Low-dose CT with automatic tube current modulation, adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction, and low tube voltage for the diagnosis of renal colic: impact of body mass index.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on dose, diagnostic performance, and image quality of a low-dose CT examination for renal colic. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included all patients who underwent a low-dose CT examination for renal colic performed during the year 2012 with automatic tube current modulation, adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction, and a low tube voltage (kV). Three readers independently reviewed all images for the presence of renal colic and evaluated diagnostic confidence and image quality. The results and doses were compared among patients grouped by body mass index (BMI) and between patients with a BMI < 25 and those with a BMI ≥ 25. RESULTS. Eighty-six patients were included in the study: 39 patients had a BMI < 25 and 47 had a BMI ≥ 25. No statistically significant difference was found between the accuracy rates for the diagnosis of renal colic when the rates of the three independent readers were average...