Resolution of pulmonary multiplanar reconstruction images from 0.5-mm theoretical isotropic data: a fundamental study using an inflated and fixed lung specimen.
The aim of the present study was to define the resolution of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) of the lung from "theoretical isotropic data." Using inflated and fixed lung specimens of the pig placed in the chest wall phantom, 0.5-mm isotropic data were obtained with 2 different helical pitches: 1:7 (high-quality mode) or 1:13, (high-speed mode), and 2 different tube currents: 250 mAs (high-tube-current mode) or 100 mAs (low-tube-current mode), with or without overlapping reconstruction. MPRs were created from these axial data. The diameter of the smallest visible pulmonary artery and bronchi of these CT images were measured on the corresponding slices of the specimen. The high-speed and low-tube-current mode significantly degraded the image quality due to increased noise. The smallest visible pulmonary artery and bronchus resolved on MPRs from axial-spiral data with 0.5-mm collimation were approximately 100 micrometer and 1,000 micrometer in diameter, respectively. In conclusion, helical pitch and tube current influence the resolution of MPR of the lung.
Maki
Daisuke
D
Department of Radiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. daimaki525@ybb.ne.jp
Takahashi
Masashi
M
Ushio
Noritoshi
N
Takazakura
Ryutaro
R
Nitta
Norihisa
N
Murata
Kiyoshi
K
Kanazawa
Susumu
S
D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D001995:Bronchography; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed