Applicability of a clinical cardiac CT protocol in post mortem studies

• Published in: Journal of forensic radiology and imaging 2018-03, Vol.12, p.25-30
• Main Authors: Völgyes, David, Pedersen, Marius, Stray-Pedersen, Arne, Waaler, Dag, Martinsen, Anne Catrine Trægde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiac; Image quality; Observer study; Post mortem
• ISSN: 2212-4780; 2212-4799
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jofri.2018.01.003

Confirmation whether an optimized clinical cardiac CT scan protocol is also optimal for post mortem cardiac CT scans without iodine contrast or the reconstruction parameters should be changed. 27 CT volumes (three cases for three recon- struction kernel with three different iterative reconstruction settings) were graded by six readers in order to find the optimal reconstruction parame- ters. The scans were performed on a Siemens Definition Flash CT scanner using 120 kV tube potentials. The study has shown that from the investigated options the softest cardiac kernel with the strongest iterative reconstruction were pre- ferred by the readers (I26 Safire 3). The results indicate that the scan protocol which was adopted from clinical practice is applicable in forensic radiology too even though iodine contrast agent was not administered. •The article aims to confirm whether an optimized clinical cardiac CT scan protocol is also optimal for post mortem cardiac CT scans without iodine contrast or the reconstruction parameters should be changed.•27 CT volumes (three cases for three reconstruction kernel with three different iterative reconstruction settings) were graded by six readers in a subjective image quality assessment task in order to find the optimal reconstruction parameters.•The analysis of the readers’ responses confirmed that there was no better performing reconstruction than the adopted clinical protocol.