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First-generation clinical dual-source photon-counting CT: ultra-low-dose quantitative spectral imaging

  • Computed Tomography
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Evaluation of image characteristics at ultra-low radiation dose levels of a first-generation dual-source photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) compared to a dual-source dual-energy CT (DECT) scanner.

Methods

A multi-energy CT phantom was imaged with and without an extension ring on both scanners over a range of radiation dose levels (CTDIvol 0.4–15.0 mGy). Scans were performed in different modes of acquisition for PCCT with 120 kVp and DECT with 70/Sn150 kVp and 100/Sn150 kVp. Various tissue inserts were used to characterize the precision and repeatability of Hounsfield units (HUs) on virtual mono-energetic images between 40 and 190 keV. Image noise was additionally investigated at an ultra-low radiation dose to illustrate PCCT’s ability to remove electronic background noise.

Results

Our results demonstrate the high precision of HU measurements for a wide range of inserts and radiation exposure levels with PCCT. We report high performance for both scanners across a wide range of radiation exposure levels, with PCCT outperforming at low exposures compared to DECT. PCCT scans at the lowest radiation exposures illustrate significant reduction in electronic background noise, with a mean percent reduction of 74% (p value ~ 10−8) compared to DECT 70/Sn150 kVp and 60% (p value ~ 10−6) compared to DECT 100/Sn150 kVp.

Conclusions

This paper reports the first experiences with a clinical dual-source PCCT. PCCT provides reliable HUs without disruption from electronic background noise for a wide range of dose values. Diagnostic benefits are not only for quantification at an ultra-low dose but also for imaging of obese patients.

Key Points

  • PCCT scanners provide precise and reliable Hounsfield units at ultra-low dose levels.

  • The influence of electronic background noise can be removed at ultra-low-dose acquisitions with PCCT.

  • Both spectral platforms have high performance along a wide range of radiation exposure levels, with PCCT outperforming at low radiation exposures.

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Abbreviations

CNR:

Contrast to noise ratio

DECT:

Dual-energy CT

EID:

Energy-integrating detectors

HU:

Hounsfield units

PCCT:

Photon-counting computed tomography

RMSE:

Root mean square error

ROI:

Region of interest

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge support through the National Institutes of Health (R01EB030494).

Funding

This study has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (R01EB030494).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Leening P. Liu, Nadav Shapira, Mitchell Schnall, Harold I. Litt & Peter B. Noël

  2. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Leening P. Liu

  3. Penn Statistics in Imaging and Visualization Center, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Andrew A. Chen & Russell T. Shinohara

  4. Center for Biomedical Imaging Computing and Analytics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Andrew A. Chen & Russell T. Shinohara

  5. Siemens Medical Solutions, Malvern, PA, USA

    Pooyan Sahbaee

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  1. Leening P. Liu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Leening P. Liu or Peter B. Noël.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Dr. Peter B. Noël.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare relationships with the following companies: Siemens Healthineers. Harold I. Litt, Peter B. Noël, and Mitch Schnall have a research agreement with Siemens Healthineers. Pooyan Sahbaee is an employee of Siemens Healthineers.

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No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper.

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Written informed consent was not required for this study because it did not involve human subjects.

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Institutional Review Board approval was not required because this study only included phantoms.

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Liu, L.P., Shapira, N., Chen, A.A. et al. First-generation clinical dual-source photon-counting CT: ultra-low-dose quantitative spectral imaging. Eur Radiol 32, 8579–8587 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-08933-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-08933-x

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