Limited Evaluation of Image Quality Produced by a Portable Head CT Scanner (CereTom) in a Neurosurgery Centre

Abstract

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) is the preferred diagnostic toolkit for head and brain imaging of head injury. A recent development is the invention of a portable CT scanner that can be beneficial from a clinical point of view.Aim: To compare the quality of CT brain images produced by a fixed CT scanner and a portable CT scanner (CereTom).Methods: This work was a single-centre retrospective study of CT brain images from 112 neurosurgical patients. Hounsfield units (HUs) of the images from CereTom were measured for air, water and bone. Three assessors independently evaluated the images from the fixed CT scanner and CereTom. Streak artefacts, visualisation of lesions and grey-white matter differentiation were evaluated at three different levels (centrum semiovale, basal ganglia and middle cerebellar peduncles). Each evaluation was scored 1 (poor), 2 (average) or 3 (good) and summed up to form an ordinal reading of 3 to 9.Results Conclusions: Results of the study showed a significant difference in image quality produced by the fixed CT scanner and CereTom, with the latter being more inferior than the former. However, HUs of the images produced by CereTom do fulfil the recommendation of the ACR. To date, only a few studies have been conducted to evaluate the image quality produced by a portable head CT scanner. Thus, we designed this study to evaluate the quality of CT brain images produced by a portable head CT scanner, CereTom, by comparing it with that of a fixed CT scanner in terms of the presence of streak artefacts, grey-white matter differentiation and visualisation of lesions. CT numbers (HUs) were measured for air, water and bone in the images produced by the portable CT scanner. Keywords Materials and Methods SubjectsThis work was a single-centre retrospective study involving trauma and non-trauma patients admitted with intracranial pathology to the Neurosurgery Centre, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bharu (HSAJB), Malaysia, within four months from 1 December 2014 until 31 March 2015. The National Medical Research and Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, approved the study.Patient registry of the admission record was screened together with the record book for portable CT scanner (CereTom) imaging in a duration of four months. Images from the same patient who had CT brain imaging performed from both CereTom and the fixed CT scanner within 48 h apart were selected. CT brain images harbouring intracranial pathology were taken from traumatic and non-traumatic patients of all age groups and sex. Images captured more than 48 h apart between the fixed CT scanner and CereTom or if any surgical intervention had been conducted between these imaging were excluded. Prominent artefacts from external devices preventing a clear assessment of CereTom images, fixed CT images or both were also excluded from this study. A final list of 112 pairs of imaging films of not more than 48 h apart were selected with no sampling conducted. MeasuresThe CT numbers (HUs) of all the selected images from C...

Usefulness of Mobile Computed Tomography in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia: A Case Series

“…In particular, in severe patients, the risks of transport increase. The risks include compromised of monitoring devices, intubation tubes, intravenous lines, hypotension, and hypoxia ( 22 23 ). On the contrary, if a mobile CT scanner is available, only two radiology technicians are taken to the negative pressure isolation room with the scanner.…”

“…Hence, the area of quarantine is minimized, and the risk of transport is significantly low. Additionally, the amount of time required for imaging is reduced by eliminating the transport for patients ( 23 ). According to the Radiology Department Preparedness for COVID-19 suggested by the Radiology Scientific Expert Panel, when possible, portable imaging, including portable chest radiography and portable CT, is performed in the patients' rooms to limit equipment, room, and hallway decontamination requirements ( 24 ).…”

“…Hence, the area of quarantine is minimized, and the risk of transport is significantly low. Additionally, the amount of time required for imaging is reduced by eliminating the transport for patients (23).…”

“…Besides the negative pressure isolation room, mobile CT allows for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) or operating room to remain in one place without risking transportationrelated morbidity and provides fast access to information when establishing emergent patient care decisions (22). Head CT has remained the standard diagnostic CT imaging tool for portable scanning since the introduction of mobile units (23,25,26). Additionally, mobile chest or abdominal CT scans can be performed at the bedside, without the need to transport the patient from the ICU (27,28).…”

“…Additionally, mobile chest or abdominal CT scans can be performed at the bedside, without the need to transport the patient from the ICU (27,28). Several reports demonstrated that although less preferred, portable CT images are considered to be of adequate diagnostic quality when compared with fixed scanners (23,25,27,28). Specifically in the study of portable CT to evaluate thoracic disease in ICU, scan quality was considered comparable with that of fixed CT for mediastinal windows and relatively inferior for lung windows, but portable CT provides images of diagnostic quality (27).…”