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Viry A, Vitzthum V, Monnin P, Bize J, Rotzinger D, Racine D. Optimization of CT pulmonary angiography for pulmonary embolism using task-based image quality assessment and diagnostic reference levels: A multicentric study. Phys Med 2024; 121:103365. [PMID: 38663347 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2024.103365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To establish size-specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for pulmonary embolism (PE) based on patient CT examinations performed on 74 CT devices. To assess task-based image quality (IQ) for each device and to investigate the variability of dose and IQ across different CTs. To propose a dose/IQ optimization. METHODS 1051 CT pulmonary angiography dose data were collected. DRLs were calculated as the 75th percentile of CT dose index (CTDI) for two patient categories based on the thoracic perimeters. IQ was assessed with two thoracic phantom sizes using local acquisition parameters and three other dose levels. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of a 2 mm low perfused vessel was assessed with a non-prewhitening with eye-filter model observer. The optimal IQ-dose point was mathematically assessed from the relationship between IQ and dose. RESULTS The DRLs of CTDIvol were 6.4 mGy and 10 mGy for the two patient categories. 75th percentiles of phantom CTDIvol were 6.3 mGy and 10 mGy for the two phantom sizes with inter-quartile AUC values of 0.047 and 0.066, respectively. After the optimization, 75th percentiles of phantom CTDIvol decreased to 5.9 mGy and 7.55 mGy and the interquartile AUC values were reduced to 0.025 and 0.057 for the two phantom sizes. CONCLUSION DRLs for PE were proposed as a function of patient thoracic perimeters. This study highlights the variability in terms of dose and IQ. An optimization process can be started individually and lead to a harmonization of practice throughout multiple CT sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Viry
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Veronika Vitzthum
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Monnin
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julie Bize
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Rotzinger
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Damien Racine
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Smith-Bindman R, Kang T, Chu PW, Wang Y, Stewart C, Das M, Duong PA, Cervantes L, Lamba R, Lee RK, MacLeod F, Kasraie N, Neill R, Pike P, Roehm J, Schindera S, Chung R, Delman BN, Jeukens CRLPN, Starkey LJ, Szczykutowicz TP. Large variation in radiation dose for routine abdomen CT: reasons for excess and easy tips for reduction. Eur Radiol 2024; 34:2394-2404. [PMID: 37735276 PMCID: PMC10957641 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-10076-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the use and impact of radiation dose reduction techniques in actual practice for routine abdomen CT. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed consecutive routine abdomen CT scans in adults from a large dose registry, contributed by 95 hospitals and imaging facilities. Grouping exams into deciles by, first, patient size, and second, size-adjusted dose length product (DLP), we summarized dose and technical parameters and estimated which parameters contributed most to between-protocols dose variation. Lastly, we modeled the total population dose if all protocols with mean size-adjusted DLP above 433 or 645 mGy-cm were reduced to these thresholds. RESULTS A total of 748,846 CTs were performed using 1033 unique protocols. When sorted by patient size, patients with larger abdominal diameters had increased dose and effective mAs (milliampere seconds), even after adjusting for patient size. When sorted by size-adjusted dose, patients in the highest versus the lowest decile in size-adjusted DLP received 6.4 times the average dose (1680 vs 265 mGy-cm) even though diameter was no different (312 vs 309 mm). Effective mAs was 2.1-fold higher, unadjusted CTDIvol 2.9-fold, and phase 2.5-fold for patients in the highest versus lowest size-adjusted DLP decile. There was virtually no change in kV (kilovolt). Automatic exposure control was widely used to modulate mAs, whereas kV modulation was rare. Phase was the strongest driver of between-protocols variation. Broad adoption of optimized protocols could result in total population dose reductions of 18.6-40%. CONCLUSION There are large variations in radiation doses for routine abdomen CT unrelated to patient size. Modification of kV and single-phase scanning could result in substantial dose reduction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Radiation dose-optimization techniques for routine abdomen CT are routinely under-utilized leading to higher doses than needed. Greater modification of technical parameters and number of phases could result in substantial reduction in radiation exposure to patients. KEY POINTS • Based on an analysis of 748,846 routine abdomen CT scans in adults, radiation doses varied tremendously across patients of the same size and optimization techniques were routinely under-utilized. • The difference in observed dose was due to variation in technical parameters and phase count. Automatic exposure control was commonly used to modify effective mAs, whereas kV was rarely adjusted for patient size. Routine abdomen CT should be performed using a single phase, yet multi-phase was common. • kV modulation by patient size and restriction to a single phase for routine abdomen indications could result in substantial reduction in radiation doses using well-established dose optimization approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Smith-Bindman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Taewoon Kang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Philip W Chu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Carly Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Marco Das
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Helios Hospital Duisburg, An Der Abtei 7-11, 47166, Duisburg, Germany
| | - Phuong-Anh Duong
- Department of Radiology, New York University Langone, 6 Ohio Drive, Lake Success, NY, 11042, USA
| | - Luisa Cervantes
- Department of Radiology, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, 3100 SW 62Nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33155, USA
| | - Ramit Lamba
- Department of Radiology, University of California Davis, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3100, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Ryan K Lee
- Department of Radiology, Ground Floor, Einstein Healthcare Network, 5501 Old York Road, Levy Bldg, Philadelphia, PA, 19141, USA
| | - Fiona MacLeod
- Department of Radiology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Nima Kasraie
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Rebecca Neill
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Pavlina Pike
- Huntsville Hospital, 101 Sivley Rd SW, Huntsville, AL, 35801, USA
| | | | - Sebastian Schindera
- Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Tellstrasse 25, 5001, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Robert Chung
- Department of Demography, University of California Berkeley, 310 Social Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720-2120, USA
| | - Bradley N Delman
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Cécile R L P N Jeukens
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, P. Debyelaan 25 6229 HX, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - L Jay Starkey
- Department of Radiology, St Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashicho, Tokyo, 104-8560, Chuo City, Japan
| | - Timothy P Szczykutowicz
- Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Wang Y, Chu P, Szczykutowicz TP, Stewart C, Smith-Bindman R. CT acquisition parameter selection in the real world: impacts on radiation dose and variation amongst 155 institutions. Eur Radiol 2024; 34:1605-1613. [PMID: 37646805 PMCID: PMC10873435 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-10161-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Quantify the relationship between CT acquisition parameters and radiation dose, how often parameters are adjusted in real-world practice, and their degree of contribution to real-world dose distribution. Identify discrepancies between parameters that are impactful in theory and impactful in practice. METHODS This study analyses 1.3 million consecutive adult routine abdomen exams performed between November 2015 and Jan 2021 included in the University of California, San Francisco International CT Dose Registry of 155 institutions. We calculated geometric standard deviation (gSD) for five parameters (kV, mAs, spiral pitch, number of phases, scan length) to assess variation in practice. A Gaussian mixed regression model was performed to predict the radiation dose-length product (DLP) using the parameters. Three conceptualizations of "impact" were computed for each parameter. To reflect the theoretical impact, we predict the increase in DLP per 10% (and 15%) increase in the parameter. To reflect the real-world practical impact, we predict the increase in DLP per gSD increase in the parameter. RESULTS Among studied examinations, mAs, number of phases, and scan length were frequently manipulated (gSD 1.52-1.70); kV was rarely manipulated (gSD 1.07). Theoretically, kV is the most impactful parameter (29% increase in DLP per 10% increase in kV, versus 5-9% increase for other parameters). In real-world practice, kV is less impactful; for each gSD increase in kV, the DLP increases by 20%, versus 22-69% for other parameters. CONCLUSION Despite the potential impact of kV on radiation dose, this parameter is rarely manipulated in common practice and this potential remains untapped. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT CT beam energy (kV) modulation has the potential to strongly reduce radiation over-dosage to the patient, theoretically more so than similar degrees of modulation in other CT acquisition parameters. Despite this, beam energy modulation rarely occurs in practice, leaving its potential untapped. KEY POINTS • The relationship between CT acquisition parameter selection and radiation dose roughly coincided with established theoretical understanding. • CT acquisition parameters differ from each other in frequency and magnitude of manipulation, with beam energy (kV) being rarely manipulated. • Beam energy (kV) has the potential to substantially impact radiation dose, but because it is rarely manipulated, it is the least impactful CT acquisition parameter affecting radiation dose in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Philip Chu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Timothy P Szczykutowicz
- Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Carly Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Rebecca Smith-Bindman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16Th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Philip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, 3333 California St, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA
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Pannenbecker P, Heidenreich JF, Grunz JP, Huflage H, Gruschwitz P, Patzer TS, Feldle P, Bley TA, Petritsch B. Image Quality and Radiation Dose of CTPA With Iodine Maps: A Prospective Randomized Study of High-Pitch Mode Photon-Counting Detector CT Versus Energy-Integrating Detector CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2024; 222:e2330154. [PMID: 37966036 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.23.30154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND. Dual-energy CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) with energy-integrating detector (EID) technology is limited by the inability to use high-pitch technique. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of anatomic images and iodine maps between high-pitch photon-counting detector (PCD) CTPA and dual-energy EID CTPA. METHODS. This prospective study included 117 patients (70 men and 47 women; median age, 65 years) who underwent CTPA to evaluate for pulmonary embolism between March 2022 and November 2022. Fifty-eight patients were randomized to undergo PCD CTPA (pitch, 2.0), and 59 were randomized to undergo EID CTPA (pitch, 0.55). For each examination, 120-kV polychromatic images, 60-keV virtual monogenetic images (VMIs), and iodine maps were reconstructed. One radiologist measured CNR and SNR. Three radiologists independently assessed subjective image quality (on a scale of 1-4, with a score of 1 denoting highest quality). Radiation dose was recorded. RESULTS. SNR and CNR were higher for PCD CTPA than for EID CTPA for polychromatic images and VMIs, for all assessed vessels other than the left upper lobe artery. For example, for PCD CTPA versus EID CTPA, the right lower lobe artery on polychromatic images had an SNR of 34.5 versus 28.0 (p = .003) and a CNR of 29.2 versus 24.4 (p = .001), and on VMIs it had an SNR of 43.2 versus 32.7 (p = .005) and a CNR of 37.4 versus 29.3 (p = .002). For both scanners for readers 1 and 2, the median image quality score for polychromatic images and VMIs was 1, although distributions indicated significantly better scores for PCD CTPA than for EID CTPA for polychromatic images for reader 1 (p = .02) and reader 2 (p = .005) and for VMIs for reader 1 (p = .001) and reader 2 (p = .006). The image quality of anatomic image sets was not different between PCD CTPA and EID CTPA for reader 3 (p > .05). The image quality of iodine maps was not different between PCD CTPA and EID CTPA for any reader (p > .05). For PCD CTPA versus EID CTPA, the CTDIvol was 3.9 versus 4.5 mGy (p = .03), and the DLP was 123.5 mGy × cm versus 157.0 mGy × cm (p < .001). CONCLUSION. High-pitch PCD CTPA provided anatomic images with better subjective and objective image quality versus dual-energy EID CTPA, with lower radiation dose. Iodine maps showed no significant difference in image quality between scanners. CLINICAL IMPACT. CTPA may benefit from the PCD CT technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Pannenbecker
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julius F Heidenreich
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Grunz
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Henner Huflage
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Gruschwitz
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa S Patzer
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Feldle
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten A Bley
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Petritsch
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstrasse, 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
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Smith-Bindman R, Wang Y, Stewart C, Luong J, Chu PW, Kohli M, Westphalen AC, Siegel E, Ray M, Szczykutowicz TP, Bindman AB, Romano PS. Improving the Safety of Computed Tomography Through Automated Quality Measurement: A Radiologist Reader Study of Radiation Dose, Image Noise, and Image Quality. Invest Radiol 2024:00004424-990000000-00194. [PMID: 38265058 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000001062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services funded the development of a computed tomography (CT) quality measure for use in pay-for-performance programs, which balances automated assessments of radiation dose with image quality to incentivize dose reduction without compromising the diagnostic utility of the tests. However, no existing quantitative method for assessing CT image quality has been validated against radiologists' image quality assessments on a large number of CT examinations. Thus to develop an automated measure of image quality, we tested the relationship between radiologists' subjective ratings of image quality with measurements of radiation dose and image noise. MATERIALS AND METHODS Board-certified, posttraining, clinically active radiologists rated the image quality of 200 diagnostic CT examinations from a set of 734, representing 14 CT categories. Examinations with significant distractions, motion, or artifact were excluded. Radiologists rated diagnostic image quality as excellent, adequate, marginally acceptable, or poor; the latter 2 were considered unacceptable for rendering diagnoses. We quantified the relationship between ratings and image noise and radiation dose, by category, by analyzing the odds of an acceptable rating per standard deviation (SD) increase in noise or geometric SD (gSD) in dose. RESULTS One hundred twenty-five radiologists contributed 24,800 ratings. Most (89%) were acceptable. The odds of an examination being rated acceptable statistically significantly increased per gSD increase in dose and decreased per SD increase in noise for most categories, including routine dose head, chest, and abdomen-pelvis, which together comprise 60% of examinations performed in routine practice. For routine dose abdomen-pelvis, the most common category, each gSD increase in dose raised the odds of an acceptable rating (2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.98-3.24), whereas each SD increase in noise decreased the odds (0.90; 0.79-0.99). For only 2 CT categories, high-dose head and neck/cervical spine, neither dose nor noise was associated with ratings. CONCLUSIONS Radiation dose and image noise correlate with radiologists' image quality assessments for most CT categories, making them suitable as automated metrics in quality programs incentivizing reduction of excessive radiation doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Smith-Bindman
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (R.S.-B., Y.W., C.S., J.L., P.W.C.); Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (R.S.-B.); Philip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (R.S.-B.); Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (M.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (A.C.W.); Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center and Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore, MD (E.S.); Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA (M.R., P.S.R.); Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (T.P.S.); and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals (A.B.B.)
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Oliveira Bernardo M, Karout L, Morgado F, Ebrahimian S, Sarmet Santos A, Amorim C, Muniz Filho H, Moscatelli A, Francisco Muglia V, Schroeder H, Moulin Sales D, Gandolpho Henschel R, Giovanni Valese B, Kiipper F, Cesar Cavalcanti P, Lucena R, Jornada T, de Paula V, Zago M, Varella R, Anes M, Márcio Alves Pinheiro A, Claúdio de Moura Carvalho L, Santana de Melo Tapajos J, Antonio de Almeida F, Applegate K, Paulo G, Roberto Costa P. Establishing national clinical diagnostic reference levels and achievable doses for CT examinations in Brazil: A prospective study. Eur J Radiol 2023; 169:111191. [PMID: 37976761 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2023.111191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Diagnostic reference levels (DRL) and achievable doses (AD) are important tools for radiation dose optimization. Therefore, a prospective study was performed which aimed to establish a multi-parametric, clinical indication based - DRL(DRLCI) and clinical indication - AD (ADCI) for adult CT in Brazil. METHODS The prospective study included 4787 patients (50 ± 18 years old; male:female 2041:2746) at 13 Brazilian sites that have been submitted to head, paranasal sinus, cervical spine, chest, or abdomen-pelvis CT between January and October 2021 for 13 clinical indications. The sites provided the following information: patient age, gender, weight, height, body mass index[BMI], clinical indications, scanner information(vendor, model, detector configuration), scan parameters (number of scan phases, kV, mA, pitch) and dose-related quantities (CT dose index volume- CTDIvol, dose length product- DLP). Median(AD) and 75th(DRL) percentile CTDIvol and DLP values were estimated for each body region and clinical indications. Non-normal data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS In majority of Brazilian sites, body region and clinical indications based DRLs were at or lower than the corresponding DRLs in the US and higher than Europe. Although radiation doses varied significantly for patients in different body mass index groups (p < 0.001), within each body region, there were no differences in radiation doses for different clinical indications (p > 0.1). Radiation doses for 7/13 clinical indications were higher using iterative reconstruction technique than for the filtered back projection. CONCLUSIONS There was substantial variation in Brazil DRLCI across different institutions with higher doses compared to the European standards. There was also a lack of clinical indication-based protocol and dose optimization based on different clinical indications for the same body region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lina Karout
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Shadi Ebrahimian
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Elmhurst, NY, USA.
