Routine helical CT of the abdomen: image quality considerations
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 9, 2026

An Approach to Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta
Published on: September 8, 2023
R K Zeman1, A S Zeiberg, W J Davros
1Department of Radiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007.
Purpose:
Both helical and nonhelical abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scans were obtained to compare image quality, study the effect of patient size and collimation, and compare the frequency of visualization of normal abdominal structures.
Materials And Methods:
The study group consisted of 60 consecutive patients with clinically suspected metastatic malignancy.
Results:
Both helical and nonhelical image quality was excellent, with equal mean image quality scores of 4.1 on a 5-point scale. In patients weighing more than 175 lb (79 kg), both helical and nonhelical image quality degraded equally when 5-mm collimation was used; 10-mm collimation resulted in excellent image quality, regardless of patient size. Small in-plane structures (eg, renal arteries, renal veins, pancreatic duct) were seen best on helical scans. With the addition of retrospectively reconstructed overlapping images, improvement in visualization of these structures was statistically significant.
Conclusion:
Helical CT scanning should be the preferred means of acquiring routine abdominal CT images.
Related Concept Videos
Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
Imaging Studies I: CT and MRI
Description of the Procedures
Computed Tomography (CT) scan:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-ray technology to generate detailed images of bones, organs, and tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a moving table...
Radiological Investigation I: X-ray and CT
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
Ultrasonography
During an ultrasonography procedure, a handheld device called a...