Dual Energy CT: Preliminary Observations and Potential Clinical Applications in the Abdomen

Overview

Journal Eur Radiol

Specialty Radiology

Date 2008 Aug 5

PMID 18677487

Citations 126

Authors

Anno Graser

Thorsten R C Johnson

Hersh Chandarana

Michael Macari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dual energy CT (DECT) is a new technique that allows differentiation of materials and tissues based on CT density values derived from two synchronous CT acquisitions at different tube potentials. With the introduction of a new dual source CT system, this technique can now be used routinely in abdominal imaging. Potential clinical applications include evaluation of renal masses, liver lesions, urinary calculi, small bowel, pancreas, and adrenal glands. In CT angiography of abdominal aortic aneurysms, dual energy CT techniques can be used to remove bones from the datasets, and virtual unenhanced images allow differentiation of contrast agent from calcifying thrombus in patients with endovascular stents. This review describes potential applications, practical guidelines, and limitations of dual energy CT in the abdomen.

Citing Articles

The Impact of Weighting Factors on Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Image Quality in Non-Contrast Head Examinations: Phantom and Patient Study.

Segota Ritosa D, Dodig D, Kovacic S, Bartolovic N, Brumini I, Valkovic Zujic P Diagnostics (Basel). 2025; 15(2).

PMID: 39857064 PMC: 11763815. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15020180.

Generation of deep learning based virtual non-contrast CT using dual-layer dual-energy CT and its application to planning CT for radiotherapy.

Kim J, Lee J, Kim B, Kim S, Jin H, Jung S PLoS One. 2025; 19(12):e0316099.

PMID: 39775325 PMC: 11684624. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316099.

Impact of image formation factors on material discrimination in spectral CT.

Rajagopal J, Zarei M, Vrbaski S, Pritchard W, Abadi E, Jones E Phys Med Biol. 2024; 70(1.

PMID: 39662049 PMC: 11736991. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad9daf.

Comparison of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) polychromatic and monochromatic images with and without iterative metal artifact reduction algorithm in patients with dental implants.

Huang S, Liang Y, Yao X, Qin X, He C, Luo L Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2024; 14(7):4688-4702.

PMID: 39022239 PMC: 11250342. DOI: 10.21037/qims-24-19.

Development of a separability index for task specific characterization of spectral computed tomography.

Rajagopal J, Farhadi F, Solomon J, Saboury B, Sahbaee P, Negussie A Phys Med. 2024; 122:103382.

PMID: 38820805 PMC: 11185224. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2024.103382.

References

Kluner C, Hein P, Gralla O, Hein E, Hamm B, Romano V . Does ultra-low-dose CT with a radiation dose equivalent to that of KUB suffice to detect renal and ureteral calculi?. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2005; 30(1):44-50. DOI: 10.1097/01.rct.0000191685.58838.ef. View

Scheffel H, Stolzmann P, Frauenfelder T, Schertler T, Desbiolles L, Leschka S . Dual-energy contrast-enhanced computed tomography for the detection of urinary stone disease. Invest Radiol. 2007; 42(12):823-9. DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0b013e3181379bac. View

Nakada S, Hoff D, Attai S, Heisey D, Blankenbaker D, Pozniak M . Determination of stone composition by noncontrast spiral computed tomography in the clinical setting. Urology. 2000; 55(6):816-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0090-4295(00)00518-5. View

GOLDBERG H, Cann C, Moss A, OHTO M, Brito A, Federle M . Noninvasive quantitation of liver iron in dogs with hemochromatosis using dual-energy CT scanning. Invest Radiol. 1982; 17(4):375-80. DOI: 10.1097/00004424-198207000-00013. View

Hounsfield G . Computerized transverse axial scanning (tomography): Part I. Description of system. 1973. Br J Radiol. 1995; 68(815):H166-72. View

Moe O . Kidney stones: pathophysiology and medical management. Lancet. 2006; 367(9507):333-44. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68071-9. View

Prokesch R, Chow L, Beaulieu C, Nino-Murcia M, Mindelzun R, Bammer R . Local staging of pancreatic carcinoma with multi-detector row CT: use of curved planar reformations initial experience. Radiology. 2002; 225(3):759-65. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2253010886. View

Schima W, Ba-Ssalamah A, Kurtaran A, Schindl M, Gruenberger T . Post-treatment imaging of liver tumours. Cancer Imaging. 2007; 7 Spec No A:S28-36. PMC: 2727978. DOI: 10.1102/1470-7330.2007.9047. View

Smith R, Rosenfield A, Choe K, Essenmacher K, Verga M, Glickman M . Acute flank pain: comparison of non-contrast-enhanced CT and intravenous urography. Radiology. 1995; 194(3):789-94. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.194.3.7862980. View

10.

Semelka R, Martin D, Balci C, Lance T . Focal liver lesions: comparison of dual-phase CT and multisequence multiplanar MR imaging including dynamic gadolinium enhancement. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2001; 13(3):397-401. DOI: 10.1002/jmri.1057. View

11.

Boulay I, HOLTZ P, Foley W, White B, Begun F . Ureteral calculi: diagnostic efficacy of helical CT and implications for treatment of patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1999; 172(6):1485-90. DOI: 10.2214/ajr.172.6.10350277. View

12.

Johnson T, Krauss B, Sedlmair M, Grasruck M, Bruder H, Morhard D . Material differentiation by dual energy CT: initial experience. Eur Radiol. 2006; 17(6):1510-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-006-0517-6. View

13.

Macari M, Chandarana H, Schmidt B, Lee J, Lamparello P, Babb J . Abdominal aortic aneurysm: can the arterial phase at CT evaluation after endovascular repair be eliminated to reduce radiation dose?. Radiology. 2006; 241(3):908-14. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2413051571. View

14.

Johnson T, Nikolaou K, Wintersperger B, Leber A, von Ziegler F, Rist C . Dual-source CT cardiac imaging: initial experience. Eur Radiol. 2006; 16(7):1409-15. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-006-0298-y. View

15.

Rozenblit A, Patlas M, Rosenbaum A, Okhi T, Veith F, Laks M . Detection of endoleaks after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm: value of unenhanced and delayed helical CT acquisitions. Radiology. 2003; 227(2):426-33. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2272020555. View

16.

Israel G, Korobkin M, Wang C, Hecht E, Krinsky G . Comparison of unenhanced CT and chemical shift MRI in evaluating lipid-rich adrenal adenomas. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2004; 183(1):215-9. DOI: 10.2214/ajr.183.1.1830215. View

17.

Megibow A, Babb J, Hecht E, Cho J, Houston C, Boruch M . Evaluation of bowel distention and bowel wall appearance by using neutral oral contrast agent for multi-detector row CT. Radiology. 2005; 238(1):87-95. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2381041985. View

18.

Kamel I, Choti M, Horton K, Braga H, Birnbaum B, Fishman E . Surgically staged focal liver lesions: accuracy and reproducibility of dual-phase helical CT for detection and characterization. Radiology. 2003; 227(3):752-7. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2273011768. View

19.

Cann C, Gamsu G, Birnberg F, Webb W . Quantification of calcium in solitary pulmonary nodules using single- and dual-energy CT. Radiology. 1982; 145(2):493-6. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.145.2.7134457. View

20.

Birnbaum B, Jacobs J, Ramchandani P . Multiphasic renal CT: comparison of renal mass enhancement during the corticomedullary and nephrographic phases. Radiology. 1996; 200(3):753-8. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.200.3.8756927. View