Purpose
To compare image quality and radiation dose of a new technical dual-energy approach using a split-filter design vs. standard CTA at a single-source CT scanner in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.
Methods and Materials
This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was performed with two protocols (1: standardCTPA, 2: dual-energy CTPA)at the same 128-row CT system (SOMATOM Edge, Siemens Healthineers).
Group 1 (n=22) received standard single-energy CTPA with automatic tube voltage selection turned on.
Group 2 (n=17) received a Twin-Beam dual-energy CTPA using a split-filter (50Sn & 120Au) with a fixed tube voltage of 120kV (Fig. 1).
TheCT attenuation in the pulmonary arterywas measured and calculated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise...
Results
The pulmonary artery attenuation was higher in the standard CTPA (447±146 HU) compared to the dual-energy cohort (329±127 HU) (p
Conclusion
Twin-Beam Dual-Energy CT scanners are an alternative to dual-source or dual-layer CT scanners and offer the possibility to gain dual-energy information from a single-source single-layer CT system when pulmonary embolism is suspected. The new technique provides higher SNR and CNR than standard single-energy CT, whilethe effective radiation dose of Twin-Beam dual-energyscans is similar to standard single-energy CT.
References
Remy-Jardin M, Pistolesi M, Goodman LR, et al (2007) Management of suspected acute pulmonary embolism in the era of CT angiography: a statement from the Fleischner Society. Radiology 245:315–329
Stein PD, Fowler SE, Goodman LR, et al (2006) Multidetector Computed Tomography for Acute Pulmonary Embolism (PIOPEDII). N Engl J Med 354:2317–2327
Konstantinides S V, Torbicki A, Agnelli G, et al (2014) 2014 ESC guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism. Eur Heart J 35:3033–69, 3069a–3069k . doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehu283
Obmann MM, Kelsch V,...