Misregistration Artifact due to Respiratory Motion on Spiral CT of the Liver

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency and patterns of respiratory-induced misregistration artifact seen on spiral CT of the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients with hepatic mass underwent spiral CT, and arterial phase images were compared with those of the portal phase in all cases and or of the delayed phase in 138. The patterns of misregistration artifact were divided into two groups skipping, where at least two slices in the craniocaudal length of the mass were missed, and the partial volume veraging artifact thus excluded; and overlapping, where the same or reversed images were seen in succeeding sequences. We reviewed the location and size of the masses, and the presence or absence, and patterns of the misregistration artifact. RESULTS: Fourteen (7%) of 200 spiral CT scans demonstrated the misregistration artifact; in five of these there was skipping (involving a hepatic mass larger than 2 cm in two cases, and one smaller than 2 cm in three cases), and in nine there was overlapping (six masses larger than 2 cm, and three smaller than this). A lipiodol-laden mass measuring 5 mm was completely missed during the arterial phase. and in one case the spleen sequence was reversed. Thirteen (93%) of fourteen masses were located in the right lobe. CONCLUSION: Two patterns of misregistration artifact, skipping and overlapping, were observed, and their combined frequency was 7%. So as not to miss small hepatic masses or overestimate their size, careful respiratory control is therefore needed.