Quantitative Assessment of Variation in CT Parameters on Texture Features: Pilot Study Using a Nonanatomic Phantom

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Image Analysis

Background:

• Texture analysis in CT imaging provides quantitative insights into tissue characteristics.
• Understanding the impact of imaging parameters on texture features is crucial for reproducible and reliable analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how variations in computed tomography (CT) scanning parameters affect texture features.
• To identify which CT parameters significantly influence texture feature extraction for phantom imaging.

Main Methods:

• A phantom was scanned using varying CT parameters: milliampere, kilovolt, section thickness, pitch, and acquisition mode.
• Forty-two texture features were extracted using a custom Matlab program.
• Statistical analyses, including two-tailed t-tests and false-detection analyses, were performed to assess significance.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in texture features were observed with changes in detector array configurations (Q values = 0.001–0.006).
• Section thickness variations also led to significant texture feature changes (Q values = 0.0002–0.001).
• Acquisition mode significantly affected texture features (Q values = 0.003–0.006), while milliampere and kilovolt did not show significant effects.

Conclusions:

• CT texture features are significantly influenced by section thickness, acquisition mode, and detector array configuration.
• Milliampere and kilovolt settings have a negligible impact on CT texture features in this phantom study.
• These findings are essential for standardizing CT protocols to ensure the consistency of texture analysis in clinical applications.