The Effect of Extrinsic Material and Radiation Dose on Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction Chest Computed Tomography Reconstruction Time: A Phantom-Based Study.

Objective: Compare effect of extrinsic materials and radiation dose levels on image processing times for model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) in computed tomography.

Methods: Chest computed tomography scans were performed on a phantom with three different levels of clothing and medical equipment at three tube current settings to reflect differing radiation doses. Reconstruction time for MBIR was recorded, and objective image quality was assessed via noise within the phantom mediastinum.

Changing radiation dose from diagnostic computed tomography examinations in Saskatchewan.

Purpose: Follow-up study to observe if provincial mean effective radiation dose for head, chest, and abdomen-pelvis (AP) computed tomographies (CTs) remained stable or changed since the initial 2006 survey.

Methods: Data were collected in July 2008 from Saskatchewan's 13 diagnostic CT scanners of 3358 CT examinations. These data included the number of scan phases and projected dose length product (DLP).