title: CT protocols in interstitial lung diseases--a survey among members of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging and a review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to survey the current CT protocols used by members of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging (ESTI) to evaluate patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was e-mailed to 173 ESTI members. The survey focussed on CT acquisition and reconstruction techniques. In particular, questions referred to the use of discontinuous HRCT or volume CT protocols, the acquisition of additional acquisitions in expiration or in the prone position, and methods of radiation dose reduction and on reconstruction algorithms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate was 37 %. Eighty-five percent of the respondents used either volume CT alone or in combination with discontinuous HRCT. Forty-five percent of the respondents adapt their CT protocols to the patient's weight and/or age. Expiratory CT or CT in the prone position was performed by 58 % and 59 % of the respondents, respectively. The number of reconstructed series ranged from two to eight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our survey showed that radiologists with a special interest and experience in chest radiology use a variety of CT protocols for the evaluation of ILD. There is a clear preference for volumetric scans and a strong tendency to use the 3D information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Experienced thoracic radiologists use various CT protocols for evaluating interstitial lung diseases. • Most workers prefer volumetric CT acquisitions, making use of the 3D information • More attention to reducing the radiation dose appears to be needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna General Hospital, Währingergürtel 18-22, 1090 Vienna, Austria. helmut.prosch@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prosch
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schaefer-Prokop
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eisenhuber
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kienzl
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Herold
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D011871:Radiology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*