Automated tube voltage selection in pediatric non-contrast chest CT

Modern CT scanners provide automatic dose adjustment systems, which are promising options for reducing radiation dose in pediatric CT scans. Their impact on patient dose, however, has not been investigated sufficiently thus far. To evaluate automated tube voltage selection (ATVS) in combination with automated tube current modulation (ATCM) in non-contrast pediatric chest CT, with regard to the diagnostic image quality. There were 160 non-contrast pediatric chest CT scans (8.7±5.4 years) analyzed retrospectively without and with ATVS. Correlations of volume CT Dose Index (CTDIvol) and effective diameter, with and without ATVS, were compared using Fisher's z-transformation. Image quality was assessed by mean signal-difference-to-noise ratios (SDNR) in the aorta and in the left main bronchus using the independent samples t-test. Two pediatric radiologists and a general radiologist rated overall subjective Image quality. Readers' agreement was assessed using weighted kappa coefficients. A p value