Physics · Subtopic

Computed Tomography

Hounsfield units, windowing, pitch, CTDIvol/DLP/SSDE, iterative and deep-learning reconstruction, dual-energy, and the common artifacts. CT is the heaviest physics subtopic on the Core Exam — most clinical cases also lean on these foundations.

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Basics →Gantry, detectors, collimation, partial volume. Hounsfield units & windowing →HU math, anchor values, WW/WL presets. Technique →kVp, mAs, pitch, AEC, low-kVp CTA. Dose →CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, k-factors, fetal dose. Reconstruction →FBP, IR, DLIR, kernels (sharp vs soft). Dual energy →Material decomposition, VMI, iodine maps. Artifacts →Beam hardening, metal, motion, rings, cone-beam.

Study loops Pick one

MCQ Bank (20)

Full ABR-style set with distractor explanations and reference links.

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Flashcards (20)

HU anchors, windowing math, k-factors, pitch/noise relationships.

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Cases (3)

HU interpretation, metal artifact reduction, and PE-in-pregnancy dose counseling.

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Domain Mock

Physics-only mock including CT, MRI, US, X-ray, and dose.

Microsims Interactive teaching tools

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HU Windowing

Synthetic abdomen — tune WW/WL or pick a preset (brain, stroke, subdural, lung, bone). See what appears.

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Pitch & Dose

Adjust kVp, mAs, pitch, AEC on/off. Watch CTDIvol, DLP, effective dose, and noise respond.

Curated reading Go deeper

Hounsfield unit — Radiopaedia
Windowing — Radiopaedia
Pitch (CT) — Radiopaedia
CTDI — Radiopaedia
Iterative reconstruction — Radiopaedia
Dual-energy CT — Radiopaedia
Bushberg — Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, Chapter 10
AAPM TG-204 — Size-specific dose estimate