Urografi intravena (IVU) dan tomografi berkomputer helikal tanpa kontras (UHCT) urografi adalah dua prosedur utama yang akan dijalankan semasa penyiasatan radiologi bagi pengesanan urolitiasis (batu karang) pada sistem genitourinari. Dedahan terhadap sinaran radiasi merupakan faktor kebimbangan utama dalam kedua-dua prosedur. Oleh itu, satu kajian perbandingan dos sinaran telah dijalankan antara prosedur IVU dan UHCT urografi di samping menentukan faktor dedahan optimum bagi kedua-dua prosedur tersebut. Kajian ini telah dijalankan ke atas fantom antropomorfik seluruh tubuh mengikut protokol sebenar bagi prosedur UHCT urografi dan penghasilan radiografi bersiri berserta dengan pemberian media berkontras bagi prosedur IVU. Sebanyak tiga parameter dedahan voltan tiub digunakan iaitu 75 kVp, 80 kVp dan 85 kVp bagi prosedur IVU dan 100 kVp, 120 kVp dan 140 kVp bagi prosedur UHCT urografi . Hasil dos sinaran bagi prosedur IVU yang diperolehi adalah 1.40 mSv, 2.10 mSv dan 2.79 mSv bagi 75 kVp, 80 kVp dan 85 kVp. Manakala bagi prosedur UHCT urografi , sebanyak 0.76 mSv, 1.32 mSv dan 1.82 mSv dos sinaran direkodkan bagi 100 kVp, 120 kVp dan 140 kVp. Hasil kualiti imej optimum adalah menggunakan dedahan sebanyak 85 kVp bagi prosedur IVU dan 120 kVp bagi prosedur UHCT urografi . Kesimpulannya, walaupun tidak terdapat perbezaan signifi kan, dos sinaran yang terhasil daripada prosedur IVU adalah kekal lebih tinggi daripada prosedur UHCT urografi .
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) using 640-slice scanner. Advancement of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technology with higher spatial, temporal resolution, and increasing detector array have improved the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of CCTA. A total of 25 patients (12 men and 13 women) underwent CCTA examination was chosen and data was acquired by 640-slice scanner. All 16 segments of coronary arteries were evaluated by two reviewers using a 4-likert scale for qualitative assessment. In quantitative assessment, the evaluation of 4 main coronary arteries were analysed in terms of signal intensity (SI), image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). All 25 patients with a mean age of 52.88 ± 14.75 years old and body mass index (BMI) of 24.24 ± 3.28 kg/m2 were analysed. In qualitative assessment, from the total of 400 segments, 379 segments (95%) had diagnostic value while 21 segments did not have diagnostic value, which means 5% artefact was detected. In quantitative assessment, there was no statistical differences in gender, race, and BMI (p>0.05). Overall evaluation showed that higher SI at the left main artery (LM) at 393.7 ± 47.19. Image noise was higher at right coronary artery (RCA) at 39.01 ± 13.97. SNR and CNR showed higher at left anterior descending (LAD) with 12.73 ± 5.17 and LM 9.14 ± 4.2, respectively. In conclusion, this study indicates that 640-slice MDCT has higher diagnostic value in CCTA examination with 95% vessel visibility with 5% artefact detection.
This study was carried out to compare the effective dose, size specific dose estimation (SSDE) and scan length between genders and between CT scanner with different slice number. A total of 245 set data of radiation dose and scan length for CT scanning procedure involving thorax, abdomen and pelvis regions were obtained retrospectively for comparisons. 111 patients (60 males and 51 females) were scanned using 160-slices CT scanner while 134 patients (71 males and 63 females) were scanned using 640-slices CT scanner. Generally, there were no significant differences in the radiation dose and scan length among genders. However, differences for SSDE in CT thorax and CT thorax-abdomen-pelvis (TAP) protocols exist whereby in CT thorax protocol, 640-slices CT scanner had a significantly higher value of SSDE (9.06±2.67 mGy) than that in 160-slices CT scanner (7.82±1.33 mGy). Similarly to the CT TAP protocol, whereby 640-slices CT scanner had a significantly lower value in SSDE (9.17±1.59 mGy) than that in 160-slices CT scanner (10.76±3.72 mGy). In conclusion, there was no significant difference in the radiation dose and scan length between genders but significant difference was only observed in SSDE due to the presence of body size variation among the study population especially in different CT scanners.