C-arm flat-panel CT arthrography of the shoulder: Radiation dose considerations and preliminary data on diagnostic performance

Objectives To investigate radiation dose and diagnostic performance of C-arm flat-panel CT (FPCT) versus standard multi-detector CT (MDCT) shoulder arthrography using MRI-arthrography as reference standard. Methods Radiation dose of two different FPCT acquisitions (5 and 20 s) and standard MDCT of the shoulder were assessed using phantoms and thermoluminescence dosimetry. FPCT arthrographies were performed in 34 patients (mean age 44 ± 15 years). Different joint structures were quantitatively and qualitatively assessed by two independent radiologists. Inter-reader agreement and diagnostic performance were calculated. Results Effective radiation dose was markedly lower in FPCT 5 s (0.6 mSv) compared to MDCT (1.7 mSv) and FPCT 20 s (3.4 mSv). Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were significantly (p