Original InvestigationOptimization of Kiloelectron Volt Settings in Cerebral and Cervical Dual-energy CT Angiography Determined with Virtual Monoenergetic Imaging
Section snippets
Study Population
This retrospective data analysis was performed in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Declaration of Helsinki. Institutional review board approval and the need for written informed consent were waived because of the retrospective nature of the study. DECT angiographic studies of the neck and the brain were performed for clinical suspicion of vessel occlusion or dissection. No further selection of the patient collective was conducted.
Image Acquisitions
All acquisitions
Results
A total of 102 arteries in 34 Patients (17 men, 17 women, mean age 57 ± 14, range 21–80 years) were analyzed in cerebral DECT angiographic studies. Twenty-one arteries in seven Patients (four men, three women, mean age 67 ± 12, range 40–75 years) were analyzed in the cervical DECT angiographic studies.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to investigate possible improvements in image quality of DECT angiography of head and neck vessels by comparing varying monoenergetic or monochromatic energy reconstructions with standard 120-kV PEI images. Our results demonstrate that MEIs at optimal energy levels provide superior vessel attenuation and CNR characteristics compared to 120-kV PEI. So far, there is a lack of data within the available literature, which compares objective image quality of
Conclusion
MEI reconstructions provide improved objective image quality in DECT cerebral and cervical angiography compared to standard 120-kVp polyenergetic reconstructions; the optimal energy level was determined as 60 keV for cervical and cerebral angiography. MEI reconstructions at these levels should be considered for clinical use when DECT angiography of the cervical or cranial vessels is performed.
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