Comparison of organ doses and image quality between CT and flat panel XperCT scans in wrist and inner ear examinations

• Published in: Radiation protection dosimetry Vol. 139; no. 1-3; pp. 164 - 168
• Main Authors: Damet, J., Sans-Merce, M., Miéville, F., Becker, M., Poletti, P. A., Verdun, F. R., Baechler, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01-04-2010
• Subjects: Ear, Inner - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Organ Specificity; Phantoms, Imaging; Radiation Dosage; Radiographic Image Enhancement - methods; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiometry - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Wrist - diagnostic imaging; X-Ray Intensifying Screens
• ISSN: 0144-8420; 1742-3406
• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncq062

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare organ doses delivered to patients in wrist and petrous bone examinations using a multislice spiral computed tomography (CT) and a C-arm cone-beam CT equipped with a flat-panel detector (XperCT). For this purpose, doses to the target organ, i.e. wrist or petrous bone, together with those to the most radiosensitive nearby organs, i.e. thyroid and eye lens, were measured and compared. Furthermore, image quality was compared for both imaging systems and different acquisition modes using a Catphan phantom. Results show that both systems guarantee adequate accuracy for diagnostic purposes for wrist and petrous bone examinations. Compared with the CT scanner, the XperCT system slightly reduces the dose to target organs and shortens the overall duration of the wrist examination. In addition, using the XperCT enables a reduction of the dose to the eye lens during head scans (skull base and ear examinations).