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Image quality and radiation reduction of 320-row area detector CT coronary angiography with optimal tube voltage selection and an automatic exposure control system: comparison with body mass index-adapted protocol

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Abstract

To assess the image quality and radiation exposure of 320-row area detector computed tomography (320-ADCT) coronary angiography with optimal tube voltage selection with the guidance of an automatic exposure control system in comparison with a body mass index (BMI)-adapted protocol. Twenty-two patients (study group) underwent 320-ADCT coronary angiography using an automatic exposure control system with the target standard deviation value of 33 as the image quality index and the lowest possible tube voltage. For comparison, a sex- and BMI-matched group (control group, n = 22) using a BMI-adapted protocol was established. Images of both groups were reconstructed by an iterative reconstruction algorithm. For objective evaluation of the image quality, image noise, vessel density, signal to noise ratio (SNR), and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were measured. Two blinded readers then subjectively graded the image quality using a four-point scale (1: nondiagnostic to 4: excellent). Radiation exposure was also measured. Although the study group tended to show higher image noise (14.1 ± 3.6 vs. 9.3 ± 2.2 HU, P = 0.111) and higher vessel density (665.5 ± 161 vs. 498 ± 143 HU, P = 0.430) than the control group, the differences were not significant. There was no significant difference between the two groups for SNR (52.5 ± 19.2 vs. 60.6 ± 21.8, P = 0.729), CNR (57.0 ± 19.8 vs. 67.8 ± 23.3, P = 0.531), or subjective image quality scores (3.47 ± 0.55 vs. 3.59 ± 0.56, P = 0.960). However, radiation exposure was significantly reduced by 42 % in the study group (1.9 ± 0.8 vs. 3.6 ± 0.4 mSv, P = 0.003). Optimal tube voltage selection with the guidance of an automatic exposure control system in 320-ADCT coronary angiography allows substantial radiation reduction without significant impairment of image quality, compared to the results obtained using a BMI-based protocol.

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Abbreviations

320-ADCT:

320-Row area detector CT

3D:

Three-dimensional

AEC:

Automatic exposure control

AIDR:

Adaptive iterative dose reduction

BMI:

Body mass index

Bpm:

Beats per minute

CNR:

Contrast-to-noise ratio

CT:

Computed tomography

CTDIvol :

Volume CT dose index

D1:

First diagonal branch

D2:

Second diagonal branch

DLP:

Dose-length product

ECG:

Electrocardiography

ED:

Effective dose

FOV:

Field of view

HR:

Heart rate

HU:

Hounsfield unit

LAD:

Left anterior descending artery

LCx:

Left circumflex artery

LM:

Left main coronary artery

OM:

Obtuse marginalis

PDA:

Posterior descending artery

RCA:

Right coronary artery

SNR:

Signal-to-noise ratio

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grant no. 06-2012-3020 from the Toshiba Medical Systems Research Fund.

Conflict of interest

Dr Shim is an employee of Toshiba Medical Systems Korea. None of the other authors have disclosed any conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea

    Jiyeon Lim, Eun-Ah Park, Whal Lee & Jin Wook Chung

  2. Toshiba Medical Systems Korea, Seoul, Korea

    Hackjoon Shim

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  1. Jiyeon Lim
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  2. Eun-Ah Park
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Correspondence to Eun-Ah Park.

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Lim, J., Park, EA., Lee, W. et al. Image quality and radiation reduction of 320-row area detector CT coronary angiography with optimal tube voltage selection and an automatic exposure control system: comparison with body mass index-adapted protocol. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 31 (Suppl 1), 23–30 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-015-0594-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-015-0594-1

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