Deep learning image reconstruction for pancreatic low-dose computed tomography: comparison with hybrid iterative reconstruction

Purpose To evaluate image quality, image noise, and conspicuity of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in pancreatic low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) reconstructed using deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) and compare with those of images reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction (IR). Methods Our institutional review board approved this prospective study. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Twenty-eight consecutive patients with PDAC undergoing chemotherapy (14 men and 14 women; mean age, 68.4 years) underwent pancreatic LDCT for therapy evaluation. The LDCT images were reconstructed using 40% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Veo (hybrid-IR) and DLIR at medium and high levels (DLIR-M and DLIR-H). The image noise, diagnostic acceptability, and conspicuity of PDAC were qualitatively assessed using a 5-point scale. CT numbers of the abdominal aorta, portal vein, pancreas, PDAC, background noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the anatomical structures, and tumor-to-pancreas contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative parameters were compared between the hybrid-IR, DLIR-M, and DLIR-H images. Results CT dose-index volumes and dose-length product in pancreatic LDCT were 2.3 +/- 1.0 mGy and 74.9 +/- 37.0 mGy center dot cm, respectively. The image noise, diagnostic acceptability, and conspicuity of PDAC were significantly better in DLIR-H than those in hybrid-IR and DLIR-M (all P < 0.001). The background noise was significantly lower in the DLIR-H images (P < 0.001) and resulted in improved SNRs (P < 0.001) and CNR (P < 0.001) compared with those in the hybrid-IR and DLIR-M images. Conclusion DLIR significantly reduced image noise and improved image quality in pancreatic LDCT images compared with hybrid-IR.