No abstract

PGT coronary CT angiography offers improved image quality and substantially reduced effective radiation dose compared with traditional RGH coronary CT angiography.

ASIR resulted in noise reduction and significantly impacted image quality. When using a low tube current technique, cardiac CTA reconstruction using 40% or 60% ASIR significantly improved image quality and the proportion of interpretable segments compared with FBP reconstruction.

The combined use of a power injector and a timing examination improved S/Ns and C/Ns at breath-hold single-dose gadolinium-enhanced 3D MR aortography.

There was no difference between groups in the use of prospective gating, tube voltage, or scan length. The examinations performed using ASIR had a lower median tube current than those obtained using FBP (median [interquartile range], 450 mA [350-600] vs 650 mA [531-750], respectively; p < 0.001). There was a 44% reduction in the median radiation dose between the FBP and ASIR cohorts (4.1 mSv [2.3-5.2] vs 2.3 mSv [1.9-3.5]; p < 0.001). After adjustment for scan settings, ASIR was associated with a 27% reduction in radiation dose compared with FBP (95% CI, 21-32%; p < 0.001). Despite the reduced current, ASIR was not associated with a difference in adjusted signal, noise, or signal-to-noise ratio (p = not significant). No differences existed between FBP and ASIR for interpretability per coronary artery (98.5% vs 99.3%, respectively; p = 0.12) or per patient (96.1% vs 97.1%, p = 0.65). CONCLUSION. ASIR enabled reduced tube current and lower radiation dose in comparison with FBP, with preserved signal, noise, and study interpretability, in a large multicenter cohort. ASIR represents a new technique to reduce radiation dose in coronary CTA studies.

Dual-energy CTPA with image reconstruction at 50 keV allows a significant reduction in iodine load while improving intravascular signal intensity, maintaining SNR and with comparable radiation dose.

The variable signal intensity characteristics of HCCs made reliable diagnosis impossible, but the thinsection unenhanced in vitro MR images were sensitive for detection of HCCs and dysplastic nodules in cirrhotic livers.

To optimize findings at dynamic gadolinium-enhanced hepatic magnetic resonance imaging in the hepatic arterial phase, a timing examination was performed after injection of a 0.5-mL timing bolus of gadopentetate dimeglumine. In the experimental group (n = 28), power injection was used and the imaging delay was determined in each patient on the basis of the results of the timing examination. In the control group (n = 28), hand injection and a fixed 20-second imaging delay were used. Arterial-phase examinations (defined as relative liver enhancement of not more than 30% of peak parenchymal enhancement) were successful in 26 (93%) experimental group patients and in 17 (61%) control group patients.