PURPOSE: To evaluate noise-optimized monoenergetic postprocessing of dual-energy CT (DE-CT) on image quality in patients with incidental pulmonary embolism in single-pass portal-venous phase CT (CTpv). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 Consecutive patients with incidental pulmonary embolism in contrast-enhanced oncological follow-up DE-CTpv examination were included in this study. Images were acquired with a 3rd generation DE-CT system in DE mode (100/Sn150 kV) and activated tube current modulation 90 s after contrast agent administration. Subsequently, virtual monoenergetic images (MEI+) were reconstructed at five different keV levels (40, 55, 70, 85, 100) and compared to the standard linearly blended (M_0.8) CTpv images. Image quality was assessed qualitatively (vascular contrast and detectability of embolism, image noise, iodine influx artifact; two independent readers; 5-point Likert scale; 5 = excellent) and quantitatively by calculating signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR). RESULTS: Highest vessel contrast and highest detectability of embolism were observed in MEI+ at 40 keV (4.7 ± 0.4) and 55 keV (4.2 ± 0.6) with significant differences as compared to CTpv (3.6 ± 0.5) and high keV reconstructions (70, 85, 100; p ≤ 0.01). Image noise significantly increased at 40 keV MEI+ compared to all other MEI+ reconstructions and CTpv (p < 0.001). SNR and CNR calculations were highest at 40 keV MEI+ followed by 55 keV and CTpv with significant differences to high keV MEI+ (85-100). CONCLUSIONS: Computed MEI+ at low keV levels allow for improved vessel contrast and visualisation of incidental pulmonary embolism in patients with portal-venous phase CT scans by substantially increasing CNR and SNR.
PURPOSE: To evaluate noise-optimized monoenergetic postprocessing of dual-energy CT (DE-CT) on image quality in patients with incidental pulmonary embolism in single-pass portal-venous phase CT (CTpv). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 Consecutive patients with incidental pulmonary embolism in contrast-enhanced oncological follow-up DE-CTpv examination were included in this study. Images were acquired with a 3rd generation DE-CT system in DE mode (100/Sn150 kV) and activated tube current modulation 90 s after contrast agent administration. Subsequently, virtual monoenergetic images (MEI+) were reconstructed at five different keV levels (40, 55, 70, 85, 100) and compared to the standard linearly blended (M_0.8) CTpv images. Image quality was assessed qualitatively (vascular contrast and detectability of embolism, image noise, iodine influx artifact; two independent readers; 5-point Likert scale; 5 = excellent) and quantitatively by calculating signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR). RESULTS: Highest vessel contrast and highest detectability of embolism were observed in MEI+ at 40 keV (4.7 ± 0.4) and 55 keV (4.2 ± 0.6) with significant differences as compared to CTpv (3.6 ± 0.5) and high keV reconstructions (70, 85, 100; p ≤ 0.01). Image noise significantly increased at 40 keV MEI+ compared to all other MEI+ reconstructions and CTpv (p < 0.001). SNR and CNR calculations were highest at 40 keV MEI+ followed by 55 keV and CTpv with significant differences to high keV MEI+ (85-100). CONCLUSIONS: Computed MEI+ at low keV levels allow for improved vessel contrast and visualisation of incidental pulmonary embolism in patients with portal-venous phase CT scans by substantially increasing CNR and SNR.
Authors: Martin Beeres; Jesko Trommer; Claudia Frellesen; Nour-Eldin A Nour-Eldin; Jan E Scholtz; Eva Herrmann; Thomas J Vogl; Julian L Wichmann Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2015-08-02 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Paul L den Exter; Tom van der Hulle; Ieneke J C Hartmann; David Jiménez; Frederikus A Klok; Menno V Huisman; Lucia J M Kroft Journal: Thromb Res Date: 2015-06-19 Impact factor: 3.944
Authors: Martine Remy-Jardin; Massimo Pistolesi; Lawrence R Goodman; Warren B Gefter; Alexander Gottschalk; John R Mayo; H Dirk Sostman Journal: Radiology Date: 2007-09-11 Impact factor: 11.105
Authors: Sonja Sudarski; Paul Apfaltrer; John W Nance; David Schneider; Mathias Meyer; Stefan O Schoenberg; Christian Fink; Thomas Henzler Journal: Eur J Radiol Date: 2013-06-10 Impact factor: 3.528
Authors: John D Mathews; Anna V Forsythe; Zoe Brady; Martin W Butler; Stacy K Goergen; Graham B Byrnes; Graham G Giles; Anthony B Wallace; Philip R Anderson; Tenniel A Guiver; Paul McGale; Timothy M Cain; James G Dowty; Adrian C Bickerstaffe; Sarah C Darby Journal: BMJ Date: 2013-05-21
Authors: Tommaso D'Angelo; Giuseppe Cicero; Silvio Mazziotti; Giorgio Ascenti; Moritz H Albrecht; Simon S Martin; Ahmed E Othman; Thomas J Vogl; Julian L Wichmann Journal: Br J Radiol Date: 2019-04-09 Impact factor: 3.039
Authors: Doris Leithner; Tatjana Gruber-Rouh; Martin Beeres; Julian L Wichmann; Scherwin Mahmoudi; Simon S Martin; Lukas Lenga; Moritz H Albrecht; Christian Booz; Thomas J Vogl; Jan-Erik Scholtz Journal: Br J Radiol Date: 2018-06-05 Impact factor: 3.039
Authors: Mathias Meyer; Holger Haubenreisser; Christoph Schabel; Christianne Leidecker; Bernhard Schmidt; Stefan O Schoenberg; Thomas Henzler Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-01-31 Impact factor: 4.379