Assessment of Radiation Dose Delivered and Volume Measurement By Low- and High-Dose Diagnostic Computed Tomography: Anthropomorphic Liver Phantom Study.

AIM

Liver volume measurement is a mandatory test before measure liver surgeries and transplantation. We aimed a study on the difference in volume measurement and radiation dose to an anthropomorphic liver phantom using high-dose and low-dose diagnostic computed tomography (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Several measurements of the manual total volume measurement done on an anthropomorphic liver phantom mounted with thermoluminescent dosimeter. We exposed the phantom with diagnostic CT, low-dose CT, and a low-dose CT with copper filter.

RESULTS

Phantom underwent ten scanning for each exposure. There was no significant difference in the total volume measurement in comparison to the phantom volume. The volume of phantom measured by low-dose CT, low-dose CT with copper phantom, and high-dose CT were 1869 ± 18 cm, 1852 ± 24 cm, and 1908 ± 12 cm, ( = 0.3), respectively. However, the radiation dose delivered was significantly different (1.54 mGy, 0.77 mGy, and 5.84 mGy [ = 0.001], respectively).

CONCLUSION

Total liver volume measurement provides essential clinical information in several clinical conditions. We recommended that the volume measured by a low-dose CT has an excellent correlation with the diagnostic quality CT and should be a routine in the routine clinical practice. CT volumetry achieves the same result while using very less radiation exposure. It may also be used with functional imaging to give complete information.