Implication of applying iterative reconstruction on Low Contrast Detectability in CT brain examination

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the entrance surface radiation dose to the thyroid region in a computed tomography (CT) brain scan.Methods: Unfors Multi-O-Meter equipment was used to measure the entrance surface at the thyroid region of adult patients ranging from 18 to 70 years of age. A total of 115 patients were included in the study based on convenience sampling. The Multi-O-Meter was kept at the thyroid region during the scan, and the values for entrance surface dose (ESD) were noted from its monitor after the scan was complete.Results: The obtained data were analyzed and violate normal distribution; therefore, the median and quartiles were computed. The overall median (Q1, Q2), ESD of the patients, was 1.335 (1.213, 1.529) mGy. The minimum and maximum dose values recorded were 1.015 mGy and 1.964 mGy, respectively.Conclusions: The result showed a significant amount of entrance surface radiation dose to the thyroid region while taking a brain scan. This data can be used for optimization of radiation protection while undergoing CT scans of brain to reduce exposure to thyroid region.

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Comparison of low-contrast detectability between uniform and anatomically realistic phantoms—influences on CT image quality assessment

European Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00330-021-08248-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Juliane Conzelmann ◽

Ulrich Genske ◽

Arthur Emig ◽

Michael Scheel ◽

Bernd Hamm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Image Quality ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Dose Reduction ◽

Iterative Reconstruction ◽

Image Quality Assessment ◽

Lesion Detection ◽

Detection Accuracy ◽

Test Environment ◽

Low Contrast ◽

Dose Effects

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the effects of anatomical phantom structure on task-based image quality assessment compared with a uniform phantom background. Methods Two neck phantom types of identical shape were investigated: a uniform type containing 10-mm lesions with 4, 9, 18, 30, and 38 HU contrast to the surrounding area and an anatomically realistic type containing lesions of the same size and location with 10, 18, 30, and 38 HU contrast. Phantom images were acquired at two dose levels (CTDIvol of 1.4 and 5.6 mGy) and reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP) and adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D). Detection accuracy was evaluated by seven radiologists in a 4-alternative forced choice experiment. Results Anatomical phantom structure impaired lesion detection at all lesion contrasts (p < 0.01). Detectability in the anatomical phantom at 30 HU contrast was similar to 9 HU contrast in uniform images (91.1% vs. 89.5%). Detection accuracy decreased from 83.6% at 5.6 mGy to 55.4% at 1.4 mGy in uniform FBP images (p < 0.001), whereas AIDR 3D preserved detectability at 1.4 mGy (80.7% vs. 85% at 5.6 mGy, p = 0.375) and was superior to FBP (p < 0.001). In the assessment of anatomical images, superiority of AIDR 3D was not confirmed and dose reduction moderately affected detectability (74.6% vs. 68.2%, p = 0.027 for FBP and 81.1% vs. 73%, p = 0.018 for AIDR 3D). Conclusions A lesion contrast increase from 9 to 30 HU is necessary for similar detectability in anatomical and uniform neck phantom images. Anatomical phantom structure influences task-based assessment of iterative reconstruction and dose effects. Key Points • A lesion contrast increase from 9 to 30 HU is necessary for similar low-contrast detectability in anatomical and uniform neck phantom images. • Phantom background structure influences task-based assessment of iterative reconstruction and dose effects. • Transferability of CT assessment to clinical imaging can be expected to improve as the realism of the test environment increases.

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