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CT protocols in interstitial lung diseases—A survey among members of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging and a review of the literature

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to survey the current CT protocols used by members of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging (ESTI) to evaluate patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD).

Methods

A questionnaire was e-mailed to 173 ESTI members. The survey focussed on CT acquisition and reconstruction techniques. In particular, questions referred to the use of discontinuous HRCT or volume CT protocols, the acquisition of additional acquisitions in expiration or in the prone position, and methods of radiation dose reduction and on reconstruction algorithms.

Results

The overall response rate was 37 %. Eighty-five percent of the respondents used either volume CT alone or in combination with discontinuous HRCT. Forty-five percent of the respondents adapt their CT protocols to the patient’s weight and/or age. Expiratory CT or CT in the prone position was performed by 58 % and 59 % of the respondents, respectively. The number of reconstructed series ranged from two to eight.

Conclusion

Our survey showed that radiologists with a special interest and experience in chest radiology use a variety of CT protocols for the evaluation of ILD. There is a clear preference for volumetric scans and a strong tendency to use the 3D information.

Key Points

• Experienced thoracic radiologists use various CT protocols for evaluating interstitial lung diseases.

• Most workers prefer volumetric CT acquisitions, making use of the 3D information

• More attention to reducing the radiation dose appears to be needed

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Abbreviations

ESTI:

European Society of Thoracic Imaging

HRCT:

High resolution computed tomography

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the board of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging for supporting this study and to the respondents for contributing to this study. We are grateful to Prof. Mathias Prokop (UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands) for his critical review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna General Hospital, Währingergürtel 18-22, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Helmut Prosch, Daniela Kienzl & Christian J. Herold

  2. Department of Radiology, Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands

    Cornelia M. Schaefer-Prokop

  3. Department of Radiology, Göttlicher Heiland Hospital, Vienna, Austria

    Edith Eisenhuber

Authors
  1. Helmut Prosch
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  2. Cornelia M. Schaefer-Prokop
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  3. Edith Eisenhuber
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  4. Daniela Kienzl
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  5. Christian J. Herold
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Correspondence to Helmut Prosch.

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Prosch, H., Schaefer-Prokop, C.M., Eisenhuber, E. et al. CT protocols in interstitial lung diseases—A survey among members of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging and a review of the literature. Eur Radiol 23, 1553–1563 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2733-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2733-6

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