What condition can lead to ring artifacts in a CT scan?

A failed detector element is a primary cause of ring artifacts in a CT scan. These artifacts appear as concentric circles on the images and are a consequence of discrepancies in the data collected by different detector elements during image acquisition. When one or more detectors fail, the system compensates by compensating for the missing data, resulting in inaccurate readings that manifest as repetitive patterns in the final image.

In CT scanning, each detector component is crucial for accurately capturing the X-rays as they pass through the patient's body. If a detector is non-functional or malfunctioning, it disrupts the consistency of the data collected, which leads to the appearance of these distinct rings around structures in the image. Addressing faulty detector elements is essential in maintaining the quality of CT production and ensuring that diagnostic images are reliable and free from such artifacts.