Image Quality and Dose Reduction by Dual Source Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography: Protocol Comparison

• Published in: Dose-response Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 1559325818805838
• Main Authors: Forte, Ernesto, Monti, Serena, Parente, Chiara Anna, Beyer, Lukas, De Rosa, Roberto, Infante, Teresa, Cavaliere, Carlo, Cademartiri, Filippo, Salvatore, Marco, Stroszczynski, Christian, Tedeschi, Carlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2018; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Medical imaging; Original; Tomography; coronary artery disease; image quality; radiation dose; computed tomography coronary angiography; dual source computed tomography
• ISSN: 1559-3258; 1559-3258
• DOI: 10.1177/1559325818805838

Purpose: To compare image quality and radiation dose among different protocols in patients who underwent a 128-slice dual source computed tomography coronary angiography (DSCT-CTCA). Methods: Ninety patients were retrospectively grouped according to heart rate (HR): 26 patients (group A) with stable HR ≤60 bpm were acquired using high pitch spiral mode (FLASH); 48 patients (group B) with irregular HR ≤60 bpm or stable HR between 60 and 70 bpm using step and shoot mode; and 16 patients (group C) with irregular HR >60 bpm or stable HR ≥70 bpm by retrospective electrocardiogram pulsing acquisition. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were measured for the main vascular structures. Moreover, the dose-length product and the effective dose were assessed. Results: Both SNR and CNR were higher in group A compared to group C (18.27 ± 0.32 vs 11.22 ± 0.50 and 16.75 ± 0.32 vs 10.17 ± 0.50; P = .001). The effective dose was lower in groups A and B (2.09 ± 1.27 mSv and 4.60 ± 2.78 mSv, respectively) compared to group C (9.61 ± 5.95 mSv) P < .0001. Conclusion: The correct selection of a low-dose, HR-matched CTCA scan protocol with a DSCT scanner provides substantial reduction of radiation exposure and better SNR and CNR.