Abstract
This feasibility study has shown that improved spatial resolution and reduced radiation dose can be achieved in pediatric CT by narrowing the X-ray photon energy spectrum. This is done by placing a hafnium filter between the X-ray generator and a pediatric abdominal phantom. A CT system manufactured in 1999 that was in the process of being remanufactured was used as the platform for this study. This system had the advantage of easy access to the X-ray generator for modifications to change the X-ray photon energy spectrum; it also had the disadvantage of not employing the latest post-imaging noise reduction iterative reconstruction technology. Because we observed improvements after changing the X-ray photon energy spectrum, we recommend a future study combining this change with an optimized iterative reconstruction noise reduction technique.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported in part by a grant from VT EPSCoR and the Oregon Medical Research Group. Access to CT imaging equipment and experimental technical assistance for the key observations was provided by C&G Technologies Inc., Jeffersonville, IN.
Additional access to imaging equipment for experimental technique development was provided by the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, Nashua, NH, and the University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, at which Daniel J. Beideck, medical physicist, and George M. Ebert, radiologist, were the principal contacts.
Review of dose measurement procedures and equipment was provided by Arthur J. Savard, PhD, of Cardinal Medical Physics Services, Montpelier, VT.
Statistical analyses of the data from the unfiltered and Hf filtered studies were conducted by Rebecca A. Betensky, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Conflicts of interest
Mark G. Benz is an employee of Safer Pediatric Imaging, L3C, and Engineering Horizons International, LLC. Matthew W. Benz has no conflict of interest. Steven B. Birnbaum has no conflict of interest. Eric Chason has no conflict of interest. Brian W. Sheldon has no conflict of interest. Dale McGuire is an employee of C&G Technologies, Inc. C&G Technologies provided the CT system used in this project.
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Benz, M.G., Benz, M.W., Birnbaum, S.B. et al. Improved spatial resolution and lower-dose pediatric CT imaging: a feasibility study to evaluate narrowing the X-ray photon energy spectrum. Pediatr Radiol 44, 1026–1030 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-2893-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-2893-4