Increased renal cyst density on abdominal CT at 100-kVp compared with 120-kVp: a preliminary evaluation

Andrew D Hardie; Jonathan D Perry; Marques L Bradshaw; Melissa M Picard

doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.02.017

Increased renal cyst density on abdominal CT at 100-kVp compared with 120-kVp: a preliminary evaluation

Clin Imaging. 2015 Jul-Aug;39(4):642-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.02.017. Epub 2015 Mar 10.

Authors

Andrew D Hardie¹, Jonathan D Perry², Marques L Bradshaw², Melissa M Picard²

Affiliations

¹ Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, 169 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425. Electronic address: andrewdhardie@gmail.com.
² Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, 169 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425.

PMID: 25794849
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.02.017

Abstract

Objective: To compare the radiographic density of renal cysts on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans performed at tube voltages of 100 versus 120 kVp.

Methods: Thirty-six renal cysts from contrast-enhanced CT performed on 21 subjects at both 120 kVp and 100 kVp were compared by Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical testing.

Results: The radiographic density (mean+/-standard deviation in Hounsfield units) of cysts was greater on 100-kVp than on 120-kVp CT scans for both 5-mm and 2-mm reconstructed slice thicknesses: 16.6+/-5.6 versus 10.9+/-4.9 and 14.1+/-5.6 versus 8.5+/-3.9, respectively.

Conclusions: Decrease in tube voltage significantly increases measured radiographic density of renal cysts on CT. Further studies are indicated to assess the clinical impact of lower-tube-voltage CT.

Keywords: Density; Hounsfield units; Kilovoltage; Renal cyst.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Contrast Media
Humans
Kidney Diseases, Cystic / diagnostic imaging*
Retrospective Studies
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

Contrast Media