What is a common medical imaging technique that may produce metal or contrast artifacts?

Computed Tomography (CT) is known for producing metal or contrast artifacts due to the way it captures imaging data. CT employs X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body. When metal objects, such as dental fillings or orthopedic implants, are present in the imaging field, they can cause beam hardening or scattering effects, leading to artifacts that can obscure or distort the surrounding anatomy. These artifacts can present as streaks or dark bands in the images.

Furthermore, when using contrast materials to enhance visualization of structures or blood vessels, incorrect timing or poor injection techniques may result in artifacts that can misrepresent the conditions of tissues or organs. As CT imaging relies heavily on accurate attenuation values, these artifacts can have significant implications for diagnostic accuracy.

In contrast, while ultrasound and X-ray can produce some form of imaging artifacts, such as shadowing or reverberation in ultrasound, and overexposure or underexposure in X-ray, they are generally less frequently associated with the pronounced metal or contrast artifacts characteristic of CT imaging. MRI also has a distinct set of artifacts related to magnetic field inhomogeneity and patient motion, but it is less affected by metal due to the principles behind how images are generated. Hence, CT stands out as a common technique