Objectives: Images reconstructed with higher strengths of iterative reconstruction algorithms may impair radiologists’ subjective perception and diagnostic performance due to changes in the amplitude of different spatial frequencies of noise. The aim of the present study was to ascertain if radiologists can learn to adapt to the unusual appearance of images produced by higher strengths of Advanced modeled iterative reconstruction algorithm (ADMIRE).

Methods:Two previously published studies evaluated the performance of ADMIRE in non-contrast and contrast-enhanced abdominal CT. Images from 25 (first material) and 50 (second material) patients, were reconstructed with ADMIRE strengths 3, 5 (AD3, AD5) and filtered back projection (FBP). Radiologists assessed the images using image criteria from the European guidelines for quality criteria in CT. To ascertain if there was a learning effect, new analyses of data from the two studies was performed by introducing a time variable in the mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression model.

Results: In both materials, a significant negative attitude to ADMIRE 5 at the beginning of the viewing was strengthened during the progress of the reviews for both liver parenchyma (first material: −0.70, p < 0.01, second material: −0.96, p < 0.001) and overall image quality (first material:−0.59, p < 0.05, second material::−1.26, p < 0.001). For ADMIRE 3, an early positive attitude for the algorithm was noted, with no significant change over time for all criteria except one (overall image quality), where a significant negative trend over time (−1.08, p < 0.001) was seen in the second material.

Conclusions: With progression of reviews in both materials, an increasing dislike for ADMIRE 5 images was apparent for two image criteria. In this time perspective (weeks or months), no learning effect towards accepting the algorithm could be demonstrated.

Traditional filtered back projection (FBP) reconstruction methods have served the computed tomography (CT) community wellfor over 40 years. With the increased use of CT during the last decades, efforts to minimise patient exposure, while maintainingsufficient or improved image quality, have led to the development of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) algorithms fromseveral vendors. The usefulness of the advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE) (Siemens Healthineers) MBIR inabdominal CT is reviewed and its noise suppression and/or dose reduction possibilities explored. Quantitative and qualitativemethods with phantom and human subjects were used. Assessment of the quality of phantom images will not always correlatepositively with those of patient images, particularly at the higher strength of the ADMIRE algorithm. With few exceptions,ADMIRE Strength 3 typically allows for substantial noise reduction compared to FBP and hence to significant (≈30%) patientdose reductions. The size of the dose reductions depends on the diagnostic task.

Purpose: To determine the effect of tube load, model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) strength and slice thickness in abdominal CT using visual comparison of multi-planar reconstruction images. Method: Five image criteria were assessed independently by four radiologists on two data sets at 42- and 98-mAs tube loads for 25 patients examined on a 192-slice dual-source CT scanner. Effect of tube load, MBIR strength, slice thickness and potential dose reduction was estimated with Visual Grading Regression (VGR). Objective image quality was determined by measuring noise (SD), contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratio and noise-power spectra (NPS). Results: Comparing 42- and 98-mAs tube loads, improved image quality was observed as a strong effect of log tube load regardless of MBIR strength (p amp;lt; 0.001). Comparing strength 5 to 3, better image quality was obtained for two criteria (p amp;lt; 0.01), but inferior for liver parenchyma and overall image quality. Image quality was significantly better for slice thicknesses of 2mm and 3mm compared to 1mm, with potential dose reductions between 24%-41%. As expected, with decrease in slice thickness and algorithm strength, the noise power and SD (HU-values) increased, while the CNR decreased. Conclusion: Increasing slice thickness from 1 mm to 2 mm or 3 mm allows for a possible dose reduction. MBIR strength 5 shows improved image quality for three out of five criteria for 1 mm slice thickness. Increasing MBIR strength from 3 to 5 has diverse effects on image quality. Our findings do not support a general recommendation to replace strength 3 by strength 5 in clinical abdominal CT protocols. However, strength 5 may be used in task-based protocols.

Background

Our aim was to compare CT images from native, nephrographic and excretory phases using image quality criteria as well as the detection of positive pathological findings in CT Urography, to explore if the radiation burden to the younger group of patients or patients with negative outcomes can be reduced.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 40 patients who underwent a CT Urography examination on a 192-slice dual source scanner. Image quality was assessed for four specific renal image criteria from the European guidelines, together with pathological assessment in three categories: renal, other abdominal, and incidental findings without clinical significance. Each phase was assessed individually by three radiologists with varying experience using a graded scale. Certainty scores were derived based on the graded assessments. Statistical analysis was performed using visual grading regression (VGR). The limit for significance was set at p = 0.05.

Results

For visual reproduction of the renal parenchyma and renal arteries, the image quality was judged better for the nephrogram phase (p < 0.001), whereas renal pelvis/calyces and proximal ureters were better reproduced in the excretory phase compared to the native phase (p < 0.001). Similarly, significantly higher certainty scores were obtained in the nephrogram phase for renal parenchyma and renal arteries, but in the excretory phase for renal pelvis/calyxes and proximal ureters. Assessment of pathology in the three categories showed no statistically significant differences between the three phases. Certainty scores for assessment of pathology, however, showed a significantly higher certainty for renal pathology when comparing the native phase to nephrogram and excretory phase and a significantly higher score for nephrographic phase but only for incidental findings.

