Ultra-low-dose CT with model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR): detection of ground-glass nodules in an anthropomorphic phantom study

Purpose The authors sought to evaluate the effect of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) on the sensitivity of ground-glass nodule (GGN) detection at different dose levels. Materials and methods Fifty-four artificial GGN were randomly divided into three sets, each positioned in an anthropomorphic phantom. The three sets were evaluated on standard-dose (SD, 350 mA), low-dose (LD, 35 mA) and ultra-low-dose (ULD, 10 mA) CT scans (100 kV, 64 × 0.625 mm, 0.5 s), and each scan was reconstructed twice with filtered back projection (FBP) and MBIR. Three radiologists independently evaluated the scans for GGN presence and size. SD + FBP was considered the reference standard. A region of interest (ROI) was used to calculate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio normalised to dose (CNRD). McNemar’s test, Bland–Altman analysis and t test were used for statistical assessment ( p < 0.05). Results The mean diameter of the 54 GGNs was 9.2 mm (range 3.7–17.3 mm). For the three readers, no statistically significant differences were observed in the sensitivity of GGN detection between LD + MBIR, ULD + MBIR and SD + FBP ( p > 0.05). Bland–Altman analysis showed a good reader agreement (±1.5 mm) for GGN size between SD + FBP and ULD + MBIR. For low dose and ultra-low dose, the SNR and CNRD were significantly higher with MBIR ( p < 0.0001). The effective dose was 97.1 % lower with ultra-low dose (0.15 mSv) than standard dose (5.15 mSv). Conclusions The detection of GGN with MBIR at low-dose and ultra-low-dose CT does not differ significantly from standard-dose CT with FBP in an anthropomorphic phantom.