Comparison of Image Quality, Diagnostic Accuracy and Radiation Dose Between Flash Model and Retrospective ECG-Triggered Protocols in Dual Source Computed Tomography (DSCT) in Congenital Heart Diseases.
BACKGROUND
Dual source computed tomography (DSCT) plays an important role in the diagnosis of congenital heart diseases (CHD). However, the issue of radiation-related side effects constitutes a wide public concern. The aim of the study was to explore the differences in diagnostic accuracy, radiation dose and image quality between a prospectively ECG - triggered high - pitch spiral acquisition (flash model) and a retrospective ECG-gated protocol of DSCT used for the detection of CHD.


METHODS
The study included 58 patients with CHD who underwent a DSCT examination, including two groups of 29 patients in each protocol. Then, both subjective and objective image quality, diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose were compared between the two protocols.


RESULTS
The image quality and the total as well as partial diagnostic accuracy did not differ significantly between the protocols. The radiation dose in the flash model was obviously lower than that in the retrospective model (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to the retrospective protocol, the flash model can significantly reduce the dose of radiation, while maintaining both diagnostic accuracy and image quality.
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Rong
R
Wang
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Xiang-Jiu
XJ
Xu
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Gang
G
Huang
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Xing
X
Zhou
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Wen-Wen
WW
Zhang
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Ya-Qiong
YQ
Ma
Department of Radiology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China.
Xiao-Na
XN
Zuo
Image Enhancement; Jervell-Lange Nielsen Syndrome; Multidetector Computed Tomography; Radiation Dosage