Schmidt B, Kantor B, Fletcher JG AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2010 Nov;195(5): 1164-74. | Dual Energy spectral seperation | All |
Dual Energy CT of the Chest | Dual Energy | All |
1Gordic S, et al. Utralow-Dose Chest Computed Tomography for Pulmonary Nodule Detection. Invest Radiol. 2014 Jul; 49(7):465–73.
2Lell MM, et al. Imaging the Parasinus Region with a Third-Generation Dual-Source CT and the Effect of Tin Filtration on Image Quality and Radiation Dose. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Jul; 36(7):1225–30.
3Hardie AD, et al. Application of an Advanced Image-Based Virtual Monoenergetic Reconstruction of Dual Source Dual-Energy CT Data at Low keV Increases Image Quality for Routine Pancreas Imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2015 Sep-Oct; 39(5):716–20. For international use only. Do not distribute in the U.S.