title: High-Pitch Dual-Source Computed Tomography Renal Angiography Comparison With Conventional Low-Pitch Computed Tomography Angiography: Image Quality, Contrast Medium Volume, and Radiation Dose.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare the image quality (IQ), contrast medium (CM) volume, and radiation dose of the high-pitch renal computed tomography angiography (CTA) with low-pitch protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients underwent renal CTA on a dual-source 128-slice scanner via a high-pitch mode (pitch = 2.05) with 0.5-mL/kg CM injection, whereas 50 patients were also scanned on the same scanner with low-pitch (pitch = 0.6) and 1.0 mL/kg CM injection. Subjective IQ was evaluated. Objective IQ was determined by the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio. Effective radiation dose was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The contrast-to-noise ratio and signal-to-noise ratio values as well as the IQ scores between the 2 groups had no significant differences (P > 0.05). The effective radiation dose of the high-pitch group was significantly lower (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-pitch scan can provide similar subjective and objective IQ compared with low-pitch protocol for renal CTA, whereas CM volume and radiation exposure were significantly reduced.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine; †Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; and ‡Healthcare Sector, Siemens Ltd, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: LiFang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: HaiPeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: HongCheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: WenJie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: FuHua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection / Q000379:methods*; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult