%0 Journal Article %T Phantom study of the impact of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR<sup>TM</sup>) on image quality for paediatric computed tomography %A Angjelina Protik %A Karen Thomas %A Paul Babyn %A Nancy L. Ford %J Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering %P 793-806 %@ 1937-688X %D 2012 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/jbise.2012.512A100 %X

Quantitative analysis of image quality will be helpful for designing ASiRTM-enhanced paediatric CT protocols, balancing image quality and radiation dose. Catphan600 phantom studies were performed on a GE Discovery HD750 64-slice CT scanner. Images were reconstructed with 0% - 100% ASiRTM (tube current 150 mA, variable kVp 80 - 140) in order to determine the optimal ASiRTM-Filtered Back Projection (FBP) blend. Images reconstructed with a 50% ASiRTM-50% FBP blend were compared to FBP images (0% ASiRTM) over a wide range of kVp (80 - 140) and mA (10 - 400) values. Measurements of image noise, CT number accuracy and uniformity, spatial and contrast resolution, and low contrast detectability were performed on axial and reformatted coronal images. Improvements in CNR, low contrast detectability and radial uniformity were observed in ASiRTM images compared to FBP images. 50% ASiRTM was associated with a 26% - 30% reduction in image noise. Changes in noise texture were observed at higher % %K Image Analysis %K CT %K Optimization %K ASiR< %K sup> %K TM< %K /sup> %K Paediatric Imaging %U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=26206