Simulated dose reduction in conventional chest CT: validation study.

Abstract

Computer modification of 200-mAs raw scan data to simulate 100- and 40-mAs noise levels produces reconstructed images indistinguishable from real 100- and 40-mAs scans. This technique provides realistic reduced-dose images without patient radiation exposure and with identical image registration and motion artifact.

Achieving Routine Submillisievert CT Scanning: Report from the Summit on Management of Radiation Dose in CT

“…A range of simulated dose levels can be generated and the diagnostic quality comparisons performed by using the same patient data, thus removing patient-specific variables. This approach enables radiologists to determine the lowest acceptable dose level without risk of compromising a patient scan (13,(68)(69)(70)(71)(72)(73).…”

Comparing CNR, SNR, and Image Quality of CT Images Reconstructed with Soft Kernel, Standard Kernel, and Standard Kernel plus ASIR 30% Techniques

“…Unfortunately, decreasing the tube current (dose) can lead to suboptimal or non-diagnostic studies, unless countermeasures to decrease image noise are taken [4] . For this reason, researchers and CT manufacturers have sought to provide ways to decrease image noise that would permit more aggressive reduction of radiation dose, while maintaining diagnostically acceptable image quality [5][6][7][8] .…”

Simulation of scanner- and patient-specific low-dose CT imaging from existing CT images

“…Mayo et al [9] and Frush et al [10] were among the first to simulate low--dose CT images. They added Gaussian noise to the projection data, after which the images were generated by means of the scanner's reconstruction software.…”

“…Therefore, a lower--dose CT image is usually simulated by adding noise to the underlying projection data, i.e. the sinogram [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]. Subsequently, the lower--dose image is reconstructed from these noisy projections using the scanner's software.…”