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Dose and pitch relationship for a particular multislice CT scanner
M Mahesh1, J C Scatarige, J Cooper
1The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 N. Caroline St, Baltimore, MD 21287-0811, USA.
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|November 22, 2001
Summary
Increasing pitch on multislice helical CT scanners does not reduce radiation dose. An automatic increase in tube current offsets dose reduction strategies, contrary to single-slice systems. Always understand your specific CT scanner model.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiological Physics
Background:
- Single-slice helical CT (SSCT) allows radiation dose reduction with increased pitch.
- Multislice helical CT (MSCT) systems may have different dose characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if increasing pitch reduces patient radiation dose on a specific multislice helical CT scanner (Somatom Plus 4 VZ, version A11A).
Main Methods:
- A phantom was used to measure radiation dose across various pitch selections on the specified MSCT system.
- All other scanning parameters were kept constant during the measurements.
Main Results:
- Radiation dose to the phantom remained identical for all tested pitch selections.
- This was attributed to an automatic, proportionate increase in tube current with higher pitch settings.
Conclusions:
- Radiation dose reduction strategies from SSCT cannot be directly extrapolated to MSCT.
- Understanding the specific manufacturer's MSCT scanner functionality is crucial for accurate dose assessment.