Abstract
ObjectivesTo evaluate the influence of exposure parameters and raw-data-based iterative reconstruction (IR) on computer-aided segmentation and quantitative analysis of the tracheobronchial tree on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).Material and methods10 porcine heart-lung-explants were mounted inside a dedicated chest phantom. MDCT was performed at 120kV and 80kV with 120, 60, 30 and 12 mAs each. All scans were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) or IR, resulting in a total of 160 datasets. The maximum number of detected airway segments, most peripheral airway generation detected, generation-specific airway wall thickness (WT), total diameter (TD) and normalized wall thickness (pi10) were compared.ResultsThe number of detected airway segments decreased slightly with dose (324.8±118 at 120kV/120mAs vs. 288.9±130 at 80kV/30mAs with FBP, p<0.05) and was not changed by IR. The 20th generation was constantly detected as most peripheral. WT did not change significantly with exposure parameters and reconstruction algorithm across all generations: range 1st generation 2.4–2.7mm, 5th 1.0–1.1mm, and 10th 0.7mm with FBP; 1st 2.3–2.4mm, 5th 1.0–1.1mm, and 10th 0.7–0.8mm with IR. pi10 was not affected as well (range 0.32–0.34mm).ConclusionsExposure parameters and IR had no relevant influence on measured airway parameters even for WT <1mm. Thus, no systematic errors would be expected using automatic airway analysis with low-dose MDCT and IR.
Highlights
Chronic smoking-related respiratory diseases, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are of high prevalence with a high morbidity and mortality worldwide
Airway analysis on low-dose multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with iterative reconstruction funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Exposure parameters and Iterative reconstruction (IR) had no relevant influence on measured airway parameters even for wall thickness (WT)
Summary
Chronic smoking-related respiratory diseases, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are of high prevalence with a high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low-dose MDCT may be performed for imaging COPD, but it entails an increase in noise with potential influence on quantitative post-processing. The present study was conducted to determine the potential effects of exposure parameters and IR algorithms on quantitative airway analysis with low dose MDCT. For this purpose, we used an ex vivo system with porcine lung explants inside a chest phantom for repetitive MDCT scanning with variable parameters and standardized airway analysis with well-evaluated post-processing software [17,18,19]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
