tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Radiol Med. 2020 Apr 1. doi: 10.1007/s11547-020-01179-x. [Epub ahead of print]
Proposal of a low-dose, long-pitch, dual-source chest CT protocol on third-generation dual-source CT using a tin filter for spectral shaping at 100 kVp for CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients: a feasibility study.
Agostini A[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Floridi C[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Borgheresi A[SUP]3[/SUP], Badaloni M[SUP]2[/SUP], Esposto Pirani P[SUP]2[/SUP], Terilli F[SUP]2[/SUP], Ottaviani L[SUP]2[/SUP], Giovagnoni A[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP].
Author information
Abstract
AIM:
To subjectively and objectively evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic reliability of a low-dose, long-pitch dual-source chest CT protocol on third-generation dual-source CT (DSCT) with spectral shaping at 100Sn kVp for COVID-19 patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Patients with COVID-19 and positive swab-test undergoing to a chest CT on third-generation DSCT were included. The imaging protocol included a dual-energy acquisition (HD-DECT, 90/150Sn kVp) and fast, low-dose, long-pitch CT, dual-source scan at 100Sn kVp (LDCT). Subjective (Likert Scales) and objective (signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, SNR and CNR) analyses were performed; radiation dose and acquisition times were recorded. Nonparametric tests were used.
RESULTS:
The median radiation dose was lower for LDCT than HD-DECT (Effective dose, ED: 0.28 mSv vs. 3.28 mSv, p = 0.016). LDCT had median acquisition time of 0.62 s (vs 2.02 s, p = 0.016). SNR and CNR were significantly different in several thoracic structures between HD-DECT and LDCT, with exception of lung parenchyma. Qualitative analysis demonstrated significant reduction in motion artifacts (p = 0.031) with comparable diagnostic reliability between HD-DECT and LDCT.
CONCLUSIONS:
Ultra-low-dose, dual-source, fast CT protocol provides highly diagnostic images for COVID-19 with potential for reduction in dose and motion artifacts.
KEYWORDS:
2019-nCOV; COVID-19; Chest radiology; Dual-source CT; Low-dose CT; Spectral shaping
PMID:32239472DOI:10.1007/s11547-020-01179-x
Proposal of a low-dose, long-pitch, dual-source chest CT protocol on third-generation dual-source CT using a tin filter for spectral shaping at 100 kVp for CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients: a feasibility study.
Agostini A[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Floridi C[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Borgheresi A[SUP]3[/SUP], Badaloni M[SUP]2[/SUP], Esposto Pirani P[SUP]2[/SUP], Terilli F[SUP]2[/SUP], Ottaviani L[SUP]2[/SUP], Giovagnoni A[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP].
Author information
Abstract
AIM:
To subjectively and objectively evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic reliability of a low-dose, long-pitch dual-source chest CT protocol on third-generation dual-source CT (DSCT) with spectral shaping at 100Sn kVp for COVID-19 patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Patients with COVID-19 and positive swab-test undergoing to a chest CT on third-generation DSCT were included. The imaging protocol included a dual-energy acquisition (HD-DECT, 90/150Sn kVp) and fast, low-dose, long-pitch CT, dual-source scan at 100Sn kVp (LDCT). Subjective (Likert Scales) and objective (signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, SNR and CNR) analyses were performed; radiation dose and acquisition times were recorded. Nonparametric tests were used.
RESULTS:
The median radiation dose was lower for LDCT than HD-DECT (Effective dose, ED: 0.28 mSv vs. 3.28 mSv, p = 0.016). LDCT had median acquisition time of 0.62 s (vs 2.02 s, p = 0.016). SNR and CNR were significantly different in several thoracic structures between HD-DECT and LDCT, with exception of lung parenchyma. Qualitative analysis demonstrated significant reduction in motion artifacts (p = 0.031) with comparable diagnostic reliability between HD-DECT and LDCT.
CONCLUSIONS:
Ultra-low-dose, dual-source, fast CT protocol provides highly diagnostic images for COVID-19 with potential for reduction in dose and motion artifacts.
KEYWORDS:
2019-nCOV; COVID-19; Chest radiology; Dual-source CT; Low-dose CT; Spectral shaping
PMID:32239472DOI:10.1007/s11547-020-01179-x