Comparative Study with a Moving Heart Phantom of the Impact of Temporal Resolution on Image Quality with Two Multidetector Electrocardiography-Gated Computed Tomography Units

Abstract

For coronary artery imaging, acquisition protocols that provide the highest temporal resolution are mandatory. The multisector mode is one technique that allows high temporal resolution but may be clinically inappropriate at heart rates below 65 bpm or when heart rate variation is observed during scan time.

Study on motion artifacts in coronary arteries with an anthropomorphic moving heart phantom on an ECG-gated multidetector computed tomography unit

“…At heart rates above 70 bpm the linear decrease of the image quality becomes apparent again. These results are in agreement with the results of Wicky et al [10], who concluded that the image quality significantly increases with the use of the higher temporal resolution of the multisector reconstruction algorithm. Although the mathematical acquisition time at 70 bpm is about half of the mathematical acquisition time at 65 bpm, the influence of the multisector reconstruction algorithm on the ranking of the image quality is not significant.…”

“…Several studies demonstrating the influence of motion on the image quality have been performed with a phantom [6][7][8][9]. To our knowledge only in one study an anthropomorphic heart phantom was used [10]. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the influence of heart rate and the multisector reconstruction technique on the image quality of the coronary arteries with an anthropomorphic moving heart phantom.…”

Multisegment and Halfscan Reconstruction of 16-Slice Computed Tomography for Detection of Coronary Artery Stenoses

“…Ao, aorta; LV, left ventricle; PT, pulmonary trunk. 25 Recent studies examining the image quality of multisegment and halfscan reconstruction in CT with four 34 and eight 20 detector rows showed similar image quality in phantoms 34 and patients. 20 Moreover, multisegment reconstruction has proven to be effective in reliably depicting coronary artery bypass grafts noninvasively.…”

Comparison of Electron Beam Computed Tomography With Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Assessment of Right Ventricular Volumes and Function

“…The main drawback of MDCT scanning is its lower temporal resolution because of a limited gantry rotation time. 34,35 Although EBT has a constant high temporal resolution of 50 milliseconds, the temporal resolution in MDCT is dependent on the patient's heart rate. A variety of dedicated image reconstruction approaches have been developed to achieve a temporal resolution of 50-200 milliseconds (rotation time of 400 milliseconds and multisegment reconstruction).…”