Document Detail


Unenhanced helical CT using increased pitch for suspected renal colic: an effective technique for radiation dose reduction?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11045705     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy and utility of unenhanced helical CT for suspected renal colic, using a pitch of either 2.5 or 3.0. METHODS: 59 consecutive patients underwent unenhanced helical CT. 5 mm contiguous images were obtained at a kVP of 120 and an mA of 260. Thirty-four patients were imaged at a pitch of 2.5, and 25 patients were imaged at a pitch of 3.0. Two radiologists, an attending (reader 1), and a second-year resident (reader 2), independently and retrospectively reviewed the CT images, blinded to the clinical outcome. The presence or absence of a ureteral stone was recorded and image quality was graded. A third radiologist determined accuracy for each reader. Average entrance exposure was estimated using a CT phantom at a variety of pitches. RESULTS: Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for reader 1 were 91, 96, and 93%. For reader 2, they were 86, 93, and 90%. There was no significant difference in accuracy using a pitch of 3.0 compared with 2.5 for either reader. Readers 1 and 2 rated image quality at 2.5 pitch as excellent for 88 and 76% of scans, respectively; at 3.0 pitch the scans were rated by both readers as excellent for 40% and acceptable for 60%. Average entrance exposures were estimated at 461, 553. and 913 mR at pitches of 3.0, 2.5, and 1.5. CONCLUSION: Increasing the pitch on unenhanced helical CT for suspected renal colic to 2.5 or 3.0 appears to be an effective method of reducing radiation dose. Although accuracy of the technique did not significantly change using a pitch of 3.0 in one group of patients, compared with a pitch of 2.5 in another group of patients, image quality did decrease.
Authors:
J Diel; S Perlmutter; N Venkataramanan; R Mueller; M J Lane; D S Katz
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Evaluation Studies; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of computer assisted tomography     Volume:  24     ISSN:  0363-8715     ISO Abbreviation:  J Comput Assist Tomogr     Publication Date:    2000 Sep-Oct
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2000-11-21     Completed Date:  2000-11-21     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7703942     Medline TA:  J Comput Assist Tomogr     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  795-801     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, Long Island, NY 11501, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Colic / radiography*
Female
Humans
Kidney Diseases / radiography*
Male
Middle Aged
Predictive Value of Tests
Radiation Dosage
Radiation Protection
Retrospective Studies
Sensitivity and Specificity
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
Ureteral Calculi / radiography

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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