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Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schindera, ST; Nelson, RC; Yoshizumi, T; Toncheva, G; Nguyen, G; DeLong, DM; Szucs-Farkas, Z
Published in: Acad Radiol
August 2009

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage computed tomography (CT) angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anthropomorphic phantom was scanned with a 64-section CT scanner using following tube voltages: 140 kVp (Protocol A), 120 kVp (Protocol B), 100 kVp (Protocol C), and 80 kVp (Protocol D). To achieve similar noise, combined z-axis and xy-axes automatic tube current modulation was applied. Effective dose (ED) for the four tube voltages was assessed. Three plastic vials filled with different concentrations of iodinated solution were placed on the phantom's abdomen to obtain attenuation measurements. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated and a figure of merit (FOM) for each iodinated solution was computed as SNR(2)/ED. RESULTS: The ED was kept similar for the four different tube voltages: (A) 5.4 mSv +/- 0.3, (B) 4.1 mSv +/- 0.6, (C) 3.9 mSv +/- 0.5, and (D) 4.2 mSv +/- 0.3 (P > .05). As the tube voltage decreased from 140 to 80 kVp, image noise was maintained (range, 13.8-14.9 HU) (P > .05). SNR increased as the tube voltage decreased, with an overall gain of 119% for the 80-kVp compared to the 140-kVp protocol (P < .05). The FOM results indicated that with a reduction of the tube voltage from 140 to 120, 100, and 80 kVp, at constant SNR, ED was reduced by a factor of 2.1, 3.3, and 5.1, respectively, (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: As tube voltage decreases, automatic tube current modulation for CT angiography yields either a significant increase in image quality at constant radiation dose or a significant decrease in radiation dose at a constant image quality.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Acad Radiol

DOI

EISSN

1878-4046

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

16

Issue

8

Start / End Page

997 / 1002

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Radiometry
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Radiation Protection
  • Radiation Injuries
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Schindera, S. T., Nelson, R. C., Yoshizumi, T., Toncheva, G., Nguyen, G., DeLong, D. M., & Szucs-Farkas, Z. (2009). Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study. Acad Radiol, 16(8), 997–1002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2009.02.021
Schindera, Sebastian T., Rendon C. Nelson, Terry Yoshizumi, Greta Toncheva, Giao Nguyen, David M. DeLong, and Zsolt Szucs-Farkas. “Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study.Acad Radiol 16, no. 8 (August 2009): 997–1002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2009.02.021.
Schindera ST, Nelson RC, Yoshizumi T, Toncheva G, Nguyen G, DeLong DM, et al. Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study. Acad Radiol. 2009 Aug;16(8):997–1002.
Schindera, Sebastian T., et al. “Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study.Acad Radiol, vol. 16, no. 8, Aug. 2009, pp. 997–1002. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.acra.2009.02.021.
Schindera ST, Nelson RC, Yoshizumi T, Toncheva G, Nguyen G, DeLong DM, Szucs-Farkas Z. Effect of automatic tube current modulation on radiation dose and image quality for low tube voltage multidetector row CT angiography: phantom study. Acad Radiol. 2009 Aug;16(8):997–1002.
Journal cover image

Published In

Acad Radiol

DOI

EISSN

1878-4046

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

16

Issue

8

Start / End Page

997 / 1002

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Radiometry
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Radiation Protection
  • Radiation Injuries
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging