Cervicothoracic volumetric bone mineral density assessed by opportunistic QCT may be a reliable marker for osteoporosis in adults.

Unlabelled: This study aimed to validate the correlation between volumetric bone mineral density in the cervicothoracic and lumbar spine using measurements from opportunistic CT scans. The bone density assessment proved feasible, allowing us to propose optimal cut-off values for diagnosing osteoporosis and predicting vertebral fractures in the cervical and thoracic spine.

Objectives: To investigate the performance of cervicothoracic volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), obtained through opportunistic quantitative computed tomography (QCT), in discriminating patients with/without osteoporosis and with/without vertebral fractures (VFs), using lumbar vBMD as the reference.

Tube current reduction and iterative image reconstruction for computed tomography myelography.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the impact of a low-dose (LD) protocol using tube current reduction on image quality, the confidence for intervention planning and guidance, and diagnostic yield for computed tomography (CT) myelography. We retrospectively analyzed 68 patients who underwent CT myelography, with 34 investigations performed with a standard-dose (SD) and 34 investigations performed with a LD protocol (using tube current reduction). The different scans were matched considering variables such as sex, age, presence of spinal instrumentation, and body diameter.

Impact of radiation dose reduction and iterative image reconstruction on CT-guided spine biopsies.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the impact of dose reduction on image quality and confidence for intervention planning and guidance regarding computed tomography (CT)-based intervertebral disc and vertebral body biopsies. We retrospectively analyzed 96 patients who underwent multi-detector CT (MDCT) acquired for the purpose of biopsies, which were either derived from scanning with standard dose (SD) or low dose (LD; using tube current reduction). The SD cases were matched to LD cases considering sex, age, level of biopsy, presence of spinal instrumentation, and body diameter.

Computed Tomography of the Head : A Systematic Review on Acquisition and Reconstruction Techniques to Reduce Radiation Dose.

In 1971, the first computed tomography (CT) scan was performed on a patient's brain. Clinical CT systems were introduced in 1974 and dedicated to head imaging only. New technological developments, broader availability, and the clinical success of CT led to a steady growth in examination numbers.

Computed Tomography of the Spine : Systematic Review on Acquisition and Reconstruction Techniques to Reduce Radiation Dose.

The introduction of the first whole-body CT scanner in 1974 marked the beginning of cross-sectional spine imaging. In the last decades, the technological advancement, increasing availability and clinical success of CT led to a rapidly growing number of CT examinations, also of the spine. After initially being primarily used for trauma evaluation, new indications continued to emerge, such as assessment of vertebral fractures or degenerative spine disease, preoperative and postoperative evaluation, or CT-guided interventions at the spine; however, improvements in patient management and clinical outcomes come along with higher radiation exposure, which increases the risk for secondary malignancies.