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Technology Explainer· Published Jan 25, 2026· 11 min read

Understanding X-Ray Detector Specifications: DQE, MTF, and Pixel Pitch

A deep dive into Detective Quantum Efficiency, Modulation Transfer Function, and spatial resolution in digital imaging.

Dr. Elena Rostova, PhD, BME
Dr. Elena Rostova, PhD, BME
Senior Technology Analyst
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1. Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE) Explained

DQE is the gold standard metric of detector quality. It represents the ratio of output signal-to-noise ratio squared to input SNR squared. In simple terms: what percentage of incoming X-ray photons does the detector successfully turn into diagnostic information rather than electronic noise? Higher DQE directly translates to lower required patient radiation dose.

Article Tags: Detector PhysicsDQEMTFSpatial Resolution