June 1, 2012 — Through the rapid growth of multi-slice computer tomography (CT) imaging, radiation protection has become a major issue in the radiological community. In response to this problem, ContextVision has collaborated with Dr. Lars Borgen, Drammen and Buskerud University College, Drammen, Norway, to explore technology solutions that will deliver superior image enhancement in cases of reduced patient image doses. Today Borgen will present his thesis, “Application of Adaptive Non-Linear 2-D and 3-D Post-Processing Filters for Reduced Dose Abdominal CT.”
Borgen used ContextVision’s advanced 2-D and 3-D filters to compare the effects of reduced dose abdominal in CT images. The results show that ContextVision’s 3-D filter improves image quality as compared to unfiltered and 2-D filtered images. For patients with BMI< 30kg/m2, the 3-D filter was able to restore 50 percent dose reduced images to comparable quality of full dose images. All image quality criteria were rated as superior for 3-D filtered images compared to reduced dose, baseline and 2-D filtered images.
“The study supports that the usage of highly sophisticated three-dimensional image processing algorithms enables up to 50 percent dose reduction from CT exams,” said Borgen.
“ContextVision recognizes that patient safety concerns are resulting in an increase in reduced-dose imaging exams. Our full suite of image enhancement software across multiple modalities including real time 3-D filters for ultrasound and prototype 3-D and 4-D filters for CT and MRI proves that our image enhancement meets the demands of patient safety without compromising on image quality, as shown in Borgen’s research,” said Martin Hedlund, ContextVision’s chief technology officer. “ContextVision is and will continue to be the technology leader within image enhancement software, and we are continuously involved in research collaborations as a natural part of the development of future solutions.”
Along with ContextVision, collaborators from Buskerud Hospital (BU), Buskerud University College, Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) in Linköping and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston participated in this research project.
According to Dr. Mannudeep K. Kalra, a co-author of the study, 3-D filters can help improve image quality with 3-D filters while reducing radiation dose substantially. Unlike iterative reconstruction techniques which are mostly applicable to modern and newer scanners, these filters can be applied to CT images from any CT scanner to enable radiation dose reduction. Furthermore, 3-D filters were not associated with any undesirable effect on image texture reported with some of the iterative reconstruction techniques.
For more information: www.contextvision.com
February 06, 2024 
