TU‐A‐12A‐07: CT‐Based Biomarkers to Characterize Lung Lesion: Effects of CT Dose, Slice Thickness and Reconstruction Algorithm Based Upon a Phantom Study

Abstract

Purpose:Radiogenomics promises the ability to study cancer tumor genotype from the phenotype obtained through radiographic imaging. However, little attention has been paid to the sensitivity of image features, the image‐based biomarkers, to imaging acquisition techniques. This study explores the impact of CT dose, slice thickness and reconstruction algorithm on measuring image features using a thorax phantom.Methods:Twentyfour phantom lesions of known volume (1 and 2mm), shape (spherical, elliptical, lobular and spicular) and density (‐630, ‐10 and +100 HU) were scanned on a GE VCT at four doses (25, 50, 100, and 200 mAs). For each scan, six image series were reconstructed at three slice thicknesses of 5, 2.5 and 1.25mm with continuous intervals, using the lung and standard reconstruction algorithms. The lesions were segmented with an in‐house 3D algorithm. Fifty (50) image features representing lesion size, shape, edge, and density distribution/texture were computed. Regression method was employed to analyze the effect of CT dose, slice of thickness and reconstruction algorithm on these features adjusting 3 confounding factors (size, density and shape of phantom lesions).Results:The coefficients of CT dose, slice thickness and reconstruction algorithm are presented in Table 1 in the supplementary material. No significant difference was found between the image features calculated on low dose CT scans (25mAs and 50mAs). About 50% texture features were found statistically different between low doses and high doses (100 and 200mAs). Significant differences were found for almost all features when calculated on 1.25mm, 2.5mm, and 5mm slice thickness images. Reconstruction algorithms significantly affected all density‐based image features, but not morphological features.Conclusions:There is a great need to standardize the CT imaging protocols for radiogenomics study because CT dose, slice thickness and reconstruction algorithm impact quantitative image features to various degrees as our study has shown.