title: Four-dimensional noise reduction using the time series of medical computed tomography datasets with short interval times: a static-phantom study.
abstract: Backgrounds. This study examines the hypothesis that four-dimensional noise reduction (4DNR) with short interval times reduces noise in cardiac computed tomography (CCT) using "padding" phases. Furthermore, the capability of reducing the reduction dose in CCT using this post-processing technique was assessed. Methods. Using base and quarter radiation doses for CCT (456 and 114 mAs/rot with 120 kVp), a static phantom was scanned ten times with retrospective electrocardiogram gating, and 4DNR with short interval times (50 ms) was performed using a post-processing technique. Differences in the computed tomography (CT) attenuation, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and spatial resolution with modulation transfer function in each dose image obtained with and without 4DNR were assessed by conducting a Tukey-Kramer's test and non-inferiority test. Results. For the base dose, by using 4DNR, the CNR was improved from 1.18 ± 0.15 to 2.08 ± 0.20 (P = 0.001), while the CT attenuation and spatial resolution of the image of 4DNR did not were significantly inferior to those of reference image (P < 0.001). CNRs of the quarter-dose image in 4DNR also improved to 1.28 ± 0.11, and were not inferior to those of the non-4DNR images of the base dose (P < 0.001). Conclusions. 4DNR with short interval times significantly reduced noise. Furthermore, applying this method to CCT would have the potential of reducing the radiation dose by 75%, while maintaining a similar image noise level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishii
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Center for Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Hospital , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Wakiko
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Center for Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Hospital , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suehiro
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Center for Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Hospital , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine , Kobe , Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimura
keywords: Cardiac CT; Computed tomography; Image quality; Radiation dose; Temporal noise reduction