Comparison of image quality between a novel mobile CT scanner and current generation stationary CT scanners.

PURPOSE: Point-of-care imaging with mobile CT scanners offers several advantages, provided that the image quality is satisfactory. Our aim was to compare image quality of a novel mobile CT to stationary scanners for patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS: From November 2020 to April 2021, all patients above 18 years of age examined by a mobile CT scanner at a neurosurgical ICU were included if they also had a stationary head CT examination during the same hospitalization. Quantitative image quality parameters included attenuation and noise in six predefined regions of interest, as well as contrast-to-noise ratio between gray and white matter. Subjective image quality was rated on a 4-garde scale, by four radiologists blinded to scanner parameters.

RESULTS: Fifty patients were included in the final study population. Radiation dose and image attenuation values were similar for mobCT and stationary CTs. There was a small statistically significant difference in subjective quality rating between mobCT and stationary CT images. Two radiologists favored the stationary CT images, one was neutral, and one favored mobCT images. For overall image quality, 14% of mobCT images were rated grade 1 (poor image quality) compared to 8% for stationary CT images.

CONCLUSION: Point-of-care brain CT imaging was successfully performed on clinical neurosurgical ICU patients with small reduction in image quality, predominantly affecting the posterior fossa, compared to high-end stationary CT scanners.