Low-dose computed tomography: a solution for in vivo medical imaging and accurate patient-specific 3D bone modeling?
BACKGROUND
The number of in vivo clinical biomedical experiments based on computed tomography is increasing. International radiation-protection bodies are promoting the use of low-dose computed tomography to reduce radiation absorption by the subject undergoing imaging. On the other hand no data exist in the literature to quantify whether or not low-dose computed tomography would lead to a decrease of result quality when used for three-dimensional bone modeling and related measurements.


METHODS
This paper aimed at finding a consensus between minimal X-ray radiation of the subject, and satisfactory image data quality, especially for accurate three-dimensional bone modeling. Several standard computed tomography and low-dose computed tomography sequences were analyzed in three tests and statistically compared.


RESULTS
Absence of significant difference between standard and low-dose computed sequences indicated that the low-dose setting would not produce less accurate three-dimensional models, while it decreased the effective X-ray dose up to 90% compared to standard settings.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose computed tomography seems suitable for accurate three-dimensional bone modeling, while the related effective X-ray radiation is low. Such setting is therefore advised for any in vivo medical imaging aiming to collect bone data.
Van Sint Jan
Serge
S
Department of Anatomy (CP 619), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Lennik Street 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium. sintjans@ulb.ac.be
Sobzack
Stéphane
S
Dugailly
Pierre-Michel
PM
Feipel
Véronique
V
Lefèvre
Philippe
P
Lufimpadio
Jean-Louis
JL
Salvia
Patrick
P
Viceconti
Marco
M
Rooze
Marcel
M
D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*