[Improvement of method of determining fluoroscopy loading factor in digital angiographic x-ray system with a flat panel detector].

A catheterization study and treatment of coronary arteriopathy are performed by investigating the coronary artery from different angles to find the region to be treated. In doing so, our system always started from the initial value of the loading factor, using this only for the first time, and the system started from the last loading factor the second time and later, at all angles. Therefore, depending on the angle, the loading factor at the start of fluoroscopy sometimes became unstable, and it took time to stabilize. This made the starting image too dark (undershoot x-ray condition) or fogged by halation (overshoot x-ray condition). With the system manufacturer, we developed a tube voltage and tube current setting method for the initial value of the loading factor. We installed software which preset the loading factor at the start of fluoroscopy depending on the angle, and an auto memory function of the last loading factor for each angle. This function allows the system to control the tube voltage and tube current for any angle. As a result, the system can acquire a more stabilized image from the start of fluoroscopy. This method of determining the initial loading factor is an effective way to stabilize the fluoroscopy image quickly.