Multislice CT

Depending on the scanner used, both advantages of multislice CT can be combined by finding a compromise between slice thickness and speed. 

For all multislice CT protocols, the reconstructed slice thickness for liver and pelvic scans should be 3-5 mm in all orientations. Thinner slices contain more noise and are less suitable for primary image interpretation. Thin slices are mostly acquired to generate multiplanar reformations with a comparable spatial resolution. 

Many users of spiral and multislice CT scanners have switched from conventional image interpretation to primary digital interpretation on the monitor. The interactive options have numerous advantages... 

Kopka L, Rogdla P, et al. (2002) Multislice CT of the abdomen - current indications and future trends. Fortschr Geb Rontgenstr Neuen Bildgeb Verfahr 174 273-282... 

The most important advantages of multislice CT over MRl are the shorter examination time and the high spatial resolution. However, direct data acquisition is restricted to the transverse plane and reformations in oblique plane from data sets causes loss of image quality. The major drawback of CT is the markedly poorer soft-tissue contrast compared with MRl (Fig. 7.6). 

With conventional MR imaging techniques, lymph nodes are visualized vdien they have a size of at least 1.0-1.5 cm [10]. Optimized imaging techniques (body phased-array coil, 512 matrix, 3D acquisition) or state-of-the-art spiral or multislice CT scanners depict lymph nodes as small at about 3-5 mm [7,8]. These techniques usually allow good evaluation of the lymph nodes adjacent to the straight great vessels (Fig. 15.1). 

Buckwalter KA, Rydberg J, Kopecky KK et al (2001) Musculoskeletal imaging with multislice CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 176 979-986... 

Donnelly LF, Frush DP (2005) Evidence based principles and protocols of pediatric body MSCT. Elsevier, p 191 Donnelly LF, Frush DP (2005) Evidence-based principles and protocols for pediatric multislice computed tomography. In Knollman F, Croakley FV, eds. Multislice CT - Principles and Protocols. Philadelphia, PA Elsevier, ppl79-201 Drebin RA, Hanrahan P (1988) Volume rendering. Comput Graph 22 65-74... 

Carrascosa P, Capunay C, Vembar M, Ciancibello L, Car-rascosa J (2005) Multislice CT virtual angioscopy of the abdomen. Abdom Imaging 30 249-258 Davis CP, Ladd ME, Romanowski BJ, Wildermuth S, Knop-lioch JF, Debatin JF (1996) Human aorta preliminary results with virtual endoscopy based on three-dimensional MR imaging data sets. Radiology 199 37-40 De Nicola M, Salvolini L, Salvolini U (1997) Virtual endoscopy of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Eur J Radiol 24 175-180... 

Thorax CAD here the focus is on the automated detection of nodules in the high resolution multislice CT (MSCT) data, on the detection of pulmonary emboli (Schaefer-Prokop et al. 2006, and of textural analysis by classification of pixels, e.g. for the quantification of the extent of sarcoidosis. See Sluimer et al. (2006) for a review. 

In dental and maxillofacial applications. Computed Tomography (CT) is the most frequently used imaging technique and 3D display the main objective. The development of these applications has been greatly facilitated by the growth of multislice CT (MSCT) acquisition. These developments have been described above in Chapters 3 and 6. Although technical factors vary according to the application, in... 

Keberle M, Sandstede J, Hoppe F, Fischer M, Hahn D (2003) Diagnostic impact of multiplanar reformations in multislice CT of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. Rofo 175 1079-1085... 

Bielen D, Vanbeckevoort D, Thomeer M et al (2001) Virtual endoscopy, in Multislice CT a practical guide. Proceedings of the 5th International SOMATOM CT Scientific User Conference, Zurich, June 2000, pp 204-215 Boivin ML, Voderholzer W, Lochs H (2004) M2A patency capsule the Berlin experience (abstr). Gastroenterology 126(suppl 2) 459... 

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