Partial Volume Computed Tomography Artifacts

Computed Tomography (CT) is a method used to recreate elements in a ``black box'' object of interest. One type of artifact in the reconstructed image is created by the finite size of the source and detector that is not accounted for in the ideal assumptions underlying the mathematical reconstruction process. An aggregate ray path based simulator is being used to show CT artifacts resulting from the slice partial volume and the detector partial volume. The goal is to quantify the level of artifact produced by the fraction of exposure.