Image quality with reduced radiation dose and contrast medium of cardiac computed tomography in infants with congenital heart disease using 70 KVP and DEEP-learning reconstruction with 256-detector CT

This study compared radiation dose, vascular enhancement, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of 256-multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) at 70 kVp with deep-learning reconstruction (DLR) to 64-MDCT at 80 kVp with ASiR of cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) in infants with congenital heart disease. The contrast medium (CM) was 266 mg/kg for the 256-MDCT group and 600 mg/kg for the 64-MDCT group. In the 256- and 64-MDCT groups, the median values were 0.45 and 0.75 mGy for adjusted volume CT dose index (P < .05) and 4.98 and 8.00 mGy-cm for dose length product (P < .05). Despite a 49% CM reduction in the 256-MDCT group, vascular enhancement and CNR showed no significant differences (P > .05). The 256-MDCT at 70 kVp with DLR can maintain vascular CT enhancement and CNR while reducing CM by 49% and radiation dose by 41% in infant CCTA, compared with 64-MDCT at 80 kVp with ASiR.