Ultra-low peak voltage CT colonography: effect of iterative reconstruction algorithms on performance of radiologists who use anthropomorphic colonic phantoms.

PURPOSE: To analyze the effect of a decrease in computed tomographic (CT) colonographic voltage, from 100 and 120 kVp to 80 kVp and reconstructed with filtered back projection ( FBP filtered back projection ), on radiation dose, image noise, and diagnostic performance in anthropomorphic phantoms and to assess the effect of iterative reconstruction ( IR iterative reconstruction ) algorithms on radiologists' performance for 80-kVp CT colonography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven colon phantoms with 68 simulated polyps (≥6 mm) were scanned at three peak voltage settings (80, 100, 120 kVp) and 10 mAs. Images were reconstructed by using FBP filtered back projection , hybrid statistic-based IR iterative reconstruction , and knowledge-based IR iterative reconstruction algorithms. Effective radiation dose, image noise, and per-polyp sensitivity were recorded and compared by two reviewers with Friedman test, repeated measures analysis of variance, and McNemar test.

RESULTS: Median size-specific dose estimate and effective radiation dose of 80-kVp CT colonography was 0.231 mGy and 0.167 mSv, respectively, which was lower than with 100- and 120-kVp CT colonography, with significant difference between 80 and 120 kVp (P = .0005). Image noise (202.0 HU) at 80-kVp FBP filtered back projection CT colonography was significantly higher than at 100-kVp FBP filtered back projection (139.1 HU) and 120-kVp FBP filtered back projection (120.4 HU) (P < .0001). Per-polyp sensitivity (reviewer 1, 14.7% [10 of 68]; reviewer 2, 7.4% [five of 68]) at 80-kVp FBP filtered back projection was significantly lower than at 100-kVp FBP filtered back projection (reviewer 1, 57.4% [39 of 68]; reviewer 2, 39.7% [27 of 68]) and 120-kVp FBP filtered back projection (reviewer 1, 85.3% [58 of 68]; reviewer 2, 83.8% [57 of 68]) (P < .0001). With statistic-based IR iterative reconstruction , image noise at 80 kVp decreased significantly (52.8% [106.7 HU of 202.0 HU]) compared with that at 80-kVp FBP filtered back projection (P < .0001), but per-polyp sensitivity (reviewer 1, 79.4% [54 of 68]; reviewer 2, 66.2% [45 of 68]) at 80-kVp statistic-based IR iterative reconstruction remained significantly lower than at 100-kVp statistic-based IR iterative reconstruction (reviewer 1, 95.6% [65 of 68]; reviewer 2, 86.8% [59 of 68]) (P = .001) and 120-kVp statistic-based IR iterative reconstruction (reviewer 1, 98.5% [67 of 68]; reviewer 2, 89.7% [61 of 68]) (P < .001). For knowledge-based IR iterative reconstruction , per-polyp sensitivity at 80 kVp was improved to 98.5% (67 of 68) and 94.1% (64 of 68), not significantly different from that at 100 kVp (reviewer 1, 100% [68 of 68]; reviewer 2, 95.6% [65 of 68]) and 120 kVp (reviewer 1, 100% [68 of 68]; reviewer 2, 95.6% [65 of 68]) (P > .999).

CONCLUSION: A decrease in tube voltage to 80 kVp caused reduction in radiation dose (0.166 mSv) with deterioration in image noise and per-polyp sensitivity. By using a knowledge-based IR iterative reconstruction algorithm, radiologists' performance of 80-kVp CT colonography was acceptable and on par with that at 100- or 120-kVp CT colonography.