title: Single-energy pediatric chest computed tomography with spectral filtration at 100 kVp: effects on radiation parameters and image quality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most of the applied radiation dose at CT is in the lower photon energy range, which is of limited diagnostic importance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate image quality and effects on radiation parameters of 100-kVp spectral filtration single-energy chest CT using a tin-filter at third-generation dual-source CT in comparison to standard 100-kVp chest CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three children referred for a non-contrast chest CT performed on a third-generation dual-source CT scanner were examined at 100 kVp with a dedicated tin filter with a tube current-time product resulting in standard protocol dose. We compared resulting images with images from children examined using standard single-source chest CT at 100 kVp. We assessed objective and subjective image quality and compared radiation dose parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiation dose was comparable for children 5 years old and younger, and it was moderately decreased for older children when using spectral filtration (P=0.006). Effective tube current increased significantly (P=0.0001) with spectral filtration, up to a factor of 10. Signal-to-noise ratio and image noise were similar for both examination techniques (P≥0.06). Subjective image quality showed no significant differences (P≥0.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using 100-kVp spectral filtration chest CT in children by means of a tube-based tin-filter on a third-generation dual-source CT scanner increases effective tube current up to a factor of 10 to provide similar image quality at equivalent dose compared to standard single-source CT without spectral filtration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany. bbodelle@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2409-0528
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bodelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Constanze
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fischbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Booz
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yel
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frellesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaup
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beeres
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan-Erik
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Scholtz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection / Q000379:methods; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Chest; Child; Computed tomography; Image quality; Radiation dose; Spectral filtration; Spectral shaping; Tin filter