Radiation quantities and units, dose to the patients and image quality in Computed Tomography (CT)

Project Information

RAD UNITS

Grant agreement ID: 516571

Start date 1 March 2005

End date 29 February 2008

Funded under

• Horizontal activities of the specific programme for research and training on nuclear energy, part of the framework programme for the European Atomic Energy Community within the multi-annual sixth framework programme for 2002-2006.

Total cost € 46 000,00

EU contribution € 46 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN
Belgium

Objective

The objective of the project is to produce a report on absorbed dose determination and quantitative evaluation of image quality in computed tomography (CT). Interaction between the two factors (patient dose and image quality) is one of the main subjects discussed in the report. A review of CT technology (i.e. CT principle, incremental, spiral/helical, multi-slice spiral CT) is presented first, followed by a survey of the clinical practice and applications of CT (including use of trast agents, multiphase scanning, CT screening for colon, lung cancer, coronary artery calcification, whole body health screening). The following chapter deals with dose issues in CT. The stress is put on quantities and units (basic and derived), their clear definition, their limits of applicability in order to avoid any ambiguity when reporting and comparing the results. Dosimetry in CT is particularly complex and specific methods and quantities (or indexes) are needed. These are discussed, compared and recommendations are made based on the most recent scientific data. Information from measurements in phantoms and patients are reviewed An important part of the report deals with compromises between patient dose and image quality implying objective and subjective measures of image quality and tained amount of relevant clinical information. In that respect, the factors influencing image quality are carefully analysed. Finally, future developments are sidered, such as more detector rows, e beam CT, flat panel CT.

Fields of science

• medical and health sciences › clinical medicine › oncology › lung cancer
• engineering and technology › medical engineering › diagnostic imaging › computed tomography

Programme(s)

• FP6-EURATOM-NUCHORIZ - Horizontal activities of the specific programme for research and training on nuclear energy, part of the framework programme for the European Atomic Energy Community within the multi-annual sixth framework programme for 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• NUCHORIZ-2003-3.5.1 - Specific support actions

Call for proposal

EURATOMCALLOPEN
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

SSA - Specific Support Action

Coordinator

UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: place de l'Université 1 ; LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE ; Belgium
• Total cost: No data