Virtual-Non-Contrast with Dual Energy-Dual Source CT in Abdominal Imaging: comparison with True-Non-Contrast using quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation of dose report.

Congress:

ECR 2020

Poster Number:

C-03473

Type:

Scientific Exhibit

Keywords:

Performed at one institution, Observational, Retrospective, Image verification, Dosimetric comparison, Artifacts, Technology assessment, Dosimetry, Contrast agent-intravenous, Image manipulation / Reconstruction, CT-Angiography, CT, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Liver, Abdomen

Authors:

F. Varchetta ¹, A. Rengo², R. Danzi³, E. Laccetti⁴, G. Rusconi⁴, M. Scaglione², G. Avitabile⁴; ¹Castelvolturno, IT/IT, ²Castel Volturno/IT, ³Naples/IT, ⁴Napoli/IT

DOI:

10.26044/ecr2020/C-03473

DOI-Link:

https://dx.doi.org/10.26044/ecr2020/C-03473

Table 2: Comparison dose differences in biphasic protocols with and without true...

Table 1: Attenuation differences were evaluated as percentages which are referred to...

Purpose

Dual Energy CT is based on image acquisition at two different energy levels (keV) (fig.1) which allows widening the scale of the Iodine attenuation values improving the differentiation withsoft tissues and bones [1-5]. This feature makes it possible to decompose Iodinematerial from post-contrast scans, throughthe Material Decomposition (MD)software, obtainingimageswithout contrast or “virtual non-contrast” [6-9]. The goal of this study is to establish the possibility to replace the true non-contrast images with virtual non-contrast images.

Methods and materials

Between April and June 2019, 72 abdominal CT studies were performed after intravenous contrast material acquired in dual-energy modality. 41 out of 72 underwent a preliminary un-enhanced scan and retrospectively analyzed. Patients' BMIranged from 20 to 29, and those presenting with hepatic steatosis, splenectomy or nephrectomy were excluded. CT Protocol Theprotocol of study including un-enhanced scans followed by arterial and venous phases performed on a second-generation dual-source scanner. Dual Energy (DE) scanswere used on both post-contrast phases in 6 out of 41 patients, while in...

Results

Attenuation values of TNC and VNC data sets demonstrated statistically significant differences in the arterial phase on liver (p

Conclusion

TNC images demonstrated to be more accurate thanVNC with more excellent evaluations. On the other hand, VNC proved to be as adequate for reporting due to more good evaluations, adding potential dose reduction because of dual-energy acquisition. Nevertheless, VNCs are a helpful means to obtain un-enhanced images from a single dataset with contrast medium, thus further scans not be needed. A dose reduction of the VNCs is widely demonstrated [10-13]. However several conditions can give unsure results becauseMD software mightsubtractothermaterials similarto the Iodine, such as...

Personal information and conflict of interest

F. Varchetta; Castelvolturno, IT/IT - Author at Pineta Grande Hospital A. Rengo; Castel Volturno/IT - Employee at Pineta Grande Hospital R. Danzi; Naples/IT - Employee at Pineta Grande Hospital E. Laccetti; Naples/IT - Employee at Pineta Grande Hospital G. Rusconi; Naples/IT - Employee at Pineta Grande Hospital M. Scaglione; Castel Volturno/IT - Other at Pineta Grande Hospital G. Avitabile; Naples/IT - Other at Pineta Grande Hospital Study partially supported by FASTeR, theItalian Federation of Radiographer Scientific Societies.

References

Thorsten R. C. Johnson (2012) Dual-Energy CT: General Principles. American Journal of Roentgenology 199(5_supplement): S3-S8. T. Barrett, D.J. Bowden, N. Shaida, E.M. Godfrey, A. Taylor, D.J. Lomas, A.S. Shaw (2010) - Virtual unenhanced second generation dual-source CT of the liver: Is it time to discard the conventional unenhanced phase? European Journal of Radiology 81(7):1438-45. C. N. De Cecco, V. Buffa, S. Fedeli, M. Luzietti, A. Vallone, R. Ruopoli, V. Miele, M. Rengo, P. Paolantonio, M. Maurizi Enrici, A. Laghi, V. David (2010) Dual energy CT...