Influence of Heart Rate and Innovative Motion-Correction Algorithm on Coronary Artery Image Quality and Measurement Accuracy Using 256-Detector Row Computed Tomography Scanner: Phantom Study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of motion-correction algorithm (MCA) in improving coronary artery image quality and measurement accuracy using an anthropomorphic dynamic heart phantom and 256-detector row computed tomography (CT) scanner.Materials and MethodsAn anthropomorphic dynamic heart phantom was scanned under a static condition and under heart rate (HR) simulation of 50–120 beats per minute (bpm), and the obtained images were reconstructed using conventional algorithm (CA) and MCA. We compared the subjective image quality of coronary arteries using a four-point scale (1, excellent; 2, good; 3, fair; 4, poor) and measurement accuracy using measurement errors of the minimal luminal diameter (MLD) and minimal luminal area (MLA).ResultsCompared with CA, MCA significantly improved the subjective image quality at HRs of 110 bpm (1.3 ± 0.3 vs. 1.9 ± 0.8, p = 0.003) and 120 bpm (1.7 ± 0.7 vs. 2.3 ± 0.6, p = 0.006). The measurement error of MLD significantly decreased on using MCA at 110 bpm (11.7 ± 5.9% vs. 18.4 ± 9.4%, p = 0.013) and 120 bpm (10.0 ± 7.3% vs. 25.0 ± 16.5%, p = 0.013). The measurement error of the MLA was also reduced using MCA at 110 bpm (19.2 ± 28.1% vs. 26.4 ± 21.6%, p = 0.028) and 120 bpm (17.9 ± 17.7% vs. 34.8 ± 19.6%, p = 0.018).ConclusionMotion-correction algorithm can improve the coronary artery image quality and measurement accuracy at a high HR using an anthropomorphic dynamic heart phantom and 256-detector row CT scanner.

Clinical Applications of Wide-Detector CT Scanners for Cardiothoracic Imaging: An Update

“…The motion velocity and path of coronary arteries from adjacent cardiac phases are characterized, and the information is used to calculate an optimal estimation of the vessel lumen at the target phase by the snapshot freeze (SSF) reconstruction technique (GE Healthcare) (29). Several previous studies reported that the SSF technique improves diagnostic accuracy using a 64-row detector CT scanner (29)(30)(31), and this technique is currently available on wide-detector CT scanners (32)(33)(34).…”

“…In the 16-cm wide-detector CT scanner of GE Healthcare (Revolution CT), using the one-beat auto-gating technique to identify the ideal time within one cardiac cycle at any heart rate in combination with the SSF motion correction kjronline.org technique can achieve coronary artery images with diagnostic quality even in patients with a high heart rate or high heart rate variability (32)(33)(34).…”

Evaluation of Motion Artifact Correction Technique for Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Image Considering Blood Vessel Geometry

“…Therefore, various post-processing techniques (motion artifact correction, MAC) have been developed and commercialized to correct distorted blood vessels due to involuntary respiratory movements [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Additionally, as CBCT equipped with MAC technique has become widely available, several studies evaluating their performance have been published [8][9][10][12][13][14][15][16]. Image distortion due to respiratory motion was corrected using the patient-specific respiratory motion model, and the displacement by motion was measured to evaluate the MAC [9].…”

“…The anthropomorphic dynamic heart phantom underwent CT to evaluate the motion compensation performance. Measurement accuracy was evaluated by measuring the measurement errors of the minimal luminal diameter and minimal luminal area in the cross-sectional area of the coronary artery inside the heart phantom [14]. CT attenuation values inside the coronary artery were measured using CT images of free-breathing patients [15].…”

“…Existing qualitative evaluations of MAC techniques were performed by visually evaluating image 2D cross-sections or 3D reconstructed images before and after MAC [13,14,16] or by presenting the diagnostic accuracy of radiologists [13,15]. However, most quantitative evaluation studies were conducted using various quantitative metrics, but in most cases, the evaluation target was limited to 2D images.…”