title: Impact of sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) algorithm on image quality with 70 kVp-tube-voltage dual-source CT angiography in children with congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the image quality and diagnostic accuracy between sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) algorithm and filtered back projection (FBP) reconstruction algorithm at 70 kVp-tube-voltage DSCT angiography in children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients (mean age: 13 months; range: 2-48 months; male: 16; female: 12; mean weight: 8 kg) with CHD underwent 70 kVp DSCT angiography. Imaging data were reconstructed with both FBP and SAFIRE algorithms. Subjective image quality was evaluated on a five-point scale. The parameters of image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) on the objective image quality were compared for the two reconstruction algorithms. Surgery was performed in 20 patients, whereas conventional cardiac angiography (CCA) was performed in 8 patients. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated on the surgical and/or CCA findings. The effective radiation doses were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to FBP algorithm, SAFIRE algorithm had significantly higher scores for subjective image quality (P<0.05), and lower image noise (P<0.05) as well as higher SNR & CNR values (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy between the FBP and SAFIRE algorithm (χ2 = 1.793, P>0.05). The mean effective dose for 70 kVp DSCT angiography was 0.30±0.13 mSv.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SAFIRE algorithm can significantly reduce image noise and improve the image quality at 70 kVp DSCT angiography for the assessment of CHD in children.
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Haiou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ximing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Anbiao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CT Research Collaboration, Siemens Ltd. China, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jiuhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed