Felix G Meinel1, Felix Schwab2, Andre Yaroshenko3, Astrid Velroyen3, Martin Bech4, Katharina Hellbach2, Jeanette Fuchs5, Thorsten Stiewe5, Ali Ö Yildirim6, Fabian Bamberg2, Maximilian F Reiser2, Franz Pfeiffer3, Konstantin Nikolaou2. 1. Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany. Electronic address: felix.meinel@med.uni-muenchen.de. 2. Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany. 3. Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany. 4. Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany; Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden. 5. Molecular Oncology Unit, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany. 6. Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether grating-based X-ray imaging may have a role in imaging of pulmonary nodules on radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse lung containing multiple lung tumors was imaged using a small-animal scanner with a conventional X-ray source and a grating interferometer for phase-contrast imaging. We qualitatively compared the signal characteristics of lung nodules on transmission, dark-field and phase-contrast images. Furthermore, we quantitatively compared signal characteristics of lung tumors and the adjacent lung tissue and calculated the corresponding contrast-to-noise ratios. RESULTS: Of the 5 tumors visualized on the transmission image, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized and 1 tumor was faintly visualized in the dark-field image as areas of decreased small angle scattering. In the phase-contrast images, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized, while the remaining 2 tumors were faintly visualized by the phase-shift occurring at their edges. No additional tumors were visualized in either the dark-field or phase-contrast images. Compared to the adjacent lung tissue, lung tumors were characterized by a significant decrease in transmission signal (median 0.86 vs. 0.91, p = 0.04) and increase in dark-field signal (median 0.71 vs. 0.65, p = 0.04). Median contrast-to-noise ratios for the visualization of lung nodules were 4.4 for transmission images and 1.7 for dark-field images (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Lung nodules can be visualized on all three radiograph modalities derived from grating-based X-ray imaging. However, our initial data suggest that grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging does not increase the sensitivity of chest radiographs for the detection of lung nodules.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether grating-based X-ray imaging may have a role in imaging of pulmonary nodules on radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse lung containing multiple lung tumors was imaged using a small-animal scanner with a conventional X-ray source and a grating interferometer for phase-contrast imaging. We qualitatively compared the signal characteristics of lung nodules on transmission, dark-field and phase-contrast images. Furthermore, we quantitatively compared signal characteristics of lung tumors and the adjacent lung tissue and calculated the corresponding contrast-to-noise ratios. RESULTS: Of the 5 tumors visualized on the transmission image, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized and 1 tumor was faintly visualized in the dark-field image as areas of decreased small angle scattering. In the phase-contrast images, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized, while the remaining 2 tumors were faintly visualized by the phase-shift occurring at their edges. No additional tumors were visualized in either the dark-field or phase-contrast images. Compared to the adjacent lung tissue, lung tumors were characterized by a significant decrease in transmission signal (median 0.86 vs. 0.91, p = 0.04) and increase in dark-field signal (median 0.71 vs. 0.65, p = 0.04). Median contrast-to-noise ratios for the visualization of lung nodules were 4.4 for transmission images and 1.7 for dark-field images (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Lung nodules can be visualized on all three radiograph modalities derived from grating-based X-ray imaging. However, our initial data suggest that grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging does not increase the sensitivity of chest radiographs for the detection of lung nodules.
Authors: Guibin Zan; David John Vine; Wenbing Yun; Sylvia Jia Yun Lewis; Qiuping Wang; Ge Wang Journal: Phys Med Biol Date: 2020-02-04 Impact factor: 3.609
Authors: Alexander A Fingerle; Fabio De Marco; Jana Andrejewski; Konstantin Willer; Lukas B Gromann; Wolfgang Noichl; Fabian Kriner; Florian Fischer; Christian Braun; Hanns-Ingo Maack; Thomas Pralow; Thomas Koehler; Peter B Noël; Felix Meurer; Dominik Deniffel; Andreas P Sauter; Bernhard Haller; Daniela Pfeiffer; Ernst J Rummeny; Julia Herzen; Franz Pfeiffer Journal: Eur Radiol Exp Date: 2019-07-11
Authors: Jana Andrejewski; Fabio De Marco; Konstantin Willer; Wolfgang Noichl; Alex Gustschin; Thomas Koehler; Pascal Meyer; Fabian Kriner; Florian Fischer; Christian Braun; Alexander A Fingerle; Julia Herzen; Franz Pfeiffer; Daniela Pfeiffer Journal: Eur Radiol Exp Date: 2021-01-26