Image quality and radiation dose of cardiac CTA in overweight and obese patients

Abstract

Purpose Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) advances in better protocols permit lower radiation dose cardiac imaging. In individuals with the suitable body size, a lower tube voltage setting may allow for a decreased radiation dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality. We wanted to investigate the effect of low kilovoltage CCTA on qualitative and quantitave image quality parameters and radiation dose. Read more Methods and Materials We sought to investigate feasibility of 80 kV CCTA in overweight patients (BMI 25-30 kg/m 2 ) and 100 kV CCTA in obese adult patients groups (BMI 30-35 kg/m 2 ) by comparing radiation doses and image quality versus standartized 100 kV and 120 kV protocols accordingly. Typically bolus of nonionic iodinated contrast material (Iopromide 370 mg I/ml) was administered at a flow rate of 6 ml/s into antecubital vein. In overweight patients group twenty patients were examined using a tube potential... Read more Results A total of 768 segments were analyzed qualitatively. 408 segments (160 segments [80 kV] versus 248 segments [100 kV]) were assessed qualitatively in overweight patients group. At 80 kV, 156/160 segments and at 100 kV, 242/248 segments were deemed diagnostic. The comparison of qualitative image quality by two observers showed very good agreement with ICC of 0.91. The noise level in patients scanned with a tube 80 kV was higher compared to the patients scanned at 100 kV (70±16.1 versus 59.3±6.8... [...].