Multi–Detector Row CT Pulmonary Angiography: Comparison of Standard-Dose and Simulated Low-Dose Techniques

Abstract

The evaluated parameters remained stable when tube current-time product was reduced from 90 (effective) to 10 (simulated) mAs at multi-detector row CT pulmonary angiography.

Image quality of low mA CT pulmonary angiography reconstructed with model based iterative reconstruction versus standard CT pulmonary angiography reconstructed with filtered back projection: an equivalency trial

“…High sensitivity (83-100 %) and high specificity (89-98 %) have been reported for routine CTPA for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) [23][24][25]. However, because of the relatively low prevalence (9-35 %) of PE among patients evaluated by CTPA, one must be extremely cautious with the dose delivered to patients [8,26,27], as it has been estimated that 5 fatalities per 100,000 persons per mSv could be expected [28].…”

“…In order to reduce the radiation dose delivered by CTPA, several strategies have been introduced, including lowering the tube potential [5,6] and lowering the tube current-time product [7,8]. However, low dose examinations are associated with increased image noise that can now be reduced by newer reconstructions technologies such as iterative reconstructions [9][10][11].…”

Accuracy of low-dose computed tomography (CT) for detecting and characterizing the most common CT-patterns of pulmonary disease

“…Lowering tube current as a means of reducing radiation dose during CT examinations has been proven effective, showing no significant loss in objective or subjective diagnostic image quality [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. By injecting noise into the acquired raw CT data, simulation studies were capable of testing a wide tube-current range to determine lowest and/or optimal dose levels for detecting specific lung abnormalities [5,6], with the added advantage of not exposing patients to additional radiation doses.…”

Automatic tube current modulation technique for multidetector CT: is it effective with a 64-detector CT?

“…In general, the image noise is inversely proportional and the radiation dose is proportional to the tube current [18][19][20]. With the ATCM technique, when the maximum tube current is sufficiently high, the image noise remains We set the maximum tube current at 800 mA (400 mAs) in our assessment of the ATCM technique.…”