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Low kilovoltage cardiac dual-source CT: attenuation, noise, and radiation dose

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of low kilovoltage dual-source computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) on qualitative and quantitative image quality parameters and radiation dose. Dual-source CTCA with retrospective ECG gating was performed in 80 consecutive patients of normal weight. Forty were examined with a standard protocol (120 kV/330mAs), 20 were examined at 100 kV/330mAs, and 20 at 100 kV/220mAs. Two blinded observers independently assessed image quality of each coronary segment and measured the image parameters noise, attenuation, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The effective radiation dose was calculated using CT dose volume index and the dose-length product. Diagnostic image quality was obtained in 99% of all coronary segments (1,127/1,140) without significant differences among the protocols. Image noise, attenuation, and CNR were significantly higher for 100 kV/330mAs (26 ± 3 HU, 549 ± 62 HU, 25.5 ± 3.2; each P < 0.01) and 100 kV/220mAs (27 ± 2 HU, 560 ± 43 HU, 25.0 ± 2.2; each P < 0.01) when compared to the 120-kV protocol (21 ± 2 HU, 317 ± 28 HU, 20.6 ± 1.7). There was no significant difference between the two 100-kV protocols. Estimated effective radiation dose of the 120-kV protocol (8.9 ± 1.2 mSv) was significantly higher than the 100 kV/330mAs (6.7 ± 0.8 mSv, P < 0.01) or 100 kV/220mAs (4.4 ± 0.6 mSv, P < 0.001) protocols. Dual-source CTCA with 100 kV is feasible in patients of normal weight, results in a diagnostic image quality with a higher CNR, and at the same time significantly reduces the radiation dose.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by the National Center of Competence in Research, Computer Aided and Image Guided Medical Interventions of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Sebastian Leschka, Florian T. Schmid, Bjoern Stinn & Simon Wildermuth

  2. Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Sebastian Leschka, Paul Stolzmann, Hans Scheffel, Borut Marincek & Hatem Alkadhi

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  1. Sebastian Leschka
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  2. Paul Stolzmann
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Correspondence to Hatem Alkadhi.

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Leschka, S., Stolzmann, P., Schmid, F.T. et al. Low kilovoltage cardiac dual-source CT: attenuation, noise, and radiation dose. Eur Radiol 18, 1809–1817 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0966-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0966-1

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