Effect of iodine concentration and body size on iodine subtraction in virtual non-contrast imaging: A phantom study

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) can generate virtual non-contrast (VNC) images. Herein, we sought to improve the accuracy of VNC images by identifying the optimal slope of contrast media (SCM) for VNC-image generation based on the iodine concentration and subject's body size. We used DEC...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Radiography (London, England. 1995) Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 557 - 563
Main Authors:	Shirasaka, T., Kojima, T., Yamane, S., Mikayama, R., Kawakubo, M., Funatsu, R., Kato, T., Ishigami, K., Funama, Y.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2023
Subjects:	Body size Dual-energy computed tomography Humans Iodine Iodine concentration Iodine subtraction Phantoms, Imaging Reproducibility of Results Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods Virtual non-contrast Iodine concentration Dual-energy computed tomography Iodine subtraction Body size Virtual non-contrast
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Summary:	Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) can generate virtual non-contrast (VNC) images. Herein, we sought to improve the accuracy of VNC images by identifying the optimal slope of contrast media (SCM) for VNC-image generation based on the iodine concentration and subject's body size. We used DECT to scan a multi-energy phantom including four iodine concentration rods (15, 10, 5, and 2 mg/mL), and 240 VNC images (eight SCM ranging from 0.49 to 0.56 × three body sizes × ten scans) that were generated by three-material decomposition. The CT number of each iodine and solid water rod part was measured in each VNC image. The difference in the CT number between the iodine and the solid water rod part was calculated and compared using paired t-test or repeated measures ANOVA. The SCM that achieved an absolute value of the difference in CT number of <5.0 Hounsfield units (HU) for all body sizes simultaneously was greater at lower iodine concentration (SCM of 0.5, 0.51, and 0.53 at 10, 5, and 2 mg/mL iodine, respectively). At an iodine concentration of 15 mg/mL, no SCM achieved an absolute difference of <5.0 HU in CT number for all body sizes simultaneously. At all iodine concentrations, the SCM achieving the minimal difference in the CT number increased with the increase in body size. By adjusting the SCM according to the iodine concentration and body size, it is possible to generate VNC images with an accuracy of <5.0 HU. Improving the accuracy of VNC images minimizing incomplete iodine subtraction would make it possible to replace true non-contrast (TNC) images with VNC images and reduce the radiation dose.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1078-8174 1532-2831
DOI:	10.1016/j.radi.2023.03.003