Abstract
Objective
Computed tomography (CT) of the paranasal sinus is the standard diagnostic tool for a wide range of indications in mostly younger patients. This study aims to assess the image quality of CT of the sinus by using a high-pitch dual-source technique with special regard to the radiation dose.
Methods
Examinations were performed on a second-generation dual-source CT with a pitch factor of 3.0 (dual-source mode). Images were compared with those with a pitch factor of 0.9 on the same system (single-source mode) and with those of 16-slice CT. Image quality was evaluated by four blinded readers using a 5-point scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent). Comparison of the dose length product (DLP) was used to estimate radiation exposure.
Results
Seventy-three consecutive patients underwent imaging with the proposed CT protocols. The viewers rated the image quality of the dual-source image sets as nearly as good (3.62) as the single-source images on the same device (4.18) and those on 16-slice CT (3.7). DLP was cut to half of the dose [51 mGycm vs. 97.8 mGycm vs. 116.9 mGycm (p < 0.01)].
Conclusions
Using the proposed dual-source mode when examining the paranasal sinus, diagnostic image quality can be achieved while drastically lowering the patient's radiation exposure.
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Ralf Werner Bauer and Matthias Josef Kerl are Research Consultants for Siemens AG.
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Schell, B., Bauer, R.W., Lehnert, T. et al. Low-dose computed tomography of the paranasal sinus and facial skull using a high-pitch dual-source system—First clinical results. Eur Radiol 21, 107–112 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1892-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1892-6