| | | | - Clarissa Amorim
- Complexo Hospitalar de Niterói, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Valdair Francisco Muglia
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
| | - Henrique Schroeder
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ronaldo Lucena
- Unimed Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Tiago Jornada
- Hospital das Clínicas de Recife, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Valnir de Paula
- DIX Diagnóstico por Imagem, Santa Maria, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Marcel Zago
- DIX Diagnóstico por Imagem, Santa Maria, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Varella
- Hospital Unimed de Vitória, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
| | - Mauricio Anes
- Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | - Kimberly Applegate
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Graciano Paulo
- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Guzinski M, Puła M, Zdanowicz A, Kacała A, Dudek K, Lipiński A, Sąsiadek M. Safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of a CT-guided transthoracic lung and pleural biopsy - a single-centre experience with own low-dose protocol. Pol J Radiol 2023; 88:e546-e551. [PMID: 38125814 PMCID: PMC10731440 DOI: 10.5114/pjr.2023.133309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess the efficacy and safety of a low-dose, computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic biopsy of lung and pleural lesions. Material and methods A total of 135 low-dose, CT-guided transthoracic lung and pleural lesions biopsies were performed. A cutting needle was utilized in 124 cases, and fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 14 cases. In all cases, 14- to 22-gauge biopsy needles were used. Results Diagnostic material was obtained in 111 (82.2%) patients. In 97 (71.8%) cases neoplastic lesions were found, predominantly adenocarcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma. In 14 (12.6%) cases non atypical cells were reported. Biopsy failed to obtain material suitable for histopathological examination in 24 (17.7%) cases. Complications occurred in 31 patients, including pneumothorax in 28 patients and haematoma in 3 cases. Conclusions Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that low-dose, CT-guided transthoracic biopsy of lung and pleural tissues is an accurate and safe procedure. Also, it is linked to a low risk of complications such as a small pneumothorax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Guzinski
- Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Puła
- Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Agata Zdanowicz
- Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Kacała
- Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Dudek
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Artur Lipiński
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marek Sąsiadek
- Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
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Pannenbecker P, Huflage H, Grunz JP, Gruschwitz P, Patzer TS, Weng AM, Heidenreich JF, Bley TA, Petritsch B. Photon-counting CT for diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism: potential for contrast medium and radiation dose reduction. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:7830-7839. [PMID: 37311805 PMCID: PMC10598187 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09777-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the image quality of an ultra-low contrast medium and radiation dose CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) protocol for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism using a clinical photon-counting detector (PCD) CT system and compare its performance to a dual-energy-(DE)-CTPA protocol on a conventional energy-integrating detector (EID) CT system. METHODS Sixty-four patients either underwent CTPA with the novel scan protocol on the PCD-CT scanner (32 patients, 25 mL, CTDIvol 2.5 mGy·cm) or conventional DE-CTPA on a third-generation dual-source EID-CT (32 patients, 50 mL, CTDIvol 5.1 mGy·cm). Pulmonary artery CT attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise-ratio were assessed as objective criteria of image quality, while subjective ratings of four radiologists were compared at 60 keV using virtual monoenergetic imaging and polychromatic standard reconstructions. Interrater reliability was determined by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Effective dose was compared between patient cohorts. RESULTS Subjective image quality was deemed superior by all four reviewers for 60-keV PCD scans (excellent or good ratings in 93.8% of PCD vs. 84.4% of 60 keV EID scans, ICC = 0.72). No examinations on either system were considered "non-diagnostic." Objective image quality parameters were significantly higher in the EID group (mostly p < 0.001), both in the polychromatic reconstructions and at 60 keV. The ED (1.4 vs. 3.3 mSv) was significantly lower in the PCD cohort (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS PCD-CTPA allows for considerable reduction of contrast medium and radiation dose in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism, while maintaining good to excellent image quality compared to conventional EID-CTPA. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT Clinical PCD-CT allows for spectral assessment of pulmonary vasculature with high scan speed, which is beneficial in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism, frequently presenting with dyspnea. Simultaneously PCD-CT enables substantial reduction of contrast medium and radiation dose. KEY POINTS • The clinical photon-counting detector CT scanner used in this study allows for high-pitch multi-energy acquisitions. • Photon-counting computed tomography allows for considerable reduction of contrast medium and radiation dose in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism. • Subjective image quality was rated best for 60-keV photon-counting scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Pannenbecker
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Henner Huflage
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Grunz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Gruschwitz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa S Patzer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas M Weng
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julius F Heidenreich
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten A Bley
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Petritsch
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstr. 6, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany
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9
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Sebelego I, Acho S, van der Merwe B, Rae WID. Size based dependence of patient dose metrics, and image quality metrics for clinical indicator-based imaging protocols in abdominal CT procedures. Radiography (Lond) 2023; 29:961-974. [PMID: 37572570 DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Diagnostic reference level (DRL) values for computed tomography (CT) based on clinical indication are warranted since imaging protocols are indication-dependent. This study proposes clinical DRL values using the CT dose metrics and five patient size-related parameters while considering image quality. METHODS The volumetric CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose-length product (DLP) and five size-related parameters of size-specific dose estimates (SSDE), namely the anterior-posterior (AP) dimension, lateral (LAT) dimension, sum dimension, effective diameter, and the body mass index (BMI), were used to calculate DRL values for CT chest-abdomen-pelvis (CAP) and abdomen-pelvis (AbP) protocols. DRL values of the clinical indications for cancer, urinary system stones and other pathologies were assessed based on the BMI classifications using the median and 75th percentile. An image subtraction algorithm was used to assess the image quality metrics (IQM) of the CT images. RESULTS The 75th percentile for SSDEAP dimension for CAP cancer was 19.7, 14.9 and 12.7 mGy at Hospitals A, C and E, respectively. The median DLP for other AbP pathologies was 556.3, 1452.0 and 1960.7 mGy.cm for normal weight, overweight and obese patients, respectively, at Hospital A. The image quality varied among BMI classifications for different clinically indicated examinations. Although the dose increased with BMI, the image quality index was consistent because automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) was used. CONCLUSION DRL values are influenced by patient size-related parameters and the clinical indication protocols, while the image quality index is independent of the BMI. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Size-related clinical DRL values and image quality index can be used to monitor and optimise dose and image quality. Acquisition parameters and image quality indexes should be investigated and adjusted when unusually high DRL values are noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Sebelego
