Estimated Radiation Dose Reduction Using Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction in Coronary CT Angiography: The ERASIR Study

Abstract

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.

Hybrid Iterative Reconstruction Algorithm Improves Image Quality and Helps to Decrease Radiation Dose in 256-Slides Craniocervical CTA

“…Excessive image noise reduction tends to result in image blurring and resolution degradation and reconstructed images appear "artificial". Leipsic et al [20,21] who used a different iterative reconstruction technique suggested that highly iterative reconstructions produce images that are significantly different in appearance from images acquired with FBP; their noise texture appears different and their borders manifest a significantly higher degree of smoothness. Similar observations were made by Silva et al [22] who noted that noise-freeness may manifest as an artifactual over-smoothing of the image.…”

Minimization of radiation exposure due to computed tomography in inflammatory bowel disease

“…Pilot studies with ASIR found that radiation dose can successfully be reduced by 50% in CT colonography [36], 4 ISRN Gastroenterology 44% in coronary CT angiography [37], and approximately 50% in CT abdomen and pelvis [38] without significantly affecting image quality.…”

Radiation dose of cardiac computed tomography – what has been achieved and what needs to be done

“…This technique incorporates statistical modelling to reduce image noise, which may permit preserved image quality with reduced tube current, thereby permitting lower radiation dose. As a matter of fact, first experience with statistical iterative reconstruction for coronary artery imaging has shown a 44% reduction in the median radiation dose when compared to CT protocols using filtered back projection for image reconstruction [29].…”