Investigation of an optimised scanning protocol for the dentomaxillofacial region using 320-slice multidetector computed tomography.

Investigation of an optimised scanning protocol for the dentomaxillofacial region using 320-slice multidetector computed tomography.

Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2017 Jan 27;:20160395

Authors: Lin WC, Wang HH, Hsu WL, Cao BH, Chen DJ, Tsai CJ

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To propose an imaging protocol that provides satisfactory image quality for oral examination while minimizing radiation dosage using 320-slice multidetector computed tomography (320-MDCT).
METHODS: An anthropomorphic head phantom was scanned using 320-MDCT with protocols combining different scanning modes: volume scanning (whole or local) vs. helical scanning (80- or 64-slice detectors); tube-voltage settings (80, 120 and 135 kVp); and tube-current settings (60, 80, 100 and 120 mA). A total of 6 anatomical bone structures and 3 anatomical soft-tissue structures were assessed using quantitative and qualitative analysis in the 3 orthographic planes (axial, sagittal and coronal). A figure-of-merit (FOM) was used to determine the optimal imaging protocol in terms of tube voltage, tube current and scanning mode.
RESULTS: The 80 kVp setting had the worst quantitative and qualitative results (both p < 0.001) compared with the 135 kVp and 120 kVp settings, especially for soft-tissue structures. A significant difference was noted for the scores obtained using a tube current between 120 mA and 60 mA by quantitative analysis, but not by qualitative analysis. Volume scans using either whole or local modes had a significantly higher FOM than helical scanning of 80 or 64 slices.
CONCLUSIONS: In 320-MDCT, a protocol using 135 kVp, 80 mA and the volume-scanning mode (whole or local) offers adequate visualization of both soft-tissue and bone structures while keeping the radiation dose as low as possible. This may therefore be considered a first choice among a wide selection of scanning protocols for dentomaxillofacial CT.

PMID: 28128650 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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