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
| | - S Acho
- Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - B van der Merwe
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - W I D Rae
- Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Medical Imaging Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia
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10
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Tong X, Fang X, Wang S, Fan Y, Wei W, Xiao Q, Chen A, Liu Y, Liu L. Virtual unenhanced images derived from dual-energy computed tomography for assessing bone mineral density and detecting osteoporosis. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2023; 13:6571-6582. [PMID: 37869291 PMCID: PMC10585565 DOI: 10.21037/qims-23-748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Background The early detection and treatment of osteoporosis can help prevent osteoporosis-related fractures, especially in patients who undergo enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans for disease diagnosis or evaluation of treatment outcomes. Although Hounsfield unit (HU) measurement of the vertebral body has been shown to have a strong positive correlation with bone mineral density (BMD), the contrast media will impact the CT value of the vertebral body and decrease the accuracy. This study is aimed to examine the distinctions in vertebral body CT attenuation measurement on true unenhanced (TUE) and virtual unenhanced (VUE) images generated from triphasic enhanced dual-energy CT (DECT) scans and to determine the feasibility of assessing BMD and detecting osteoporosis on VUE images as compared to quantitative CT (QCT). Methods A total of 235 patients underwent abdominal CT examinations that included unenhanced (with 120 kVp and Smart mA) and triphasic enhanced DECT scans. The BMD and CT attenuation values of the L1-L2 vertebrae were measured on TUE and VUE images reconstructed from the triphasic enhanced CT. The differences and associations between TUE and VUE generated from triphasic enhanced CT were analyzed. The diagnostic performances of HU measurements obtained from TUE and VUE images were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve. Results The BMD and HU measurements of the vertebrae showed good interobserver repeatability on both TUE and VUE images (all intercorrelation coefficients >0.92). The CT attenuation values of L1 and L2 and their average value showed no statistically significant difference among the triphasic VUE images (F=0.121, F=0.061, F=0.090; all P values >0.05) but were significantly lower than those obtained from the TUE images. HU measurements in both the TUE and triphasic VUE images, along with the reference BMD derived from QCT, demonstrated a strong positive correlation (rTUE =0.981, rVUEa =0.966, rVUEv =0.962, rVUEd =0.964; all P values <0.05), with excellent diagnostic performance for the diagnoses of osteoporosis and osteopenia (all areas under curve >0.95). The Bland-Altman scatter plot exhibited good agreement, as the deviations between the reference BMD and the calculated BMD were evenly distributed around 0. Conclusions Although the attenuation values of the vertebrae on the VUE images were underestimated compared to those on the TUE images, the HU measurement on VUE image was effective in assessing BMD and detecting osteoporosis and osteopenia with good diagnostic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Tong
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xin Fang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shigeng Wang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yong Fan
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qingzhu Xiao
- School of Investment and Project Management, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, China
| | - Anliang Chen
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yijun Liu
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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11
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De Saint-Hubert M, Boissonnat G, Schneider U, Bäumer C, Verbeek N, Esser J, Wulff J, Stuckmann F, Suesselbeck F, Nabha R, Dabin J, Vasi F, Radonic S, Rodriguez M, Simon AC, Journy N, Timmermann B, Thierry-Chef I, Brualla L. Complete patient exposure during paediatric brain cancer treatment for photon and proton therapy techniques including imaging procedures. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1222800. [PMID: 37795436 PMCID: PMC10546320 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1222800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In radiotherapy, especially when treating children, minimising exposure of healthy tissue can prevent the development of adverse outcomes, including second cancers. In this study we propose a validated Monte Carlo framework to evaluate the complete patient exposure during paediatric brain cancer treatment. Materials and methods Organ doses were calculated for treatment of a diffuse midline glioma (50.4 Gy with 1.8 Gy per fraction) on a 5-year-old anthropomorphic phantom with 3D-conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity modulated pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. Doses from computed tomography (CT) for planning and on-board imaging for positioning (kV-cone beam CT and X-ray imaging) accounted for the estimate of the exposure of the patient including imaging therapeutic dose. For dose calculations we used validated Monte Carlo-based tools (PRIMO, TOPAS, PENELOPE), while lifetime attributable risk (LAR) was estimated from dose-response relationships for cancer induction, proposed by Schneider et al. Results Out-of-field organ dose equivalent data of proton therapy are lower, with doses between 0.6 mSv (testes) and 120 mSv (thyroid), when compared to photon therapy revealing the highest out-of-field doses for IMRT ranging between 43 mSv (testes) and 575 mSv (thyroid). Dose delivered by CT ranged between 0.01 mSv (testes) and 72 mSv (scapula) while a single imaging positioning ranged between 2 μSv (testes) and 1.3 mSv (thyroid) for CBCT and 0.03 μSv (testes) and 48 μSv (scapula) for X-ray. Adding imaging dose from CT and daily CBCT to the therapeutic demonstrated an important contribution of imaging to the overall radiation burden in the course of treatment, which is subsequently used to predict the LAR, for selected organs. Conclusion The complete patient exposure during paediatric brain cancer treatment was estimated by combining the results from different Monte Carlo-based dosimetry tools, showing that proton therapy allows significant reduction of the out-of-field doses and secondary cancer risk in selected organs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Uwe Schneider
- Physik Institut, Universitat Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Bäumer
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
