Lowering the PCCT image quality level from 70 to 50 reduced radiation dose significantly, with SSDE decreasing by 22.8%, without materially compromising image quality.
Stone detection remained high across protocols, with detection rates of 91.3% to 100%, while diagnostic confidence stayed consistently high and unaffected by dose reduction.
Quantitative and qualitative image quality changed only minimally despite lower dose, and ureter stone size measurements remained highly reproducible across all settings.
Access publication
Figure 4. Examples of ureter stones that were included in the analysis of the stone size measurements. CT scans were performed with image quality levels (IQLs) 70 (A), 60 (B) and 50 (C).
Source: Niehoff et al., Diagnostics, 2023
Protocol
Detail | Value |
|---|
Scanner | NAEOTOM Alpha |
Scan type | Non-contrast low-dose Abdomen |
Scan mode | Quantum Sn |
Tube voltage [kVp] | 100 with tin filter |
Detector configuration | 144 × 0.4 mm |
Pitch | 0.6 |
Rotation time [s] | 0.5 |
Reconstruction kernel | Br36 |
QIR | Q4 |
Slice thickness / increment [mm] | 2 / 1 |
Matrix | 512 × 512 |
Compared protocols | IQ 70 (n=31) IQL60 (n=31) IQL50 (n=36) |
Size-specific dose estimate SSDE | 4.57 ± 0.84 mGy at IQL70 3.53 ± 0.70 mGy at IQL50 |
Effective dose | 2.43 ± 0.99 mSv at IQL70 1.97 ± 0.72 mSv at IQL50 |
Niehoff JH, Carmichael AF, Woeltjen MM, et al. Clinical Low-Dose Photon-Counting CT for the Detection of Urolithiasis: Radiation Dose Reduction Is Possible without Compromising Image Quality. Diagnostics. 2023;13(3):458.
