[Comparison of 3D reconstructed images between the standard-dose and the low-dose chest CT].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the difference of the 3D image quality between the low-dose and the standard-dose chest CT.


METHODS
Eleven patients were randomly scanned with the standard-dose CT and 9 with the low-dose CT. Quality of the images from both groups was evaluated by different postprocessing techniques.


RESULTS
The effective tube current, total tube current, and CT dose index volume were (114.55 +/- 26.20) mAs, (1578.27 +/- 353.09) mAs, and (7.76 +/- 1.77) mGy, respectively, in the standard-dose scanning group, and were 20 mAs, (566.11 +/- 46.23) mAs, and (1.46 +/- 0.07) mGy, respectively, in the low-dose scanning group. All these indicators had significant differences between these two groups (P < 0.001). The image noises were (17.67 +/- 3.24) HU in standard-dose group and (31.61 +/- 9.42) HU in low-dose group (P < 0.001). As shown by different postprocessing techniques, the median score of the standard-dose group and the low-dose group were 4.52 and 4.78, respectively, which was not significantly different (P = 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
The low-dose CT scanned with 20 mAs effective tube current can remarkably reduce the radiation dose, and provide satisfactory postprocessing images for diagnosis.
Xu
Jian
J
Department of Radiology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Song
Wei
W
Li
Ming-li
ML
Zhang
Xiao-dan
XD
Jin
Zheng-yu
ZY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*