- Radiation Oncology and Imaging, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Essen, Germany
- Department of Physics, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Nico Verbeek
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
| | - Johannes Esser
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics and Science Institute of Physics and Medical Physics, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jörg Wulff
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
| | - Florian Stuckmann
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
| | - Finja Suesselbeck
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
| | - Racell Nabha
- Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Jérémie Dabin
- Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Fabiano Vasi
- Physik Institut, Universitat Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Miguel Rodriguez
- Hospital Paitilla, Panama City, Panama
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y de Alta Tecnología INDICASAT-AIP, Panama City, Panama
| | | | - Neige Journy
- INSERM U1018, Paris Sud-Paris Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Beate Timmermann
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
- Radiation Oncology and Imaging, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Essen, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Isabelle Thierry-Chef
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Brualla
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen WPE, Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), Essen, Germany
- Radiation Oncology and Imaging, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Essen, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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12
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Najjar R. Radiology's Ionising Radiation Paradox: Weighing the Indispensable Against the Detrimental in Medical Imaging. Cureus 2023; 15:e41623. [PMID: 37435015 PMCID: PMC10331516 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ionising radiation stands as an indispensable protagonist in the narrative of medical imaging, underpinning diagnostic evaluations and therapeutic interventions across an array of medical conditions. However, this protagonist poses a paradox - its inestimable service to medicine coexists with an undercurrent of potential health risks, primarily DNA damage and subsequent oncogenesis. The narrative of this comprehensive review unfurls around this intricate enigma, delicately balancing the indispensable diagnostic utility against the non-negotiable commitment to patient safety. In this critical discourse, the intricacies of ionising radiation are dissected, illuminating not only its sources but also the associated biological and health hazards. The exploration delves into the labyrinth of strategies currently deployed to minimise exposure and safeguard patients. By casting light on the scientific nuances of X-rays, computed tomography (CT), and nuclear medicine, it traverses the complex terrain of radiation use in radiology, to promote safer medical imaging practices, and to facilitate an ongoing dialogue about diagnostic necessity and risk. Through a rigorous examination, the pivotal relationship between radiation dose and dose response is elucidated, unravelling the mechanisms of radiation injury and distinguishing between deterministic and stochastic effects. Moreover, protection strategies are illuminated, demystifying concepts such as justification, optimisation, the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle, dose and diagnostic reference levels, along with administrative and regulatory approaches. With an eye on the horizon, promising avenues of future research are discussed. These encompass low-radiation imaging techniques, long-term risk assessment in large patient cohorts, and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in dose optimisation. This exploration of the nuanced complexities of radiation use in radiology aims to foster a collaborative impetus towards safer medical imaging practices. It underscores the need for an ongoing dialogue around diagnostic necessity and risk, thereby advocating for a continual reassessment in the narrative of medical imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reabal Najjar
- Medical Imaging, Canberra Hospital, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Health, Canberra, AUS
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13
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Sebelego IK, Acho S, van der Merwe B, Rae WID. FACTORS INFLUENCING SIZE-SPECIFIC DOSE ESTIMATES OF SELECTED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY PROTOCOLS AT TWO CLINICAL PRACTICES IN SOUTH AFRICA. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2023; 199:588-602. [PMID: 36928986 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncad059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to determine the factors that impact the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) for computed tomography (CT) examinations of the chest-abdomen-pelvis and abdomen-pelvis protocols in two clinical radiology practices and evaluate the image quality of these protocols. Imaging parameters, protocols, dose metrics from the CT units and size-related parameters to calculate the SSDE were documented. The image quality of the CT images was assessed using an image subtraction algorithm. The SSDE increased as the volumetric CT dose index (CTDIvol), and the patient's body mass index increased, respectively. Significant differences (p < 0.001) occurred between the two hospitals regarding image quality. However, these differences were not indicative of differences in the diagnostic performances for task-based imaging protocols. Different clinical protocols should be reviewed to optimise dose. The inclusion of the pre-monitoring sequence, age of the machine and the scan requisition parameters impacted the SSDEs. Image quality should be assessed to evaluate the consistency of image quality between protocols applied by different CT units when assessing SSDEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida-Keshia Sebelego
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - Sussan Acho
- Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Belinda van der Merwe
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - William I D Rae
- Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
- Medical Imaging Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, 2133, Australia
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14
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Wollschläger D, Jahnen A, Hermen J, Giussani A, Stamm G, Borowski M, Huisinga C, Mentzel HJ, Braun J, Sigmund G, Wagner J, Adolph J, Gunschera J, Koerber F, Schiefer A, Müller B, Lenzen H, Doering T, Entz K, Kunze C, Starck P, Staatz G, Mildenberger P, Pokora R. Pediatric computed tomography doses in Germany from 2016 to 2018 based on large-scale data collection. Eur J Radiol 2023; 163:110832. [PMID: 37059005 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2023.110832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Accumulating evidence from epidemiological studies that pediatric computed tomography (CT) examinations can be associated with a small but non-zero excess risk for developing leukemia or brain tumor highlights the need to optimize doses of pediatric CT procedures. Mandatory dose reference levels (DRL) can support reduction of collective dose from CT imaging. Regular surveys of applied dose-related parameters are instrumental to decide when technological advances and optimized protocol design allow lower doses without sacrificing image quality. Our aim was to collect dosimetric data to support adapting current DRL to changing clinical practice. METHOD Dosimetric data and technical scan parameters from common pediatric CT examinations were retrospectively collected directly from Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), Dose Management Systems (DMS), and Radiological Information Systems (RIS). RESULTS We collected data from 17 institutions on 7746 CT series from the years 2016 to 2018 from examinations of the head, thorax, abdomen, cervical spine, temporal bone, paranasal sinuses and knee in patients below 18 years of age. Most of the age-stratified parameter distributions were lower than distributions from previously-analyzed data from before 2010. Most of the third quartiles were lower than German DRL at the time of the survey. CONCLUSIONS Directly interfacing PACS, DMS, and RIS installations allows large-scale data collection but relies on high data-quality at the documentation stage. Data should be validated by expert knowledge or guided questionnaires. Observed clinical practice in pediatric CT imaging suggests lowering some DRL in Germany is reasonable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wollschläger
