"Dark-blood" dual-energy computed tomography angiography for thoracic aortic wall imaging.
Eur Radiol
; 30(1): 425-431, 2020 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31332557
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To assess the capability of a newly developed material decomposition method from contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT images, aiming to better visualize the aortic wall and aortic intramural hematoma (IMH), compared with true non-contrast (TNC) CT. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Twenty-two patients (11 women; mean age, 61 ± 20 years) with acute chest pain underwent 25 dual-layer non-contrast and contrast-enhanced CT. CT-angiography images were retrospectively processed using two-material decomposition analysis, where we defined the first material as the content of a region of interest placed in the ascending aorta for each patient, and the second material as water. Two independent radiologists assessed the images from the second material termed "dark-blood" images and the TNC images regarding contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the wall and the lumen, diagnostic quality regarding the presence of aortic wall thickening, and the inner/outer vessel wall conspicuity.RESULTS:
Diagnostic quality scores in normal aortic segments were 0.9 ± 0.3 and 2.7 ± 0.6 (p < 0.001) and wall conspicuity scores were 0.7 ± 0.5 and 1.8 ± 0.3 (p < 0.001) on TNC and dark-blood images, respectively. In aortic segments with IMH, diagnostic quality scores were 1.7 ± 0.5 and 2.4 ± 0.6 (p < 0.001) and wall conspicuity scores were 0.7 ± 0.7 and 1.8 ± 0.3 (p < 0.001) on TNC and dark-blood images, respectively. In normal aortic segments, CNRs were 0.3 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 0.9 on TNC and dark-blood images, respectively (p < 0.001). In aortic segments with IMH, CNRs were 0.3 ± 0.2 and 4.0 ± 1.0 on TNC and dark-blood images, respectively (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:
Compared with true non-contrast CT, dark-blood material decomposition maps enhance quantitative and qualitative image quality for the assessment of normal aortic wall and IMH. KEY POINTS ⢠Current dual-energy CT-angiography provides virtual non-contrast and bright-blood images. ⢠Dark-blood images represent a new way to assess the vascular wall structure with dual-energy CT and can improve the lumen-to-wall contrast compared with true non-contrast CT. ⢠This dual-energy CT material decomposition method is likely to improve contrast resolution in other applications as well, taking advantage of the high spatial resolution of CT.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Aorta Torácica
/
Doenças da Aorta
/
Hematoma
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Health_technology_assessment
/
Observational_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
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Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article