Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckst. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR), Am Gestade 1, 1010, Vienna, Austria.
Radiologie (Heidelb). 2024 Nov;64(Suppl 1):160-165. doi: 10.1007/s00117-024-01389-8. Epub 2024 Oct 30.
Advanced imaging techniques play a pivotal role in oncology. A large variety of computed tomography (CT) scanners, scan protocols, and acquisition techniques have led to a wide range in image quality and radiation exposure. This study aims at implementing verifiable oncological imaging by quality assurance and optimization (i-Violin) through harmonizing image quality and radiation dose across Europe.
The 2‑year multicenter implementation study outlined here will focus on CT imaging of lung, stomach, and colorectal cancer and include imaging for four radiological indications: diagnosis, radiation therapy planning, staging, and follow-up. Therefore, 480 anonymized CT data sets of patients will be collected by the associated university hospitals and uploaded to a repository. Radiologists will determine key abdominopelvic structures for image quality assessment by consensus and subsequently adapt a previously developed lung CT tool for the objective evaluation of image quality. The quality metrics will be evaluated for their correlation with perceived image quality and the standardized optimization strategy will be disseminated across Europe.
The results of the outlined study will be used to obtain European reference data, to build teaching programs for the developed tools, and to create a culture of optimization in oncological CT imaging.
The study protocol and rationale for i‑Violin, a European approach for standardization and harmonization of image quality and optimization of CT procedures in oncological imaging, is presented. Future results will be disseminated across all EU member states, and i‑Violin is thus expected to have a sustained impact on CT imaging for cancer patients across Europe.
先进的成像技术在肿瘤学中起着至关重要的作用。大量的计算机断层扫描（CT）扫描仪、扫描方案和采集技术导致图像质量和辐射剂量存在广泛差异。本研究旨在通过质量保证和优化（i-Violin）实现可验证的肿瘤成像，在欧洲范围内协调图像质量和辐射剂量。
本研究为为期 2 年的多中心实施研究，将重点关注肺癌、胃癌和结直肠癌的 CT 成像，包括四种影像学适应症的成像：诊断、放射治疗计划、分期和随访。因此，将通过相关大学医院收集 480 名匿名患者的 CT 数据集，并将其上传至存储库。放射科医生将通过共识确定用于图像质量评估的关键腹部结构，随后将针对客观评估图像质量的先前开发的肺 CT 工具进行调整。将评估质量指标与感知图像质量的相关性，并在整个欧洲传播标准化的优化策略。
所概述研究的结果将用于获取欧洲参考数据，为开发工具构建教学计划，并为肿瘤 CT 成像中的优化创造文化。
提出了 i-Violin 的研究方案和基本原理，这是一种用于肿瘤成像中标准化和协调图像质量以及优化 CT 程序的欧洲方法。未来的结果将在所有欧盟成员国传播，因此 i-Violin 有望对欧洲癌症患者的 CT 成像产生持续影响。
