title: Fine focal spot size improves image quality in computed tomography abdomen and pelvis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the image quality between fine focal spot size (FFSS) and standard focal spot size (SFSS) in computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) METHODS: This retrospective review included all consecutive adult patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CTAP between June and September 2014. Two blinded radiologists assessed the margin clarity of the abdominal viscera and the detected lesions using a five-point grading scale. Cohen's kappa test was used to examine the inter-observer reliability between the two reviewers for organ margin clarity. Mann-Whitney U testing was utilised to assess the statistical difference of the organ and lesion margin clarity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  100 consecutive CTAPs were recruited. 52 CTAPs were examined with SFSS of 1.1 × 1.2 mm and 48 CTAPs were examined with FFSS of 0.6 × 0.7 mm. Results showed that there was substantial agreement for organ margin clarity (mean κ = 0.759, p < 0.001) among the reviewers. FFSS produces images with clearer organ margins (U = 76194.0, p < 0.001, r = 0.523) and clearer lesion margins (U = 239, p = 0.052, r = 0.269).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FFSS CTAP improves image quality in terms of better organ and lesion margin clarity. Fine focus CT scanning is a novel technique that may be applied in routine CTAP imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Fine focal spot improves organ margin clarity. • Fine focal spot improves lesion margin clarity. • Fine focal spot can be used in routine CT abdominal imaging.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Monash Health, 246, Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia. yinpeng.goh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yin P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Monash Health, 246, Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kenneth K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Monash Health, 246, Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Keat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Low
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare, PO Box 312, Mont Albert, 3127, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buchan
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Imaging, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Drive, Bedford Park South, Australia, 5042.
authors.forename: Lawrence Chia Wei
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Department, Monash Health, 246, Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ahilan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuganesan
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Data Science and Epidemiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, Australia.
authors.forename: Minh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huynh
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015588:Observer Variation; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CT abdomen and pelvis; Fine focal spot; High-resolution imaging; Low radiation dose; Margin clarity