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Andreas Jahnen
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Johannes Hermen
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | | | - Georg Stamm
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Markus Borowski
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Carolin Huisinga
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Mentzel
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Jochen Braun
- Diagnosticum Neuburg MVZ, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
| | | | - Joachim Wagner
- Institute for Radiology and Interventional Therapy, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juergen Adolph
- Department of Radiology, Klinikum Worms gGmbH, Worms, Germany
| | - Jana Gunschera
- Department of Radiology, Carl-Thiem-Klinikum Cottbus, Cottbus, Germany
| | - Friederike Koerber
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna Schiefer
- Pediatric Radiology, Klinikum Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Müller
- Institute of Medical Physics, Klinikum Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Horst Lenzen
- Institute of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Kathrin Entz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christian Kunze
- Clinic and Policlinic of Radiology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Peter Starck
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe gGmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gundula Staatz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology. University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter Mildenberger
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology. University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Roman Pokora
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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15
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Costa PR, Tomal A, de Oliveira Castro JC, Nunes IPF, Nersissian DY, Sawamura MVY, Leão Filho H, Lee C. Diagnostic reference level quantities for adult chest and abdomen-pelvis CT examinations: correlation with organ doses. Insights Imaging 2023; 14:60. [PMID: 37024637 PMCID: PMC10079797 DOI: 10.1186/s13244-023-01403-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate correlations between DRL quantities (DRLq) stratified into patient size groups for non-contrast chest and abdomen-pelvis CT examinations in adult patients and the corresponding organ doses. METHODS This study presents correlations between DRLq (CTDIvol, DLP and SSDE) stratified into patient size ranges and corresponding organ doses shared in four groups: inside, peripheral, distributed and outside. The demographic, technical and dosimetric parameters were used to identify the influence of these quantities in organ doses. A robust statistical method was implemented in order to establish these correlations and its statistical significance. RESULTS Median values of the grouped organ doses are presented according to the effective diameter ranges. Organ doses in the regions inside the imaged area are higher than the organ doses in peripheral, distributed and outside regions, excepted to the peripheral doses associated with chest examinations. Different levels of statistical significance between organ doses and the DRLq were presented. CONCLUSIONS Correlations between DRLq and target-organ doses associated with clinical practice can support guidance's to the establishment of optimization criteria. SSDE demonstrated to be significant in the evaluation of organ doses is also highlighted. The proposed model allows the design of optimization actions with specific risk-reduction results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Roberto Costa
- Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, R. Do Matão, 1371, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil.
| | - Alessandra Tomal
- Institute of Physics Gleb Watagin, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | | | | | - Denise Yanikian Nersissian
- Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, R. Do Matão, 1371, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil
| | | | - Hilton Leão Filho
- Division of Radiology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Choonsik Lee
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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16
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Kiragga F, Erem G, Kisembo H, Mayanja JMK, Mubuuke AG, Nankya E, Nalwoga K. Typical Diagnostic Reference Levels of Common Indications for Computed Tomography Scans Among Adult Patients in Uganda: a Cross-sectional Study. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2683913. [PMID: 36993740 PMCID: PMC10055658 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2683913/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Medical exposure to ionizing radiation has increased due to an increase in the number of computerized tomography (CT) scan examinations performed. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommends indication-based diagnostic reference levels (IB-DRLs) as an effective tool that aids in optimizing CT scan radiation doses. In many low-income settings, there is a lack of IB-DRLs to support optimization of radiation doses. Objective To establish typical DRLs for common CT scan indications among adult patients in Kampala, Uganda. Methodology A cross sectional study design was employed involving 337 participants enrolled from three hospitals using systematic sampling. The participants were adults who had been referred for a CT scan. The typical DRL of each indication was determined as the median value of the pooled distribution of CTDIvol (mGy) data and the median value of the pooled distribution of total DLP (tDLP)(mGy.cm) data from three hospitals. Comparison was made to anatomical, and indication based DRLs from other studies. Results 54.3% of the participants were male. The following were typical DRLs for: acute stroke (30.17mGy and 653mGy.cm); head trauma (32.04mGy and 878mGy.cm); interstitial lung diseases/ high resolution chest CT scan (4.66mGy and 161mGy.cm); pulmonary embolism (5.03mGy and 273mGy.cm); abdominopelvic lesion (6.93mGy and 838mGy.cm) and urinary calculi (7.61mGy and 975mGy.cm). Indication based total Dose Length Product (tDLP) DRLs was lower than tDLP DRLs of a whole anatomical region by 36.4% on average. Most of the developed typical IB-DLP DRLs were lower or comparable to values from studies in Ghana and Egypt in all indications besides urinary calculi while they were higher than values in a French study in all indications besides acute stroke and head trauma. Conclusion Typical IB-DRLs is a good clinical practice tool for optimization of CT doses and therefore recommended for use to manage CT radiation dose. The developed IB-DRLs varied from international values due to differences in selection of CT scan parameters and standardization of CT imaging protocols may narrow the variation. This study can serve as baseline for establishment of national indication-based CT DRLs in Uganda.
