TY - JOUR
T1 - The Vetmousetrap
T2 - A Device For Computed Tomographic Imaging Of The Thorax Of Awake Cats
AU - Oliveira, Cintia R.
AU - Ranallo, Frank N.
AU - Pijanowski, Gerald J.
AU - Mitchell, Mark A.
AU - O'brien, Mauria A.
AU - Mcmichael, Maureen
AU - Hartman, Susan K.
AU - Matheson, Jodi S.
AU - O'brien, Robert T.
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - The VetMousetrap™, a novel device that allows computed tomography (CT) of awake cats and provides a clinically supportive environment, is described. Ten normal cats were used to test the device for ambient internal oxygen, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature. Twenty-two awake normal cats were imaged using a 16-multi-slice helical CT unit to evaluate dose-equivalent protocols. Two different X-ray tube potentials (kV), 80 and 120, and two different helical pitches, 0.562 and 1.75, were evaluated. The signal intensity of the pulmonary parenchyma (SIlung), signal intensity of background (SIbackgr), contrast, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Three evaluators ranked the images for sharpness of liver margins, motion, helical, and windmill artifacts. CT was successfully completed in 20 of 22 cats. No artifacts directly related to the device were detected. Overall, 75 of 80 (94%) examinations were judged to have absent or minimal motion artifact. A statistically significant difference was found for SNR (P=0.001) and CNR (P=0.001) between all protocols. The higher pitch protocols had significantly lower noise and higher SNR and CNR, lower motion artifact but greater helical artifacts. A protocol using 80kV, 130mA, 0.5s, and 0.562 pitch with 1.25mm slice thickness, and 0.625mm slice reconstruction interval is recommended. The VetMousetrap™ appears to provide the opportunity for diagnostic CT imaging of the thorax of awake cats.
AB - The VetMousetrap™, a novel device that allows computed tomography (CT) of awake cats and provides a clinically supportive environment, is described. Ten normal cats were used to test the device for ambient internal oxygen, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature. Twenty-two awake normal cats were imaged using a 16-multi-slice helical CT unit to evaluate dose-equivalent protocols. Two different X-ray tube potentials (kV), 80 and 120, and two different helical pitches, 0.562 and 1.75, were evaluated. The signal intensity of the pulmonary parenchyma (SIlung), signal intensity of background (SIbackgr), contrast, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Three evaluators ranked the images for sharpness of liver margins, motion, helical, and windmill artifacts. CT was successfully completed in 20 of 22 cats. No artifacts directly related to the device were detected. Overall, 75 of 80 (94%) examinations were judged to have absent or minimal motion artifact. A statistically significant difference was found for SNR (P=0.001) and CNR (P=0.001) between all protocols. The higher pitch protocols had significantly lower noise and higher SNR and CNR, lower motion artifact but greater helical artifacts. A protocol using 80kV, 130mA, 0.5s, and 0.562 pitch with 1.25mm slice thickness, and 0.625mm slice reconstruction interval is recommended. The VetMousetrap™ appears to provide the opportunity for diagnostic CT imaging of the thorax of awake cats.
KW - Cat
KW - Computed tomography
KW - Respiratory
KW - Thorax
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951972089&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79951972089&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2010.01726.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2010.01726.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 21322386
AN - SCOPUS:79951972089
VL - 52
SP - 41
EP - 52
JO - Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound
JF - Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound
SN - 1058-8183
IS - 1
ER -