Low-dose computed tomography of the paranasal sinus and facial skull using a high-pitch dual-source system--first clinical results.
OBJECTIVE
Computed tomography (CT) of the paranasal sinus is the standard diagnostic tool for a wide range of indications in mostly younger patients. This study aims to assess the image quality of CT of the sinus by using a high-pitch dual-source technique with special regard to the radiation dose.


METHODS
Examinations were performed on a second-generation dual-source CT with a pitch factor of 3.0 (dual-source mode). Images were compared with those with a pitch factor of 0.9 on the same system (single-source mode) and with those of 16-slice CT. Image quality was evaluated by four blinded readers using a 5-point scale (1=poor, 5=excellent). Comparison of the dose length product (DLP) was used to estimate radiation exposure.


RESULTS
Seventy-three consecutive patients underwent imaging with the proposed CT protocols. The viewers rated the image quality of the dual-source image sets as nearly as good (3.62) as the single-source images on the same device (4.18) and those on 16-slice CT (3.7). DLP was cut to half of the dose [51 mGycm vs. 97.8 mGycm vs. 116.9 mGycm (p<0.01)].


CONCLUSIONS
Using the proposed dual-source mode when examining the paranasal sinus, diagnostic image quality can be achieved while drastically lowering the patient's radiation exposure.
Schell
Boris
B
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic of the Goethe University, Haus 23 C UG, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany. boris.schell@googlemail.com
Bauer
Ralf W
RW
Lehnert
Thomas
T
Kerl
J Matthias
JM
Hambek
Markus
M
May
Angelika
A
Vogl
Thomas J
TJ
Mack
Martin G
MG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed