BACKGROUND: A novel, multi-energy, dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (SDCT) is commercially available now with the vendor's claim that it yields the same or better quality of polychromatic, conventional CT images like modern single-energy CT scanners without any radiation dose penalty. PURPOSE: To intra-individually compare the quality of conventional polychromatic CT images acquired with a dual-layer spectral detector (SDCT) and the latest generation 128-row single-energy-detector (CT128) from the same manufacturer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty patients underwent portal-venous phase, thoracic-abdominal CT scans with the SDCT and prior CT128 imaging. The SDCT scanning protocol was adapted to yield a similar estimated dose length product (DLP) as the CT128. Patient dose optimization by automatic tube current modulation and CT image reconstruction with a state-of-the-art iterative algorithm were identical on both scanners. CT image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was compared between the SDCT and CT128 in different anatomic structures. Image quality and noise were assessed independently by two readers with 5-point-Likert-scales. Volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), and DLP were recorded and normalized to 68 cm acquisition length (DLP68). RESULTS: The SDCT yielded higher mean CNR values of 30.0% ± 2.0% (26.4-32.5%) in all anatomic structures ( P < 0.001) and excellent scores for qualitative parameters surpassing the CT128 (all P < 0.0001) with substantial inter-rater agreement (κ ≥ 0.801). Despite adapted scan protocols the SDCT yielded lower values for CTDIvol (-10.1 ± 12.8%), DLP (-13.1 ± 13.9%), and DLP68 (-15.3 ± 16.9%) than the CT128 (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The SDCT scanner yielded better CT image quality compared to the CT128 and lower radiation dose parameters.
BACKGROUND: A novel, multi-energy, dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (SDCT) is commercially available now with the vendor's claim that it yields the same or better quality of polychromatic, conventional CT images like modern single-energy CT scanners without any radiation dose penalty. PURPOSE: To intra-individually compare the quality of conventional polychromatic CT images acquired with a dual-layer spectral detector (SDCT) and the latest generation 128-row single-energy-detector (CT128) from the same manufacturer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty patients underwent portal-venous phase, thoracic-abdominal CT scans with the SDCT and prior CT128 imaging. The SDCT scanning protocol was adapted to yield a similar estimated dose length product (DLP) as the CT128. Patient dose optimization by automatic tube current modulation and CT image reconstruction with a state-of-the-art iterative algorithm were identical on both scanners. CT image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was compared between the SDCT and CT128 in different anatomic structures. Image quality and noise were assessed independently by two readers with 5-point-Likert-scales. Volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), and DLP were recorded and normalized to 68 cm acquisition length (DLP68). RESULTS: The SDCT yielded higher mean CNR values of 30.0% ± 2.0% (26.4-32.5%) in all anatomic structures ( P < 0.001) and excellent scores for qualitative parameters surpassing the CT128 (all P < 0.0001) with substantial inter-rater agreement (κ ≥ 0.801). Despite adapted scan protocols the SDCT yielded lower values for CTDIvol (-10.1 ± 12.8%), DLP (-13.1 ± 13.9%), and DLP68 (-15.3 ± 16.9%) than the CT128 (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The SDCT scanner yielded better CT image quality compared to the CT128 and lower radiation dose parameters.
Authors: Nils Große Hokamp; Brendan Eck; Florian Siedek; Daniel Pinto Dos Santos; Jasmin A Holz; David Maintz; Stefan Haneder Journal: Quant Imaging Med Surg Date: 2020-05
Authors: Andreas P Sauter; Antonia Kössinger; Stefanie Beck; Dominik Deniffel; Hendrik Dapper; Stephanie E Combs; Ernst J Rummeny; Daniela Pfeiffer Journal: Acta Radiol Open Date: 2020-09-17
Authors: Andreas P Sauter; Nadav Shapira; Felix K Kopp; Juliane Aichele; Jannis Bodden; Andreas Knipfer; Ernst J Rummeny; Peter B Noël Journal: Eur J Radiol Open Date: 2020-05-07