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Calcium scoring with prospectively ECG-triggered CT: using overlapping datasets generated with MPR decreases
1Department of Radiology, Room E01.132, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.rutten@gmail.com
Objective:
To examine the feasibility of reducing the inter-scan variability of prospectively ECG-triggered calcium-scoring scans by using overlapping 3-mm datasets generated from multiplanar reformation (MPR) instead of non-overlapping 3-mm or 1.5-mm datasets.
Patients And Methods:
Seventy-five women (59-79 years old) underwent two sequential prospectively ECG-triggered calcium-scoring scans with 16 mm×1.5mm collimation in one session. Between the two scans patients got off and on the table. We performed calcium scoring (Agatston and mass scores) on the following datasets: contiguous 3-mm sections reconstructed from the raw data (A), contiguous 3-mm sections from MPR (B), overlapping 3-mm sections from MPR (C) and contiguous 1.5-mm sections from the raw data (D). To determine the feasibility of the MPR approach, we compared MPR (B) with direct raw data reconstruction (A). Inter-scan variability was calculated for each type of dataset (A-D).
Results:
Calcium scores ranged from 0 to 1455 (Agatston) and 0 to 279 mg (mass) for overlapping 3-mm sections (C). Calcium scores (both Agatston and mass) were nearly identical for MPR (B) and raw data approaches (A), with inter-quartile ranges of 0-1% for inter-scan variability. Median inter-scan variability with contiguous 3-mm sections (B) was 13% (Agatston) and 11% (mass). Median variability was reduced to 10% (Agatston and mass) with contiguous 1.5-mm sections (D) and to 8% (Agatston) and 7% (mass) with overlapping 3-mm MPR (A).
Conclusion:
Calcium scoring on MPR yields nearly identical results to calcium scoring on images directly reconstructed from raw data. Overlapping MPR from prospectively ECG-triggered scans improve inter-scan variability of calcium scoring without increasing patient radiation dose.
Insights
Overlapping 3-mm datasets from multiplanar reformation (MPR) significantly reduce inter-scan variability in prospectively ECG-triggered calcium scoring. This method improves calcium scoring accuracy without increasing patient radiation dose.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Radiology
- Medical physics
Background:
- Calcium scoring is crucial for assessing coronary artery disease risk.
- Inter-scan variability can affect the reliability of calcium scoring results.
- Prospectively ECG-triggered scans aim to minimize motion artifacts but can still exhibit variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using overlapping 3-mm datasets from multiplanar reformation (MPR) to reduce inter-scan variability in prospectively ECG-triggered calcium-scoring scans.
- To compare the accuracy and variability of calcium scoring using MPR-generated datasets versus direct raw data reconstructions.
- To determine if MPR can improve calcium scoring consistency without increasing radiation exposure.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-five women (59-79 years) underwent two sequential prospectively ECG-triggered calcium-scoring scans.
- Calcium scoring was performed on four types of datasets: contiguous 3-mm raw data, contiguous 3-mm MPR, overlapping 3-mm MPR, and contiguous 1.5-mm raw data.
- Inter-scan variability was calculated for each dataset type and compared.
Main Results:
- Calcium scores derived from MPR (contiguous 3-mm) were nearly identical to direct raw data reconstructions (0-1% inter-scan variability).
- Median inter-scan variability was 13% (Agatston) and 11% (mass) for contiguous 3-mm MPR datasets.
- Overlapping 3-mm MPR datasets reduced median inter-scan variability to 8% (Agatston) and 7% (mass), outperforming contiguous 1.5-mm datasets.
Conclusions:
- Calcium scoring using multiplanar reformation (MPR) provides results comparable to direct reconstruction from raw data.
- Overlapping 3-mm MPR datasets significantly improve inter-scan variability in prospectively ECG-triggered calcium scoring.
- This technique enhances calcium scoring reliability without necessitating an increase in patient radiation dose.
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