title: Comparison of coronary artery calcium screening image quality between C-150 and e-Speed electron beam scanners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The newest generation of electron beam tomographic scanner (e-Speed) has increased spatial and temporal resolution compared with the C-150 XP scanner. The aim of this study was to evaluate coronary artery calcium screening image quality between the e-Speed and C-150 scanners (GE Imatron, San Francisco, CA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies from 41 patients (14 women and 27 men) who underwent serial coronary artery calcium screening with the C-150 (first study) and the e-Speed (second study) were analyzed. Individual computed tomography (CT) slices were assessed for coronary artery motion artifacts, and CT Hounsfield units (HU) and noise values (CT HU standard deviation) at 16 discrete cardiac sites were measured and averaged.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the e-Speed scanner, there were significant decreases in right coronary artery motion artifacts compared with the C-150 scanner (0.3% versus 1.8%, P < .001) as well as decreased noise values (24.3 versus 32.0 HU, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Image quality is significantly improved with use of the e-Speed scanner, due to its improved temporal and spatial resolution, compared with the C-150 scanner.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute, 1124 W. Carson Street, RB2, Torrance, California 90502, USA. mbudoff@rei.edu
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Budoff
authors.forename: Jerold S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shinbane
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Oudiz
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Child
authors.forename: Sivi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Songshou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods