Image Quality of Virtual Monochromatic Reconstructions of Noncontrast CT on a Dual-Source CT Scanner in Adult Patients

Fasco van Ommen; Frans Kauw; E Bennink; Jeremy J Heit; Dylan N. Wolman; Jan Willem Dankbaar; H.W.A.M. de Jong; Max Wintermark

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2020.05.038

Image Quality of Virtual Monochromatic Reconstructions of Noncontrast CT on a Dual-Source CT Scanner in Adult Patients

Fasco van Ommen^*, Frans Kauw, E Bennink, Jeremy J Heit, Dylan N. Wolman, Jan Willem Dankbaar, H.W.A.M. de Jong, Max Wintermark

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Rationale and Objectives
To evaluate the image quality of virtual monochromatic images (VMI) reconstructed from dual-energy dual-source noncontrast head CT with different reconstruction kernels.

Materials and Methods
Twenty-five consecutive adult patients underwent noncontrast dual-energy CT. VMI were retrospectively reconstructed at 5-keV increments from 40 to 140 keV using quantitative and head kernels. CT-number, noise levels (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the gray and white matter and artifacts using the posterior fossa artifact index (PFAI) were evaluated.

Results
CT-number increased with decreasing VMI energy levels, and SD was lowest at 85 keV. SNR was maximized at 80 keV and 85 keV for the head and quantitative kernels, respectively. CNR was maximum at 40 keV; PFAI was lowest at 90 (head kernel) and 100 (quantitative kernel) keV. Optimal VMI image quality was significantly better than conventional CT.

Conclusion
Optimal image quality of VMI energies can improve brain parenchymal image quality compared to conventional CT but are reconstruction kernel dependent and depend on indication for performing noncontrast CT.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e323-e330
Journal	Academic Radiology
Volume	28
Issue number	10
Early online date	30 Jun 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2020.05.038
Publication status	Published - Oct 2021

Keywords

Dual-energy CT
Dual-source CT
Image quality
Virtual monochromatic images

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1-s2.0-S1076633220303482-mainFinal published version, 1.85 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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@article{9ac3f48a0c404ca8b4983debaeb516f8,

title = "Image Quality of Virtual Monochromatic Reconstructions of Noncontrast CT on a Dual-Source CT Scanner in Adult Patients",

abstract = "Rationale and ObjectivesTo evaluate the image quality of virtual monochromatic images (VMI) reconstructed from dual-energy dual-source noncontrast head CT with different reconstruction kernels.Materials and MethodsTwenty-five consecutive adult patients underwent noncontrast dual-energy CT. VMI were retrospectively reconstructed at 5-keV increments from 40 to 140 keV using quantitative and head kernels. CT-number, noise levels (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the gray and white matter and artifacts using the posterior fossa artifact index (PFAI) were evaluated.ResultsCT-number increased with decreasing VMI energy levels, and SD was lowest at 85 keV. SNR was maximized at 80 keV and 85 keV for the head and quantitative kernels, respectively. CNR was maximum at 40 keV; PFAI was lowest at 90 (head kernel) and 100 (quantitative kernel) keV. Optimal VMI image quality was significantly better than conventional CT.ConclusionOptimal image quality of VMI energies can improve brain parenchymal image quality compared to conventional CT but are reconstruction kernel dependent and depend on indication for performing noncontrast CT.",

keywords = "Dual-energy CT, Dual-source CT, Image quality, Virtual monochromatic images",

author = "{van Ommen}, Fasco and Frans Kauw and E Bennink and Heit, {Jeremy J} and Wolman, {Dylan N.} and Dankbaar, {Jan Willem} and {de Jong}, H.W.A.M. and Max Wintermark",

note = "Funding Information: Funding information: This research has been made possible by the Dutch Heart Foundation and Technology Foundation STW, as part of their joint strategic research program (project number: 14732): {"}Earlier recognition of cardiovascular diseases{"}. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Association of University Radiologists",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.acra.2020.05.038",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "e323--e330",

journal = "Academic Radiology",

issn = "1076-6332",

publisher = "Elsevier USA",

number = "10",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Image Quality of Virtual Monochromatic Reconstructions of Noncontrast CT on a Dual-Source CT Scanner in Adult Patients

AU - van Ommen, Fasco

AU - Kauw, Frans

AU - Bennink, E

AU - Heit, Jeremy J

AU - Wolman, Dylan N.

AU - Dankbaar, Jan Willem

AU - de Jong, H.W.A.M.

AU - Wintermark, Max

N1 - Funding Information: Funding information: This research has been made possible by the Dutch Heart Foundation and Technology Foundation STW, as part of their joint strategic research program (project number: 14732): "Earlier recognition of cardiovascular diseases". Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Association of University Radiologists

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Rationale and ObjectivesTo evaluate the image quality of virtual monochromatic images (VMI) reconstructed from dual-energy dual-source noncontrast head CT with different reconstruction kernels.Materials and MethodsTwenty-five consecutive adult patients underwent noncontrast dual-energy CT. VMI were retrospectively reconstructed at 5-keV increments from 40 to 140 keV using quantitative and head kernels. CT-number, noise levels (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the gray and white matter and artifacts using the posterior fossa artifact index (PFAI) were evaluated.ResultsCT-number increased with decreasing VMI energy levels, and SD was lowest at 85 keV. SNR was maximized at 80 keV and 85 keV for the head and quantitative kernels, respectively. CNR was maximum at 40 keV; PFAI was lowest at 90 (head kernel) and 100 (quantitative kernel) keV. Optimal VMI image quality was significantly better than conventional CT.ConclusionOptimal image quality of VMI energies can improve brain parenchymal image quality compared to conventional CT but are reconstruction kernel dependent and depend on indication for performing noncontrast CT.

AB - Rationale and ObjectivesTo evaluate the image quality of virtual monochromatic images (VMI) reconstructed from dual-energy dual-source noncontrast head CT with different reconstruction kernels.Materials and MethodsTwenty-five consecutive adult patients underwent noncontrast dual-energy CT. VMI were retrospectively reconstructed at 5-keV increments from 40 to 140 keV using quantitative and head kernels. CT-number, noise levels (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the gray and white matter and artifacts using the posterior fossa artifact index (PFAI) were evaluated.ResultsCT-number increased with decreasing VMI energy levels, and SD was lowest at 85 keV. SNR was maximized at 80 keV and 85 keV for the head and quantitative kernels, respectively. CNR was maximum at 40 keV; PFAI was lowest at 90 (head kernel) and 100 (quantitative kernel) keV. Optimal VMI image quality was significantly better than conventional CT.ConclusionOptimal image quality of VMI energies can improve brain parenchymal image quality compared to conventional CT but are reconstruction kernel dependent and depend on indication for performing noncontrast CT.

KW - Dual-energy CT

KW - Dual-source CT

KW - Image quality

KW - Virtual monochromatic images

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U2 - 10.1016/j.acra.2020.05.038

DO - 10.1016/j.acra.2020.05.038

M3 - Article

SN - 1076-6332

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SP - e323-e330

JO - Academic Radiology

JF - Academic Radiology

IS - 10

ER -

Image Quality of Virtual Monochromatic Reconstructions of Noncontrast CT on a Dual-Source CT Scanner in Adult Patients

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