Conclusion

Visualisation of renal anatomy was as expected with each post-contrast phase showing favourable scores compared to the native phase. No statistically significant differences in the assessment of pathology were found between the three phases. The low-dose CT (LDCT) seems to be sufficient in differentiating between normal and pathological examinations. To reduce the radiation burden in certain patient groups, the LDCT could be considered a suitable alternative as a first line imaging method. However, radiologists should be aware of its limitations.

Datortomografi (DT) används i allt större omfattning vid bilddiagnostik och ger en viss stråldos till patienten. DT är en viktig, snabb och patientvänlig undersökningsteknik. En fördel med denna teknik är att bildmaterialet kan rekonstrueras i olika format för att åskådliggöra anatomin på bästasätt beroende på vilken frågeställning som ska besvaras. Joniserande strålning från dessa undersökningar anses öka risken för negativa effekter även om risken för den enskilde patient är mycket liten. Antalet datortomografiundersökningar ökar från år till år vilket kan leda till ökade stråldoser tillbefolkningen. Optimering av undersökningsteknik och val av undersökning för att minska negativa effekter av röntgenstrålning är därför nödvändig.

Det övergripande målet med avhandlingen var att utvärdera bildkvalitetvid en DT-undersökning av buken (då dessa medför en av de högstastråldoserna bland de vanliga röntgenundersökningarna), att kvantifieramöjlig stråldosminskning med hjälp av iterativa rekonstruktionsalgoritmer och att utvärdera diagnostiska värdet av lågdosundersökningsteknik vid DT-buk. Av de fyra delstudierna var delarbeten I, II och IV prospektiva och delarbete III retrospektivt.

För de prospektiva studierna, samlades bildmaterial in vid en kliniskberättigad undersökning av lågdos-DT av buken (delarbetet I), eller standarddos-DT av buken (delarbetet II och IV). Bilder rekonstruerades meden standard bildrekonstruktionsalgoritm, filtrerad återprojektion (FBP), och med styrka 1 av den iterativa algoritmen SAFIRE (delarbetet I). I delarbeten II och IV, gjordes bildrekonstruktioner med FBP och med styrka 3 och 5 av den iterativa algoritmen ADMIRE. Avidentifierade bildmaterialför varje patient visades parvis i slumpmässig ordning för ett antal granskare och bildkvaliteten bedömdes med hjälp av europeiska bildkriterier. I den retrospektiva studien, delarbete III, hämtades bildmaterialet från utförda DT-urografiundersökningar från bildarkivet. För varje undersökning visades bilder från varje fas i DT-urografiundersökningen separat i slumpmässig ordning. För samtliga delarbeten, hämtades bildkriteriernafrån ”European Guidelines of Quality Criteria for CT” och modifierades för att passa till varje studie. Granskarnas bedömning analyserades med ordinal logistisk regression så kallad visual grading regression (VGR). Resultat från delarbetet I visade att det fanns en signifikant inverkan av dos (p <0,001) och rekonstruktionsalgoritm (p <0,01) på samtliga bildkriterier, med en beräknad möjlig dosminskning på 5–9%. Delarbetet II visade att rekonstruktionsalgoritmen ADMIRE förbättrar bildkvaliteten i jämförelse med FBP. ADMIRE styrka 3 tillåter en dosminskning mellan 22–47% för samtliga bildkriterier medan ADMIRE styrka 5 tillåter en dosminskning mellan 34–74% för nästan alla bedömda bildkriterier utom återgivning av leverns parenkym. Ett mycket oväntat resultat var att bildkvalitén för 70% dosnivå bedömdes som högre eller likvärdig med 100% dosnivå, vilket innebar att stråldosen kan sänkas med 30% utan förändring i algoritm eller styrka.

Resultaten av delarbete III visade att avbildning av njuranatomi var som förväntat för varje fas med fördel för kontrastuppladdningsfaserna jämfört med den nativa fasen. Detta var inte ett oväntat resultat eftersom DT-urografiprotokollet är utformat för att visualisera njuranatomi på bästa möjliga sätt. Vid bedömning av patologiska fynd, erhölls dock små och ickesignifikanta skillnader mellan faserna. Däremot noterades signifikant högre bedömningssäkerhet för patologi i njurarna för de kontrast förstärkta faserna jämfört med nativfasen, och endast för bifynd signifikant högre poäng för parenkymfasen.

