TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating a calcium-aware kernel for CT CAC scoring with varying surrounding materials and heart rates
T2 - a dynamic phantom study
AU - van der Werf, Niels R
AU - Booij, Ronald
AU - Schmidt, Bernhard
AU - Flohr, Thomas G
AU - Leiner, Tim
AU - de Groen, Joël J
AU - Bos, Daniël
AU - Budde, Ricardo P J
AU - Willemink, Martin J
AU - Greuter, Marcel J W
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the influence of a novel calcium-aware (Ca-aware) computed tomography (CT) reconstruction technique on coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores surrounded by a variety of tissues was assessed. Second, the performance of the Ca-aware reconstruction technique on moving CAC was evaluated with a dynamic phantom.METHODS: An artificial coronary artery, containing two CAC of equal size and different densities (196 ± 3, 380 ± 2 mg hydroxyapatite cm-3), was moved in the center compartment of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom at different heart rates. The center compartment was filled with mixtures, which resembled fat, water, and soft tissue equivalent CT numbers. Raw data was acquired with a routine clinical CAC protocol, at 120 peak kilovolt (kVp). Subsequently, reduced tube voltage (100 kVp) and tin-filtration (150Sn kVp) acquisitions were performed. Raw data was reconstructed with a standard and a novel Ca-aware reconstruction technique. Agatston scores of all reconstructions were compared with the reference (120 kVp) and standard reconstruction technique, with relevant deviations defined as > 10%.RESULTS: For all heart rates, Agatston scores for CAC submerged in fat were comparable to the reference, for the reduced-kVp acquisition with Ca-aware reconstruction kernel. For water and soft tissue, medium-density Agatston scores were again comparable to the reference for all heart rates. Low-density Agatston scores showed relevant deviations, up to 15% and 23% for water and soft tissue, respectively.CONCLUSION: CT CAC scoring with varying surrounding materials and heart rates is feasible at patient-specific tube voltages with the novel Ca-aware reconstruction technique.KEY POINTS: • A dedicated calcium-aware reconstruction kernel results in similar Agatston scores for CAC surrounded by fatty materials regardless of CAC density and heart rate. • Application of a dedicated calcium-aware reconstruction kernel allows for radiation dose reduction. • Mass scores determined with CT underestimated physical mass.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the influence of a novel calcium-aware (Ca-aware) computed tomography (CT) reconstruction technique on coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores surrounded by a variety of tissues was assessed. Second, the performance of the Ca-aware reconstruction technique on moving CAC was evaluated with a dynamic phantom.METHODS: An artificial coronary artery, containing two CAC of equal size and different densities (196 ± 3, 380 ± 2 mg hydroxyapatite cm-3), was moved in the center compartment of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom at different heart rates. The center compartment was filled with mixtures, which resembled fat, water, and soft tissue equivalent CT numbers. Raw data was acquired with a routine clinical CAC protocol, at 120 peak kilovolt (kVp). Subsequently, reduced tube voltage (100 kVp) and tin-filtration (150Sn kVp) acquisitions were performed. Raw data was reconstructed with a standard and a novel Ca-aware reconstruction technique. Agatston scores of all reconstructions were compared with the reference (120 kVp) and standard reconstruction technique, with relevant deviations defined as > 10%.RESULTS: For all heart rates, Agatston scores for CAC submerged in fat were comparable to the reference, for the reduced-kVp acquisition with Ca-aware reconstruction kernel. For water and soft tissue, medium-density Agatston scores were again comparable to the reference for all heart rates. Low-density Agatston scores showed relevant deviations, up to 15% and 23% for water and soft tissue, respectively.CONCLUSION: CT CAC scoring with varying surrounding materials and heart rates is feasible at patient-specific tube voltages with the novel Ca-aware reconstruction technique.KEY POINTS: • A dedicated calcium-aware reconstruction kernel results in similar Agatston scores for CAC surrounded by fatty materials regardless of CAC density and heart rate. • Application of a dedicated calcium-aware reconstruction kernel allows for radiation dose reduction. • Mass scores determined with CT underestimated physical mass.
KW - Calcium
KW - Coronary Angiography
KW - Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging
KW - Heart Rate
KW - Humans
KW - Phantoms, Imaging
KW - Radiation Dosage
KW - Reproducibility of Results
KW - Tomography, X-Ray Computed
KW - Tomography, x-ray computed
KW - Diagnostic imaging
KW - Coronary artery disease
KW - Radiation dosage
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106722098&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00330-021-08076-5
DO - 10.1007/s00330-021-08076-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 34050386
SN - 0938-7994
VL - 31
SP - 9211
EP - 9220
JO - European Radiology
JF - European Radiology
IS - 12
ER -