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Gastrointestinal Imaging: Emerging Role of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography

  • Dual Energy CT (S Nicolaou and M Mohammed, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The clinical and research applications of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) are evolving and exponentially growing. In this article, we focus on the different applications of DECT for gastrointestinal (GI) imaging. The basic principles of DECT are important to understand its ability to differentiate tissues via application of two energy spectra.

Recent Findings

Different DECT techniques and scanners currently used are discussed to highlight their advantages and limitations for generating dual-energy datasets. The advantage of generating virtual non-contrast, virtual monoenergetic, and iodine overlay images will be described for evaluation of bowel pathology, including inflammatory, vascular, and neoplastic conditions, as well as in the setting of acute trauma.

Summary

This review focuses on the applications of DECT across wide range of GI pathologies throughout the large and small bowel. With continuous research and further development of this technology, the use of DECT in imaging and evaluating the bowel holds a promising future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Emergency & Trauma Radiology, Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, 899 12th Avenue W, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada

    Ismail Tawakol Ali, Khaled Y. Elbanna, Mohammed F. Mohammed & Faisal Khosa

  2. Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Cyrus Thomas

  3. Department of Radiology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Ferco H. Berger

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  1. Ismail Tawakol Ali
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  2. Cyrus Thomas
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  3. Khaled Y. Elbanna
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  4. Mohammed F. Mohammed
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  6. Faisal Khosa
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Correspondence to Faisal Khosa.

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Conflict of interest

Ismail Tawakol Ali, Cyrus Thomas, Khaled Y. Elbanna, Mohammed F. Mohammed, and Ferco H. Berger each declare no potential conflicts of interest. Faisal Khosa is the recipient of the Canadian Association of Radiologists/Canadian Radiological Foundation Leadership Scholarship (2017).

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical collection on Dual-Energy CT.

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Ali, I.T., Thomas, C., Elbanna, K.Y. et al. Gastrointestinal Imaging: Emerging Role of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography. Curr Radiol Rep 5, 31 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40134-017-0227-7

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