Cardiac CT allows the assessment of the heart and of the coronary arteries by use of ionising radiation. Although radiation exposure was significantly reduced in recent years, further decrease in radiation exposure is limited by increased image noise and deterioration in image quality. Recent evidence suggests that further technological refinements with artificial intelligence allows improved post-processing of images with reduction of image noise. The present study aims at assessing the potential of a deep-learning image reconstruction algorithm in a clinical setting. Specifically, after a standard clinical scan, patients are scanned with lower radiation exposure and reconstructed with the DLIR algorithm. This interventional scan is then compared to the standard clinical scan.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
50
TrueFidelity (Deep Learning Image Reconstruction, DLIR) software by GE Healthcare. The medical device in question is a novel reconstruction algorithm for raw CT data which is based on artificial intelligence approaches, namely deep-learning iterative reconstruction (DLIR). This DLIR algorithm will be installed on the console of the CT Revolution scanning device, which is in routine clinical use for cardiac CT scans at the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University Hospital Zurich. Purpose of this installation is the assessment of the performance of the DLIR algorithm during a limited time span of six weeks. The algorithm will be CE-marked at the time of installation and use (statement by GE Healthcare provided separately). Its intended use is the reconstruction of CT datasets. Of note, the novel DLIR algorithm will not substitute any clinical routine procedures currently in use. That is, diagnosis will still be made using the standard reconstruction algorithms.
University Hospital
Zurich, Switzerland
Subjective Image Quality
Subjective image quality as measured by Likert scale from 1 (non-evaluable) to 5 (excellent)
Time frame: Day 1
Signal Intensity
Signal intensity as average hounsfield units within a region of interest in the aortic root, change from experimental interventional to the control intervention
Time frame: Day 1
Image Noise
Image noise as standard deviation of hounsfield units within a region of interest in the aortic root, change from experimental interventional to the control intervention
Time frame: Day 1
Signal-to-noise Ratio
Signal-to-noise ratio
Time frame: Day 1
Dose-length Products
Comparison of dose-length products
Time frame: Day 1
Plaque Volumes
Quantitative analysis of coronary artery plaque volumes
Time frame: Day 1
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