Size specific dose estimate (SSDE) for estimating patient dose from CT used in myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT

Size specific dose estimate (SSDE) is a new parameter that includes patient size factor in its calculation. Recent studies have produced mixed results on the utility of SSDE, especially when automatic exposure control (AEC) was used. The objective of the study was to find out if there is a relationship between patient size and each of the parameters, SSDE and CTDIvol, when AEC is used.

CT data of consecutively selected 111 patients were included for analysis. CTDIvol values of the CT scans were extracted for each patient. Effective diameter of each patient was calculated as geometric mean of anteroposterior and lateral diameters measured on axial CT images. Corresponding conversion factors for effective diameters were obtained from American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) report 204. SSDE was obtained as the product of CTDIvol and conversion factor values. Linear regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between patient size and the parameters SSDE and CTDIvol.

Mean weight was 62 (11.5) and range was 34 - 103 kg. Median CTDIvol (mGy) on AEC mode was 7.27(IQ range 7.27, 7.65) and mean effective diameter was 26.2 cm (2.4). Mean SSDE (mGy) was 10.6 (0.84). Good positive correlation was obtained between CTDIvol and effective diameter (r=0.536; p<0.0005). Strong inverse correlation was noted between SSDE and effective diameter (r=-0.777; p<0.0005). Linear regression model for establishing relationship between CTDIvol and effective diameter showed slope of 0.314mGy/cm (R=0.561; R2=0.314; P<0.0005) whereas between effective diameter and SSDE slope was -0.23mGy/cm (R=0.676; R2=0.457; P< 0.0005).

The study shows that CTDIvol and SSDE vary but divergently, with patient size. SSDE is a better estimate of patient radiation dose from CT of MPI SPECT/CT than CTDIvol in systems that use automated exposure control.