Optimizing twin-beam dual-energy CT reconstruction: Quantitative consistency and stability assessment in reference to 120 kV: An observational study

Abstract

The split filter CT can filter X-ray beam. Theoretically, the split filter CT not only provides a good low-energy beam, but also provides a more robust CT value. The aim of this study was to compare conventional single-energy computed tomography (SECT) and twin-beam dual-energy (TBDE) CT regarding the quantitative consistency and stabilities of HU measurements at different abdominal organs. Forty-four patients were prospectively enrolled to randomly receive SECT and TBDE protocols at either body part of a thorax-abdominal examination. Their overlapping scan coverage was subjected to further image analysis. For TBDE scans, composed images(c-images) and virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) at 60, 70, 80, and 90 kiloelectron volt (keV) were reconstructed. The attenuations were measured at 5 abdominal organs and compared between SECT and TBDE to characterize quantitative consistency by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), whereas their standard deviations were used to assess the Hounsfield Unit (HU) stability. The c-images, 70 keV and 80 keV VMIs from TBDE provided consistent HU values (all ICCs > 0.8) with the SECT measurements; moreover, these TBDE images had superior HU stability over SECT images in all abdominal measurements except for fat tissue. The best HU stability can be achieved in 80 keV VMIs with the lowest noise level. The c-images and VMIs derived from TBDE can produce consistent values as SECT. The 80 keV images displayed better HU stability and a lower noise level across various abdominal organs.