Prospective-triggered high-pitch spiral versus sequential dual-source CT coronary angiography: comparison of image quality and radiation dose

Background: prospectively electrocardiography (ecg)-triggered high-pitch spiralcoronary computed tomography angiography (ccta) is a unique scan mode for dual-source ct (dsct). our reports aim to compare image quality and radiation dose ofccta using high-pitch spiral or sequential acquisition mode in patients with low andstable heart rates. materials and methods: patients with low and stable heartrates (hr) (hr ≤ 70 beats per minute [bpm]; heart rate variability [hrv] < 10 bpm)were randomly assigned to high-pitch spiral mode (group a; n = 80) or sequenalacquisition mode (group b; n = 80). image quality scores, image noise, effectiveradiation dose and influencing factors on image quality were assessed. results:mean image quality scores were 1.51 } 0.32 and 1.70 } 0.38 for groups a andb (p < 0.05), respectively. image noises of the two groups were 19.05±4.70 huand 27.21±8.88 hu (p < 0.05). contrast media cost in group a was lower thangroup b (p < 0.05). no statistical difference was found in the rate of diagnosticpatients between the two groups (p = 0.416). the estimated radiation dose ofgroup a was 26.0% reduced compared with group b (0.74 ± 0.34 msv vs. 1.00± 0.48 msv, p < 0.05). conclusion: in patients with regular and low heart rates,the prospectively high-pitch spiral acquisition mode can reduce radiation dose andcontrast media cost while maintaining image quality compared with theprospectively sequential mode.