• AI
  • Molecular Imaging
  • CT
  • X-Ray
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI
  • Facility Management
  • Mammography

Low-dose multislice CT make gains in bone marrow diagnosis

Article

Low-dose, whole-body CT not only provides a very sensitive diagnosis of osteolytic bone lesions, but it can also serve as an alternative to costly MR studies and replace time-consuming x-ray skeletal surveys, according to a presentation Tuesday.

Low-dose, whole-body CT not only provides a very sensitive diagnosis of osteolytic bone lesions, but it can also serve as an alternative to costly MR studies and replace time-consuming x-ray skeletal surveys, according to a presentation Tuesday.

German researchers assessed 40 patients with proven multiple myeloma. Twenty of them (group A) underwent whole-body scanning with an effective dose of 100 mAs. The remaining 20 (group B) underwent whole-body scanning at 50 mAs. The low-dose protocol provided high-quality images, but with a radiation exposure similar to that of x-rays.

"We are moving to use the 50 mAs as our standard dose protocol at our institution," said coauthor Dr. Sonja Buhmann, a resident at the University of Munich's Institute of Clinical Radiology.

The investigators could detect all osteolytic lesions in both groups. Qualitative evaluation scored as nearly excellent for group A and good for group B, according to the four-grade scale used by two experienced readers (1 = excellent, 4 = not sufficient).

The calculated mean radiation dose was 10 mSv and 5 mSv for groups A and B, respectively. Group B recorded significantly higher mean image noise values than the standard protocol (84 HU vs 51 HU). The scanning protocol for both groups included 16-row scanning with 3-mm axial and sagittal slice reconstruction and 1.5 collimation at 120 kVp. Whole-body MRI served as the gold standard for comparison.

A comparison chart showed costs for CT scanning as slightly higher than for x-rays, but more affordable than MR (320, 230, and 590 euros, respectively). Multislice CT scanning, however, could be accomplished at a fraction of the time invested in x-ray and MR image processing, Buhmann said.

Recent Videos
Computed Tomography Study Shows Emergence of Silicosis in Engineered Stone Countertop Workers
Can an Emerging AI Software for DBT Help Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening?
Skeletal Muscle Loss and Dementia: What Emerging MRI Research Reveals
Magnetoencephalopathy Study Suggests Link Between Concussions and Slower Aperiodic Activity in Adolescent Football Players
Can Diffusion Microstructural Imaging Provide Insights into Long Covid Beyond Conventional MRI?
Assessing the Impact of Radiology Workforce Shortages in Rural Communities
Emerging MRI and PET Research Reveals Link Between Visceral Abdominal Fat and Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Reimbursement Challenges in Radiology: An Interview with Richard Heller, MD
Nina Kottler, MD, MS
Related Content
© 2024 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.