title: Volume computed tomography air kerma index and image quality evaluation in Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality of 29 computed tomography (CT) scanners in Brazil and to perform estimations of patient dose and image quality of common CT examinations at these equipment. The volume CT air kerma indexes (C(VOL)) were estimated, using normalised weighted air kerma indexes, supplied by the ImPACT group. The image quality tests were performed using the phantom and accreditation protocol from the American College of Radiology (ACR). The C(VOL) values for head scans varied between 8.7 and 108 mGy. The Hi-res chest examinations presented C(VOL) values varying from 0.4 to 32 mGy. For abdominal scans, the estimated C(VOL) values varied between 4.1 and 94 mGy. This wide variation of air kerma between different centres is related to the scanner type and also to the scanning parameters. The results also showed that the image quality did not attend all ACR CT accreditation requirements.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria - IRD/CNEN, Av Salvador Allende, Jacarepaguá 22780-160, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Mecca
authors.forename: Marcos E A
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Rosangela R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Jakubiak
authors.forename: Helen J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Simone K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Charlie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Miquelin
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nader
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000528:radiation effects; D000388:Air; D001938:Brazil; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011871:Radiology / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States