Usefulness of Virtual Monochromatic Dual-Layer Computed Tomographic Imaging for Breast Carcinoma

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) obtained using dual-layer dual-energy computed tomography (CT) for breast carcinoma.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 28 patients with breast cancer who were pathologically diagnosed using dual-layer dual-energy CT. Virtual monochromatic images (40-200 keV) were generated. We compared CT number, image noise, contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between VMIs with the highest CNR and conventional CT images. We performed qualitative image analysis between VMIs at optimized energy and conventional CT images.

Results: Image noise of VMIs was not significantly different from that of the conventional CT images. As the x-ray energy decreased, CNR increased. The 40-keV VMIs were highest CNR and higher than that of the conventional CT images. In qualitative image analysis, the 40-keV images were significantly higher than conventional CT images.

Conclusion: Both qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that the image quality of VMIs at 40 keV was significantly higher than that of conventional CT images.