Image quality of CT angiography in young children with congenital heart disease: a comparison between the sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) and advanced modelled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE) algorithms

• Published in: Clinical radiology 2017-12, Vol.72 (12), p.1060-1065
• Main Authors: Nam, S.B, Jeong, D.W, Choo, K.S, Nam, K.J, Hwang, J.-Y, Lee, J.W, Kim, J.Y, Lim, S.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Child, Preschool; Computed Tomography Angiography - methods; Heart - diagnostic imaging; Heart Atria - diagnostic imaging; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnostic imaging; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Radiology; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0009-9260; 1365-229X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.crad.2017.07.006

AimTo compare the image quality of computed tomography angiography (CTA) reconstructed by sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) with that of advanced modelled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE) in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Material and methodsThirty-one children (8.23±13.92 months) with CHD who underwent CTA were enrolled. Images were reconstructed using SAFIRE (strength 5) and ADMIRE (strength 5). Objective image qualities (attenuation, noise) were measured in the great vessels and heart chambers. Two radiologists independently calculated the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) by measuring the intensity and noise of the myocardial walls. Subjective noise, diagnostic confidence, and sharpness at the level prior to the first branch of the main pulmonary artery were also graded by the two radiologists independently. ResultsThe objective image noise of ADMIRE was significantly lower than that of SAFIRE in the right atrium, right ventricle, and myocardial wall ( p0.05). The mean CNR values were 21.56±10.80 for ADMIRE and 18.21±6.98 for SAFIRE, which were significantly different ( p