Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35390018›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

Finding the optimal tube current and iterative reconstruction strength in liver imaging; two needles in one haystack.

Bibi Martens, Joris G A Bosschee, Sander M J Van Kuijk, Cécile R L P N Jeukens, Maikel T H Brauer, Joachim E Wildberger, Casper Mihl

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Bibi MartensDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-3105-6640
Joris G A BosscheeMaastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Sander M J Van KuijkDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Cécile R L P N JeukensDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Maikel T H BrauerDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Joachim E WildbergerDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Casper MihlDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe aim of the study was to find the lowest possible tube current and the optimal iterative reconstruction (IR) strength in abdominal imaging. MATERIAL AND

methodsReconstruction software was used to insert noise, simulating the use of a lower tube current. A semi-anthropomorphic abdominal phantom (Quality Assurance in Radiology and Medicine, QSA-543, Moehrendorf, Germany) was used to validate the performance of the ReconCT software (S1 Appendix). Thirty abdominal CT scans performed with a standard protocol (120 kVref, 150 mAsref) scanned at 90 kV, with dedicated contrast media (CM) injection software were selected. There were no other in- or exclusion criteria. The software was used to insert noise as if the scans were performed with 90, 80, 70 and 60% of the full dose. Consequently, the different scans were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and IR strength 2, 3 and 4. Both objective (e.g. Hounsfield units [HU], signal to noise ratio [SNR] and contrast to noise ratio [CNR]) and subjective image quality were evaluated. In addition, lesion detection was graded by two radiologists in consensus in another 30 scans (identical scan protocol) with various liver lesions, reconstructed with IR 3, 4 and 5.

resultsA tube current of 60% still led to diagnostic objective image quality (e.g. SNR and CNR) when IR strength 3 or 4 were used. IR strength 4 was preferred for lesion detection. The subjective image quality was rated highest for the scans performed at 90% with IR 4.

conclusionA tube current reduction of 10-40% is possible in case IR 4 is used, leading to the highest image quality (10%) or still diagnostic image quality (40%), shown by a pairwise comparison in the same patients.

Indexed as

Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-AssistedAlgorithmsHumansLiverNeedlesPhantoms, ImagingRadiation DosageSignal-To-Noise RatioTomography, X-Ray Computed

Identifiers

PMID35390018
PMCPMC8989341

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.