What is typically done to improve the quality of CT images in terms of uniformity?

Calibrating the CT scanner is a vital process in ensuring the uniformity and quality of CT images. Calibration involves adjusting the scanner's performance characteristics to maintain consistent imaging standards. This includes fine-tuning various aspects such as radiation output, detector efficiency, and imaging geometry.

When a CT scanner is calibrated, it helps to ensure that the images produced have uniform brightness and contrast across different regions of the scanned area. This uniformity is crucial because variations can lead to misinterpretations of the images. Poorly calibrated systems can result in artifacts that obscure important anatomical details or create misleading perceptions of pathology.

While adjusting kV settings, altering the pitch, and changing the reconstruction algorithm can influence image quality in different ways, they do not specifically ensure the uniformity of the image quality as effectively as proper calibration. Calibration directly addresses the mechanical and electronic systems' accuracy and balance, which is foundational for high-quality, uniform CT imaging.