The evaluation of vascular resolution in CBCT angiography equipment revealed that PMMA thickness had a minimal impact, while radiation dose had a significant influence on resolution. An initial approach in this study involved applying a new protocol to achieve similar resolution levels between the Siemens Artis Q and Philips Azurion 7M20, despite the latter having a lower dose limit due to regulatory constraints from Philips, which unfortunately did not overcome the resolution discrepancies. This suggests a need for protocol adjustments tailored to specific situations.

In contrast to traditional angiography equipment evaluations, this study utilized a microvessel phantom (Embovision) consisting of micro-conduits ranging from 2 to 0.12 mm, enabling a detailed assessment of CBCT vascular resolution—a core performance aspect of angiographic equipment. The use of this phantom allows for the identification of vessels smaller than the smallest commonly used micro catheter size of 1.5 French (0.5 mm), within the scope of low-dose protocols for CBCT imaging.

The microvessel phantom (Embovision) overcomes the limitations of evaluating vascular resolution without contrast media injection and enables the determination of accurate vascular imaging. If low-dose protocols tailored to the required vessel diameter are employed, it is possible to minimize radiation exposure while obtaining precise vascular images.