Bharti Kataria1, Jonas Nilsson Althén2, Örjan Smedby3, Anders Persson4, Hannibal Sökjer5, Michael Sandborg6. 1. Department of Radiology, Department of Medical & Health Sciences, Center for Medical Image Science & Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Bharti.Kataria@liu.se. 2. Department of Medical Physics, Department of Medical & Health Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Jonas.Althen.Nilsson@regionostergotland.se. 3. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems (MTH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-141 52, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: orsme@kth.se. 4. Department of Radiology, Department of Medical & Health Sciences, Center for Medical Image Science & Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Anders.Persson@cmiv.liu.se. 5. Department of Medical & Health Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 83, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Hannibal.Sokjer@gmail.com. 6. Department of Medical Physics, Department of Medical & Health Sciences, Center for Medical Image Science & Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Michael.Sandborg@liu.se.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine the effect of tube load, model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) strength and slice thickness in abdominal CT using visual comparison of multi-planar reconstruction images. METHOD: Five image criteria were assessed independently by four radiologists on two data sets at 42- and 98-mAs tube loads for 25 patients examined on a 192-slice dual-source CT scanner. Effect of tube load, MBIR strength, slice thickness and potential dose reduction was estimated with Visual Grading Regression (VGR). Objective image quality was determined by measuring noise (SD), contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratio and noise-power spectra (NPS). RESULTS: Comparing 42- and 98-mAs tube loads, improved image quality was observed as a strong effect of log tube load regardless of MBIR strength (p < 0.001). Comparing strength 5 to 3, better image quality was obtained for two criteria (p < 0.01), but inferior for liver parenchyma and overall image quality. Image quality was significantly better for slice thicknesses of 2mm and 3mm compared to 1mm, with potential dose reductions between 24%-41%. As expected, with decrease in slice thickness and algorithm strength, the noise power and SD (HU-values) increased, while the CNR decreased. CONCLUSION: Increasing slice thickness from 1 mm to 2 mm or 3 mm allows for a possible dose reduction. MBIR strength 5 shows improved image quality for three out of five criteria for 1 mm slice thickness. Increasing MBIR strength from 3 to 5 has diverse effects on image quality. Our findings do not support a general recommendation to replace strength 3 by strength 5 in clinical abdominal CT protocols. However, strength 5 may be used in task-based protocols.
PURPOSE: To determine the effect of tube load, model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) strength and slice thickness in abdominal CT using visual comparison of multi-planar reconstruction images. METHOD: Five image criteria were assessed independently by four radiologists on two data sets at 42- and 98-mAs tube loads for 25 patients examined on a 192-slice dual-source CT scanner. Effect of tube load, MBIR strength, slice thickness and potential dose reduction was estimated with Visual Grading Regression (VGR). Objective image quality was determined by measuring noise (SD), contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratio and noise-power spectra (NPS). RESULTS: Comparing 42- and 98-mAs tube loads, improved image quality was observed as a strong effect of log tube load regardless of MBIR strength (p < 0.001). Comparing strength 5 to 3, better image quality was obtained for two criteria (p < 0.01), but inferior for liver parenchyma and overall image quality. Image quality was significantly better for slice thicknesses of 2mm and 3mm compared to 1mm, with potential dose reductions between 24%-41%. As expected, with decrease in slice thickness and algorithm strength, the noise power and SD (HU-values) increased, while the CNR decreased. CONCLUSION: Increasing slice thickness from 1 mm to 2 mm or 3 mm allows for a possible dose reduction. MBIR strength 5 shows improved image quality for three out of five criteria for 1 mm slice thickness. Increasing MBIR strength from 3 to 5 has diverse effects on image quality. Our findings do not support a general recommendation to replace strength 3 by strength 5 in clinical abdominal CT protocols. However, strength 5 may be used in task-based protocols.
Authors: Bibi Martens; Joris G A Bosschee; Sander M J Van Kuijk; Cécile R L P N Jeukens; Maikel T H Brauer; Joachim E Wildberger; Casper Mihl Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-04-07 Impact factor: 3.240