Attenuation-Based Automatic Kilovoltage Selection and Sinogram-Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction: Effects on Radiation Exposure and Image Quality of Portal-Phase Liver CT.
- Author:
Ji Soo SONG
1
;
Eun Jung CHOI
;
Eun Young KIM
;
Hyo Sung KWAK
;
Young Min HAN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Computed tomography; Tube potential; Iterative reconstruction; Radiation dose reduction; Image quality
- MeSH: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Height; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Chronic Disease; Contrast Media/diagnostic use; Female; Humans; Liver/*radiography/ultrasonography; Male; Middle Aged; *Radiation Dosage; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Retrospective Studies; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology 2015;16(1):69-79
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare the radiation dose and image quality between standard-dose CT and a low-dose CT obtained with the combined use of an attenuation-based automatic kilovoltage (kV) selection tool (CARE kV) and sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) for contrast-enhanced CT examination of the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 67 patients with chronic liver disease in whom both, standard-dose CT with 64-slice multidetector-row CT (MDCT) (protocol A), and low-dose CT with 128-slice MDCT using CARE kV and SAFIRE (protocol B) were performed. Images from protocol B during the portal phase were reconstructed using either filtered back projection or SAFIRE with 5 different iterative reconstruction (IR) strengths. We performed qualitative and quantitative analyses to select the appropriate IR strength. Reconstructed images were then qualitatively and quantitatively compared with protocol A images. RESULTS: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of protocol B demonstrated that SAFIRE level 2 (S2) was most appropriate in our study. Qualitative and quantitative analysis comparing S2 images from protocol B with images from protocol A, showed overall good diagnostic confidence of S2 images despite a significant radiation dose reduction (47% dose reduction, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Combined use of CARE kV and SAFIRE allowed significant reduction in radiation exposure while maintaining image quality in contrast-enhanced liver CT.
