Radiation Dose Reduction in Head and Neck Computed Tomography Angiography

Abstract

Background and Aim: The study aims to investigate the feasibility of further radiation dose reduction via the application of a high iodine delivery rate combined with automatic current modulation technology (high noise index) in head and neck computed tomography angiography. Methods: Sixty-four patients who underwent routine head and neck computed tomographic angiography were randomly divided into two groups: a low-dose group of 32 cases and an ultra-low-dose group of 32 cases. The same image reconstruction technique was applied in both groups using the 50% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction method. Quantitative and qualitative image quality assessment of the carotid artery, computed tomographic dose index volume, dose length product, and effective dose of the two groups were analyzed. Results: The two groups were not significantly (P>0.05) different in age, gender, and body mass index. Significant (P<0.001) reduction of radiation dose was observed in all the parameters of computed tomographic dose index volume (18.12%), dose length product (19.91%), and effective dose (19.84%) in the ultra-low-dose group. Quantitative and qualitative image assessment produced similar results between the two groups, except for the higher mean vascular computed tomographic values found in the ultra-low dose group. Conclusions: Application of a higher iodine delivery rate combined with automatic current modulation technology (high noise index) in an existing low tube voltage protocol can further decrease the radiation dose and the total volume of contrast agent while maintaining similar image quality for patients undergoing computed tomography angiography of the head and neck, which can be recommended as the conventional scanning method.