[An assessment of low-dose high resolution CT in the detection of benign asbestos-related pleural abnormalities].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the reliability of low-dose high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the detection of benign asbestos-related pleural abnormalities.


METHODS
Fourty-one patients exposed to asbestos were imaged on two occasions; the first time with conventional HRCT parameters: 140kVp, 220mAs; the second time with low-dose HRCT parameters: 120kVp, 60mAs.


RESULTS
The qualitative assessment dit not show any difference in the visibility of benign pleural abnormalities from one technique to the other in 98% cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The detection of pleural plaques and thickening did not vary with the two scanning protocols and, when compared with conventional HRCT, low-dose HRCT allows reduced radiation exposure by at least 76.5%, with an absorbed dose close to that delivered when using conventional chest radiography. Nevertheless, low-dose HRCT is a complementary study to helical acquisitions.
Michel
J L
JL
Service de Radiologie et Imagerie Médicale, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, BP 69, 63003 Clermont-Ferrand Cedex 1, France.
Reynier
C
C
Avy
G
G
Bard
J J
JJ
Gabrillargues
D
D
Catilina
P
P
D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D001194:Asbestos
Exploration tomodensitométrique des sujets exposés à l'amiante: validation des coupes millimétriques haute résolution à faible dose.