IMAGE QUALITY OF SPIRAL CT VERSUS CONVENTIONAL CT IN ROUTINE BRAIN IMAGING

Objective: Aim of the study was to compare image quality of spiral (he lical) versus conventional (sequential) routine brain scans obtained o n a spiral CT scanner of the latest generation. Materials and methods: In a prospective study 60 patients scheduled for cranial CT were exam ined in spiral (27 cases) or conventional technique (33 cases) after r andomization. Two blinded observers rated artifacts, gray-white-matter contrast and overall image quality. Results: No significant differenc es in artifacts were detected. Concerning gray-white-matter contrast a nd overall image quality, none or small differences in favour of conve ntional scans were found depending on the observer. Conclusion: On a m odern scanner image quality of spiral brain scans in adults is nowaday s comparable to or only slightly less than that of conventional scans. On such a machine, spiral mode can be recommended if, for example, ra pid scanning or high-quality secondary reconstructions are needed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.