CT Reconstruction Algorithm and Low Contrast Detectability of Phantom Study: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: For almost three decades, computed tomography (CT) has been extensively used in medical diagnosis which led researchers to conduct linking of CT dose exposure with image quality Methods: In this study, a systematic review and a meta-analysis study were conducted on CT phantom for resolution study especially based on the low contrast detectability (LCD). Furthermore, the association between the CT parameter such as tube voltage and the type of reconstruction algorithm and amount of phantom scanning in affecting the image quality and the exposure dose were also investigated in this study. We utilize PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Scopus databases to search related published articles from year 2011 until 2020. The notable keyword comprises of “computed tomography”, “CT phantom”, “low contrast detectability”. Of 52 articles, 20 articles is within the inclusion criteria in this systematic review. Results: The dichotomous outcomes were chosen to represent the results in terms of risk ratio as per meta-analysis study. Notably, the noise in iterative reconstruction (IR) reduced by 24%,33% and 36% with the use of smooth, medium and sharp filters, respectively. Furthermore, adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR 3D) improved image quality and the visibility of smaller less dense objects compared to filtered back-projection. Most of the researchers used 120 kVp tube voltage to scan phantom for quality assurance study. Conclusion: Hence, the optimization of primary factor such as tube potential reduce the dose exposure significantly and with the optimize IR technique could substantially reduce the radiation dose whilst maintaining the image quality.