Ces radiol. 2025, 79(3):175-181 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2025/019

The chest computed tomography - dose reducing using additional silver filtrationOriginal article

Leoš Ungermann^{1, 2}, Veronika Kozáková¹, Bořivoj Korbel¹, Hana Malíková²

¹ Radiodiagnostické oddělení Pardubická nemocnice, Nemocnice Pardubického kraje, a.s., Pardubice

² Klinika radiologie a nukleární medicíny 3. LF UK a FNKV, Praha Korespondenční adresa:

Aim: The aim of our work was to determine the degree of reduction in effective radiation dose during native chest imaging on a computed tomography scanner using a protocol with and without silver filtration, and also to verify whether the diagnostic quality of the examination would be maintained.

Method: From the patients who underwent CT at our institution in 2023 and 2024, we selected those who had native CT of the chest and retrospectively analyzed their examinations. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group was examined with a standard protocol without the use of additional filtration and the second group of patients with the use of silver filtration. Radiation exposure was calculated based on the set exposure parameters and the values ​​of the dose parameters exported by the CT machine related to the patient‘s size. The diagnostic quality of the examination was then independently assessed by two experienced radiologists specializing in the diagnosis of lung diseases.

Results: There were 108 patients in both groups. The examination was indicated as a control in 60% of cases and as a primary in 40% of cases. Pulmonary interstitial involvement was controlled or examined in 32%, consolidation or lesion in 59% and other indications occupied 9%. The median of effective dose in patients using the conventional protocol was 5.86 mSv (2.20–14.07 mSv) with a mean of 6.34 mSv, in patients using silver filtration the median of effective dose was 1.18 mSv (0.60–2.54 mSv) with a mean of 1.31 mSv. Both groups of patients had comparable physical parameters, with the mean BMI in the first group being 28.4 and in the second group being 28.2. There was an identical number of women in both groups. When assessing the diagnostic quality of the examination, none of the examinations were assessed as non-diagnostic.

Conclusion: The results showed that the use of silver filtration during routine chest CT scans reduces radiation exposure for patients by 80% and maintains diagnostic quality in all patients.

Keywords: radiation, dose, silver filtration, thorax low-dose computed tomography.

Received: May 14, 2025; Revised: May 14, 2025; Accepted: August 31, 2025; Published: December 1, 2025  Show citation