Reducing image noise in computed tomography (CT) colonography: effect of an integrated circuit CT detector

To investigate whether the integrated circuit (IC) detector results in reduced noise in computed tomography (CT) colonography (CTC).

Three hundred sixty-six consecutive patients underwent clinically indicated CTC using the same CT scanner system, except for a difference in CT detectors (IC or conventional). Image noise, patient size, and scanner radiation output (volume CT dose index) were quantitatively compared between patient cohorts using each detector system, with separate comparisons for the abdomen and pelvis.

For the abdomen and pelvis, despite significantly larger patient sizes in the IC detector cohort (both P < 0.001), image noise was significantly lower (both P < 0.001), whereas volume CT dose index was unchanged (both P > 0.18). Based on the observed image noise reduction, radiation dose could alternatively be reduced by approximately 20% to result in similar levels of image noise.

Computed tomography colonography images acquired using the IC detector had significantly lower noise than images acquired using the conventional detector. This noise reduction can permit further radiation dose reduction in CTC.