Table 3.
Image noise (standard deviation of HU), DLP, effective dose and subjective image quality score according to anatomic location
| Location | Dose | Imagenoise | DLPa | Effective dose (mSvb) | Image quality (score, reader 1) | Image quality (score, reader 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Standard dose | 62.7 (±15) | 404 (±167) | 5.8 (±2.3) | 3.69 (±0.5) | 3.71 (±0.5) |
| Low dose | 64.1 (±18) | 199 (±78) | 2.9 (±1.1) | 3.78 (±0.4) | 3.78 (±0.4) | |
| p value | 0.77 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.37 | 0.40 | |
| Pelvis | Standard dose | 73.4 (±22) | 492 (±190) | 7.4 (±2.9) | 3.78 (±0.4) | 3.77 (±0.4) |
| Low dose | 69.2 (±23) | 247 (±59) | 3.9 (±1.6) | 3.76 (±0.5) | 3.82 (±0.4) | |
| p value | 0.41 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.93 | 0.48 | |
| Ankle | Standard dose | 94.1 (±29) | 229 (±90) | 1.4 (±0.5) | 3.60 (±0.5) | 3.65 (±0.5) |
| Low dose | 81.6 (±24) | 136 (±46) | 0.8 (±0.3) | 3.60 (±0.7) | 3.64 (±0.6) | |
| p value | 0.45 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.73 | 0.94 | |
| Wrist | Standard dose | 78.0 (±27) | 202 (±31) | 1.2 (±0.2) | 3.86 (±0.5) | 3.88 (±0.4) |
| Low dose | 67.7 (±27) | 116 (±10) | 0.7 (±0.1) | 3.80 (±0.5) | 3.75 (±0.5) | |
| p value | 0.40 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.21 | 0.08 |
Note: Data in parentheses are standard deviations.
DLP, dose length product; HU, Hounsfield unit.
a
DAP, Dose area product
b
mSv, milli-Sievert