Assessment of image quality and radiation dose in low-dose, low-contrast computed tomography coronary angiogram: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clin RadiolAug 6, 2026 (epub)
S D Naik, T Visakh, K Prakashini et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the image quality and radiation dose of low-dose, low-contrast computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) in 353 participants. The study found that using 80 kV significantly reduced radiation exposure by 54-56% while maintaining high image quality, with signal-to-noise ratios of 27.1 and 31.2 for 80 kV.
Key findings
- At 80 kV, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 27.1 and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was 31.2.
- Radiation dose at 80 kV was significantly lower, with CTDIvol at 2.08 mGy and effective dose at 0.37 mSv.
- Using 80 kV resulted in a 54-56% reduction in radiation dose compared to 100 kV.
- Image quality differences between 80 kV and 100 kV were minimal, with only 5-15% variation in SNR and CNR.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that low-dose, low-contrast CTCA can effectively reduce radiation exposure while preserving image quality, which is crucial for patient safety in diagnosing coronary artery disease.