Evaluation of motion artifacts reduction software that compensate for respiratory movements in the craniocaudal...

We acquired cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of a locally made contrast-enhanced hepatic artery phantom under various conditions, both with the phantom still, and while moving it from the cranial to the caudal position. All the motion CBCT images were processed with and without motion artifacts reduction software (MARS). We calculated some quantitative similarity indexes between the still CBCT images (no-motion) and the motion CBCT images both processed with MARS (MARS ON) and without MARS (MARS OFF). In addition, the vessel signal values under the same movement conditions of the MARS ON/OFF and no-motion were evaluated. All quantitative similarity indexes between MARS ON and no-motion were significantly higher than between MARS OFF and no-motion in all movement conditions (p < 0.01). The vessel signal values were higher in MARS ON than in MARS OFF (p < 0.01) and closer to no-motion in all movement conditions.