Delarbete IV visade att styrka 5 jämfört med styrka 3 av den iterativa rekonstruktionsalgoritmen, har olika effekter på bedömningen av bildkvalitetskriterierna. Ökning av MPR-snittjocklek från 1 mm till 2 mm eller 3mm, ger en förbättring i bildkvalité, vilket möjliggör en viss dosreduktion. Den kliniska användbarheten av ADMIRE styrka 5 är begränsad, medan ADMIRE styrka 3 levererar bättre bildkvalitet för samtliga undersökta bildkriterier vid datortomografiundersökning av buken.

Den viktigaste slutsatsen av delarbeten I, II och IV är att iterativa rekonstruktionsalgoritmer förbättrar bildkvalitet jämfört med FBP för samma stråldos och en dosminskning är möjlig. Detta kan användas för att optimera det kliniska DT-bukundersöknings protokoll. Slutsatsen för delarbetet III var att en lågdos-DT-bukundersökning är ett av många dosreduceringsalternativ, som möjligen kan användas för att minska strålningsbördan hos vissa patientgrupper som är mer känsliga för röntgenstrålning.

Purpose To estimate potential dose reduction in abdominal CT by visually comparing images reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and strengths of 3 and 5 of a specific MBIR.

Material and methods A dual-source scanner was used to obtain three data sets each for 50 recruited patients with 30, 70 and 100% tube loads (mean CTDIvol 1.9, 3.4 and 6.2 mGy). Six image criteria were assessed independently by five radiologists. Potential dose reduction was estimated with Visual Grading Regression (VGR).

Results Comparing 30 and 70% tube load, improved image quality was observed as a significant strong effect of log tube load and reconstruction method with potential dose reduction relative to FBP of 22–47% for MBIR strength 3 (p < 0.001). For MBIR strength 5 no dose reduction was possible for image criteria 1 (liver parenchyma), but dose reduction between 34 and 74% was achieved for other criteria. Interobserver reliability showed agreement of 71–76% (κw 0.201–0.286) and intra-observer reliability of 82–96% (κw 0.525–0.783).

Conclusion MBIR showed improved image quality compared to FBP with positive correlation between MBIR strength and increasing potential dose reduction for all but one image criterion.

Automatic exposure control (AEC) in computed tomography (CT) facilitates optimisation of dose absorbed by the patient. The use of AEC requires appropriate ‘patient centring’ within the gantry, since positioning the patient off-centre may affect both image quality and absorbed dose. The aim of this experimental study was to measure the variation in organ and abdominal surface dose during CTexaminations of the head, neck/thorax and abdomen. The dose was compared at the isocenter with two off-centre positions—ventral and dorsal to the isocenter. Measurements were made with an anthropomorphic adult phantom and thermoluminescent dosemeters. Organs and surfaces for ventral regions received lesser dose (5.6–39.0 %) than the isocenter when the phantom was positioned 13 cm off-centre. Similarly, organ and surface doses for dorsal regions were reduced by 5.0–21.0 % at 25 cm off-centre. Therefore, correct vertical positioning of the patient at the gantry isocenter is important to maintain optimal imaging conditions.

Background In computed tomography (CT), there is increasing concern for potential CT radiation hazards. Several raw-data-based iterative reconstruction techniques attempt to facilitate low-dose imaging without compromising image quality, which raises the question whether these techniques may allow further dose reduction.

Purpose To compare image quality of iterative reconstruction and filtered back projection in low-dose abdominal CT and study the potential for further dose reduction.

Material and Methods Forty-five patients underwent CT of the abdomen twice: with standard low-dose technique and with 30% reduced dose, using both iterative reconstruction and filtered back projection. Four radiologists made pair-wise image quality assessment using five visual criteria. Visual grading regression (VGR) and weighted kappa (κ _w) were used to analyze the data.

Results There were significant effects of log(mAs) (P <0.001) and reconstruction algorithm (P <0.01) on all image quality criteria with an estimated potential dose reduction of 5–9%. Inter-observer agreement ranged from 70% to 91% and κ _w from −0.01 to 0.57.

Conclusion An iterative reconstruction algorithm improved image quality in abdominal CT, but the estimated dose reduction was rather small. The full potential of the algorithm remains unclear.

The aim of this study was to compare Double Contrast Barium Enema (DCBE) and Computed Tomography Colonography (CT Colon) from the patients perspective. The study population composed of 100 patients aged 18 years or older who underwent CT Colon (n = 50) or a DCBE (n = 50). A 10-point questionnaire was distributed after each procedure. Responses were compared using the Mann-Whitney test, Fishers exact test, and Spearmans correlation test. When compared with male patients, female patients showed a preference for female radiographers. This showed a statistically significant difference where p less than .001. A majority indicated that it was not at all embarrassing and that they were more than satisfied with the information and reception during the examination. No statistically significant difference was found regarding perception of pain and discomfort between the two examinations, as different subjects underwent the two examinations. There was a strong preference for female radiographers by female patients, although the examination was not perceived as being embarrassing or intimate. Patients did not find the examination embarrassing possibly because that they are fully clothed. Copyright © 2011 by the Association for Radiologic and Imaging Nursing.