This article describes basic radiation dose concepts as well as those specifically developed to describe the radiation dose from computed tomography (CT). Basic concepts of radiation dose are reviewed, including exposure, absorbed dose, and effective dose. Radiation dose from CT demonstrates variations within the scan plane and along the z axis because of its unique geometry and usage. Several CT-specific dose descriptors have been developed: the Multiple Scan Average Dose descriptor, the Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDI) and its variations (CTDI(100), CTDI(w), CTDI(vol)), and the dose-length product. Factors that affect radiation dose from CT include the beam energy, tube current-time product, pitch, collimation, patient size, and dose reduction options. Methods of reducing the radiation dose to a patient from CT include reducing the milliampere-seconds value, increasing the pitch, varying the milliampere-seconds value according to patient size, and reducing the beam energy. The effective dose from CT can be estimated by using Monte Carlo methods to simulate CT of a mathematical patient model, by estimating the energy imparted to the body region being scanned, or by using conversion factors for general anatomic regions. Issues related to radiation dose from CT are being addressed by the Society for Pediatric Radiology, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American College of Radiology, and the Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the Food and Drug Administration.

Estimates of individual patient risk, and epidemiologic studies assessing potential late effects, must use patient size–specific dose estimates—they cannot use only scanner output (volume CT dose i...

To stimulate the advancement of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) research for lung nodules in thoracic computed tomography (CT), the National Cancer Institute launched a cooperative effort known as the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC). The LIDC is composed of five academic institutions from across the United States that are working together to develop an image database that will serve as an international research resource for the development, training, and evaluation of CAD methods in the detection of lung nodules on CT scans. Prior to the collection of CT images and associated patient data, the LIDC has been engaged in a consensus process to identify, address, and resolve a host of challenging technical and clinical issues to provide a solid foundation for a scientifically robust database. These issues include the establishment of (a) a governing mission statement, (b) criteria to determine whether a CT scan is eligible for inclusion in the database, (c) an appropriate definition of the term qualifyi...

To evaluate the effect of scanner type and calcium measure on the reproducibility of calcium measurements. This investigation was approved by the institutional review boards of each study site and by the Institutional Review Board of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute. Informed consent for scanning and participation was obtained from all participants. The study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a multicenter observational study of 6814 participants undergoing demographic, risk factor, and subclinical disease evaluations. Coronary artery calcium was measured by using duplicate CT scans. Three study centers used electron-beam computed tomography (CT), and three used multi-detector row CT. Coronary artery calcium was detected in 3355 participants. Three calcium measurement methods-Agatston score, calcium volume, and interpolated volume score-were evaluated. Mean absolute differences between calcium measures on scans 1 and 2, excluding cases for which both scans had a measure of zero, was modeled by using linear regression to compare reproducibility between scanner types. A repeated measures analysis of variance test was used to compare reproducibility across calcium measures, with mean percentage absolute difference as the outcome measure. Rescan reproducibility in relation to misregistrations, noise, and motion artifacts was also examined. Variables were log transformed to create a more normal distribution. Concordance for presence of calcium between duplicate scans was high and similar for both electron-beam and multi-detector row CT (96%, kappa = 0.92). Mean absolute difference between calcium scores for the two scans was 15.8 for electron-beam and 16.9 for multi-detector row CT scanners (P = .06). Mean relative differences were 20.1 for Agatston score, 18.3 for calcium volume, and 18.3 for interpolated volume score (P < .01). Reproducibility was lower for scans with versus those without image misregistrations or motion artifacts (P < .01 for both). Electron-beam and multi-detector row CT scanners have equivalent reproducibility for measuring coronary artery calcium. Calcium volumes and interpolated volume scores are slightly more reproducible than Agatston scores. Reproducibility is lower for scans with misregistrations or motion artifacts.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to determine the distribution of effective dose associated with a single low-dose CT chest examination of average-size participants in the National Lung Screening Trial. Organ doses were also investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Thirty-three sites nationwide provided volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) data annually for the 97 MDCT scanners used to image 26,724 participants during the trial. The dose data were representative of the imaging protocols used by the sites for average-size participants. Effective doses were estimated first using the product of the dose-length product (CTDIvol × 35-cm scan length) and a published conversion factor, “k.” The commercial software product CT-Expo was then used to estimate organ doses to males and females from the average CTDIvol. Applying tissue-weighting factors from both publication 60 and the more recent publication 103 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) allowed comparisons of effective doses to ...