Optimizing the Minimum Detectable Difference of Computed Tomography Scanned Images via the Taguchi Analysis: A Feasibility Study With an Indigenous Hepatic Phantom and a Line Group Gauge

Abstract

Objective: The minimum detectable difference (MDD) of computed tomography (CT) scanned images was quantified and optimized according to an indigenous hepatic phantom, line group gauge and Taguchi [Formula: see text] optimization analysis in this work. Methods: Optimal combinations of CT scan factors in every group with the level organization were judged using the Taguchi analysis, in which every factor was organized into only 18 groups, creating evaluated outcomes with the same confidence as if every factor was analyzed independently. The five practical factors of the CT scan were (1) kVp, (2) mAs, (3) pitch increment, (4) field of view (FOV) and (5) rotation time for one loop of CT scan. Insofar as each factor had two or three levels, the total number of 162 (i.e., [Formula: see text]) combinations was considered. Results: The optimal setting was 120[Formula: see text]kVp, 300[Formula: see text]mAs, 0.641 pitch, 320[Formula: see text]mm FOV and 1.0[Formula: see text]s of rotation time of CT scan. The minimal MDD was 2.65[Formula: see text]mm under 0.39[Formula: see text]mm of the slit depth from the revised Student’s [Formula: see text]-test with a 95% confidence level. In contrast, the MDD of conventional and the best one (no. 7) among all original 18 groups were 3.27[Formula: see text]mm and 2.93[Formula: see text]mm for 0.43[Formula: see text]mm and 0.41[Formula: see text]mm slit depths, respectively. Conclusion: The Taguchi analysis was found very lucrative for the design of imaging analysis in practical diagnosis. The indigenous line group gauge and hepatic phantom also proved to be suitable in simulating the human body in real hepatic carcinoma examination.

Integration of Taguchi Analysis With Phantom and Innovative Gauges: Optimization of the Ct Scan Protocol for Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (Paod) Syndrome

“…This might be due to the low kVp (100 versus 120) or mAs (240 versus 300) values in the real CT scan protocols for PAOD and abdomen, respectively. 1 The low kVp or mAs can cause minor electron scattering in composing the CT scanned images and thus, increase the image quality. The MDD is recommended to be adopted in the diagnostic facility, such as X-ray, CT, or gamma camera in the medical field, for its ease of obtaining and high convincible ability in quantifying the image quality characteristic.…”

“…The imaging quality of CT scan protocol was simulated by a customized line group gauge made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with dimensions of 60 mm  30 mm  20mm, 1 as shown in Fig. 2(a).…”

“…The ranked score satisfied the \higher-the-better" Taguchi signal-to-noise condition expressed in Eq. (1). In order to quantify the true MDD in this work, prompt CT scanned images from the system were processed by the MATLAB default program (/imread) and converted into a digital matrix form.…”

“…In this study, the CT scan protocols for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) syndrome were optimized by integrating phantom and innovative gauges with Taguchi analysis. The idea of such integration has been inspired by the work of Peng et al, 1 which successfully optimized the CT scan for hepatic carcinoma. This follow-up study is performed by the research team, including several co-authors, 1 in order to extend the proposed integrated method to other medical diseases and substantiate its large-scale implementation.…”

“…The idea of such integration has been inspired by the work of Peng et al, 1 which successfully optimized the CT scan for hepatic carcinoma. This follow-up study is performed by the research team, including several co-authors, 1 in order to extend the proposed integrated method to other medical diseases and substantiate its large-scale implementation. In particular, PAOD has become a widespread syndrome in the last decade, and more than 200 million people have suffered the syndrome globally.…”