| Autor: |
Bernstein AL; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA., Dhanantwari A; Philips Healthcare, Highland Heights, OH, USA., Jurcova M; Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, 1 Silverstein, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA., Cheheltani R; Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, 1 Silverstein, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA., Naha PC; Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, 1 Silverstein, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA., Ivanc T; Philips Healthcare, Highland Heights, OH, USA., Shefer E; Philips Healthcare, Highland Heights, OH, USA., Cormode DP; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.; Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, 1 Silverstein, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. |
| Abstrakt: |
Computed tomography is a widely used medical imaging technique that has high spatial and temporal resolution. Its weakness is its low sensitivity towards contrast media. Iterative reconstruction techniques (ITER) have recently become available, which provide reduced image noise compared with traditional filtered back-projection methods (FBP), which may allow the sensitivity of CT to be improved, however this effect has not been studied in detail. We scanned phantoms containing either an iodine contrast agent or gold nanoparticles. We used a range of tube voltages and currents. We performed reconstruction with FBP, ITER and a novel, iterative, modal-based reconstruction (IMR) algorithm. We found that noise decreased in an algorithm dependent manner (FBP > ITER > IMR) for every scan and that no differences were observed in attenuation rates of the agents. The contrast to noise ratio (CNR) of iodine was highest at 80 kV, whilst the CNR for gold was highest at 140 kV. The CNR of IMR images was almost tenfold higher than that of FBP images. Similar trends were found in dual energy images formed using these algorithms. In conclusion, IMR-based reconstruction techniques will allow contrast agents to be detected with greater sensitivity, and may allow lower contrast agent doses to be used. |
