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Image quality of flat-panel computed tomography using 2 different acquisition times versus multidetector computed tomography in whole-head temporal bone specimen

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Imaging of temporal bone and skull base acquire high resolution due to the small anatomic structures with high clinical relevance. The purpose of this study was to compare image quality of the temporal bone in standard 20 s protocol flat-panel computed tomography (FPCT) with the new time- and dose improved 10 s protocol as well as with 128 slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). The aim was to evaluate the new time- and dose improved 10 s protocol.

Methods

10 whole-skull preparations—20 temporal bones—were scanned with either 128 slice MDCT CT (SOMATOM Definition AS + , Siemens, Erlangen) or FPCT (AXIOM-Artis, Siemens, Erlangen) using 10 s or 20 s protocol.

Results

We show here that overall FPCT provides significantly better image quality and improved delimitation of clinically relevant structures in the temporal bone compared to 128 slice MDCT. Especially the shorter, dose saving 10 s protocol of the FPCT is still superior to 128 slice MDCT. The 20 s FPCT protocol was only significantly superior in identification of the cochlear apical turn and can thereby be used specifically in clinical cases with pathologies in this area.

Conclusions

The 10 s FPCT protocol yields a significantly better image quality than MDCT in imaging finer structures of the temporal bone.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the scientific assistants of the Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, Tuebingen for their active support in handling and transporting the whole-head temporal bone specimen.

Funding

This work was supported by the Fortüne Program (University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany) under Grant 2339-0-0.

The authors state that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Maximilian Schulze

    Present address: Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Marburg, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35043, Marburg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Katrin Reimann

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Marburg, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35043, Marburg, Germany

    Katrin Reimann

  3. Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Bernhard Hirt

  4. Department of Neuroradiology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Maximilian Schulze

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  1. Katrin Reimann
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Correspondence to Katrin Reimann.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee of the medical faculty at the Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, reference number: 371/2017BO2 and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Anatomical specimens were obtained from the body donation program of the Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis of the University of Tuebingen with written permission of the donors.

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Reimann, K., Hirt, B. & Schulze, M. Image quality of flat-panel computed tomography using 2 different acquisition times versus multidetector computed tomography in whole-head temporal bone specimen. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 415–422 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05726-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05726-9

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