Temporal Bone Imaging: Comparison of Flat Panel Volume CT and Multisection CT

• Published in: American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR Vol. 30; no. 7; pp. 1419 - 1424
• Main Authors: Majdani, O, Thews, K, Bartling, S, Leinung, M, Dalchow, C, Labadie, R, Lenarz, T, Heidrich, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oak Brook, IL Am Soc Neuroradiology 01.08.2009; American Society of Neuroradiology
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Head & Neck; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Nervous system; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiographic Image Enhancement - instrumentation; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Temporal Bone - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation; X-Ray Intensifying Screens; Nervous system diseases; Computerized axial tomography; Temporal bone; Radiodiagnosis; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0195-6108; 1936-959X
• DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A1560

A recent development in radiology is the use of flat panel detectors in CT to obtain higher-resolution images. This technique is known as flat panel volume CT (fpVCT). We sought to compare the image quality and diagnostic value of 2 different flat panel detector-equipped scanners: one is a prototype fpVCT scanner, and the other is a so-called flat panel digital volume tomography (fpDVT) scanner, which is routinely used in clinical setup with current state-of-the-art multisection CT (MSCT) scanners. Five explanted temporal bones and 2 whole-head cadaveric specimens were scanned with fpVCT, fpDVT, and MSCT scanners. The image series were blindly evaluated by 3 trained observers who rated 38 anatomic structures with regard to their delineation/appearance. Although the image quality obtained with fpVCT and fpDVT was rated significantly better compared with MSCT on isolated temporal bones, the differences were not significant when whole cadaveric heads were scanned. Theoretic and practical advantages exist for flat panel detector-equipped scanners, including improved image quality. However, when imaging whole cadaveric heads, no significant difference could be demonstrated between them and standard-of-care MSCT.