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Computed Tomography of the Spine. Clin Neuroradiol 2022; 33:271-291. [DOI: 10.1007/s00062-022-01227-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe introduction of the first whole-body CT scanner in 1974 marked the beginning of cross-sectional spine imaging. In the last decades, the technological advancement, increasing availability and clinical success of CT led to a rapidly growing number of CT examinations, also of the spine. After initially being primarily used for trauma evaluation, new indications continued to emerge, such as assessment of vertebral fractures or degenerative spine disease, preoperative and postoperative evaluation, or CT-guided interventions at the spine; however, improvements in patient management and clinical outcomes come along with higher radiation exposure, which increases the risk for secondary malignancies. Therefore, technical developments in CT acquisition and reconstruction must always include efforts to reduce the radiation dose. But how exactly can the dose be reduced? What amount of dose reduction can be achieved without compromising the clinical value of spinal CT examinations and what can be expected from the rising stars in CT technology: artificial intelligence and photon counting CT? In this article, we try to answer these questions by systematically reviewing dose reduction techniques with respect to the major clinical indications of spinal CT. Furthermore, we take a concise look on the dose reduction potential of future developments in CT hardware and software.
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Cantarinha A, Bassil C, Savignac A, Devilder M, Maxwell F, Crézé M, Purcell YM, Bellin MF, Meyrignac O, Dillenseger JP. "Triple low" free-breathing CTPA protocol for patients with dyspnoea. Clin Radiol 2022; 77:e628-e635. [PMID: 35688771 DOI: 10.1016/j.crad.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIM To assess the performance of a "triple-low" free-breathing protocol for computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) evaluated on patients with dyspnoea and suspected pulmonary embolism and discuss its application in routine clinical practice for the study of the pulmonary parenchyma and vasculature. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was conducted on a selected group of dyspnoeic patients referred for CTPA. The protocol was designed using fast free-breathing acquisition and a small, fixed volume (35 ml) of contrast agent in order to achieve a low-exposure dose. For each examination, radiodensity of the pulmonary trunk and ascending aorta, and the dose-length product (DLP) were recorded. A qualitative analysis was performed of pulmonary arterial enhancement and the pulmonary parenchyma. RESULTS This study included 134 patients. Contrast enhancement of the pulmonary arteries (409 ± 159 HU) was systematically >250 HU. The duration of acquisition ranged from 0.9 to 1.3 seconds for free-breathing imaging. The mean DLP was in the range of low-dose chest CT acquisitions (145 ± 73 mGy·cm). The analysis was deemed optimal in 90% (120/134) of cases for the pulmonary parenchyma. Sixty-nine per cent (92/134) of cases demonstrated homogeneous enhancement of the pulmonary arteries to the subsegmental level. Only 6% (8/134) of examinations were considered uninterpretable. CONCLUSION The present "triple-low" CTPA protocol allows convenient analysis of the pulmonary parenchyma and arteries without hindrance by respiratory motion artefacts in dyspnoeic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cantarinha
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - C Bassil
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - A Savignac
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - M Devilder
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - F Maxwell
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - M Crézé
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; BioMaps, Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Kremlin-Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Y M Purcell
- Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - M-F Bellin
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; BioMaps, Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Kremlin-Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - O Meyrignac
- Service de Radiologie Générale Adulte, Hôpital Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Département Médico Universitaire Smart Imaging, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; BioMaps, Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Kremlin-Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - J-P Dillenseger
- Faculté de Médecine, Maïeutique, et Sciences de la Santé, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; ICube-UMR 7357, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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Li X, Hirsch JA, Rehani MM, Yang K, Marschall TA, Liu B. Radiation exposure in 101 non-coronary fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures: reference levels of air kerma at the reference point and air kerma area product. Br J Radiol 2022; 95:20211108. [PMID: 34826249 PMCID: PMC8822547 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20211108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To present the median value and 75th percentile of air kerma at the reference point (Ka,r), air kerma-area product (KAP), and fluoroscopic time for a large number of fluoroscopically guided interventional (FGI) procedures. METHODS This retrospective study included the consecutive non-coronary FGI procedures from a Radiology department between May 2016 and October 2018 at a large tertiary-care hospital in the U.S. An in-house developed, semi-automated software, integrated with a dictation system, was used to record patient examination information, including Ka,r, KAP and fluoroscopic time. The included patient procedures were categorized into procedure types. A software package R (v. 3.5.1, R Foundation) was used to calculate procedure-specific quartiles of radiation exposure. RESULTS Based on analysis of 24,911 FGI cases, median value and 75th percentile are presented for each of Ka,r, KAP and fluoroscopic time for 101 procedures that can act as benchmark for comparison for dose optimization studies. CONCLUSION This study provides reference levels ( 50th and 75th percentiles) for a comprehensive list of FGI procedures, reflecting an overall picture of the latest FGI studies for diagnosis, targeted minimally invasive intervention, and therapeutic treatment. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE This study provides reference levels (50th and 75th percentiles) for the largest number of fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures reported to date (101 procedures), in terms of air kerma at the reference point, air kerma-area product, and fluoroscopic time, among which these quartiles for ≥50 procedures are presented for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhua Li
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joshua Adam Hirsch
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madan M. Rehani
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kai Yang
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Bob Liu
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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