Radiology Department, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
J Thorac Imaging. 2020 Mar;35(2):W43-W50. doi: 10.1097/RTI.0000000000000450.
The purpose of this study was to determine the current practice patterns of utilization of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in thoracic imaging.
In this IRB-approved study, the URL link for an anonymous 26-question survey was sent by email to all the members of the Society of Thoracic Radiology (STR). Survey questions focused on the practice type, case volume, DECT scanner availability, common indications, image types, and perceived utility of DECT. Study data were collected and managed using SurveyMonkey tools and analyzed with χ tests.
The survey response rate was 11% (104/962). DECT was available in 75% of respondents' institutions, with 90% of these having 1 to 5 DECT scanners (P<0.001). Seventy percent performed 1 to 500 DECT chest CTs per month (P<0.001). Dual-source was the most common DECT scanner (81%) (P=0.239). DECT was opted depending on the clinical indication in 89% (P=0.433). The technologist reconstructs the additional DECT images in 75% of instances (P<0.001). Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) was the most common indication of DECT (53%) (P=0.006), while chronic PE was considered the most valuable use of DECT (33%) (P<0.001). Iodine map was the most commonly used DECT image (53%) (P<0.001) followed by low-energy virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) (29%). For VMI, 50 keV was the most commonly used energy level for improving vascular contrast (43%) (P=0.048), whereas 120 keV was the most commonly used energy in VMI for decreasing artifacts (25%) (P=0.027).
There is wide variability on the utilization of DECT in thoracic imaging. PE is perceived to be the most valuable utility of DECT, and iodine map is considered the most valuable DECT image.
本研究旨在确定目前在胸部成像中使用双能 CT（DECT）的实践模式。
在这项经 IRB 批准的研究中，通过电子邮件向胸放射学会（STR）的所有成员发送了一个匿名的 26 个问题的调查 URL 链接。调查问题集中在实践类型、病例量、DECT 扫描仪的可用性、常见适应证、图像类型以及 DECT 的感知效用。使用 SurveyMonkey 工具收集和管理研究数据，并进行 χ 检验分析。
调查回复率为 11%（104/962）。75%的受访者所在机构提供了 DECT，其中 90%的机构拥有 1 至 5 台 DECT 扫描仪（P<0.001）。70%的机构每月进行 1 至 500 例 DECT 胸部 CT（P<0.001）。双源是最常见的 DECT 扫描仪（81%）（P=0.239）。89%的机构根据临床适应证选择 DECT（P=0.433）。75%的情况下，技术员会重建额外的 DECT 图像（P<0.001）。急性肺栓塞（PE）是 DECT 最常见的适应证（53%）（P=0.006），而慢性 PE 被认为是 DECT 最有价值的用途（33%）（P<0.001）。碘图是最常用的 DECT 图像（53%）（P<0.001），其次是低能虚拟单能量图像（VMI）（29%）。对于 VMI，50keV 是改善血管对比度的最常用能量水平（43%）（P=0.048），而 120keV 是降低伪影的最常用 VMI 能量（25%）（P=0.027）。
在胸部成像中，DECT 的应用存在广泛的差异。PE 被认为是 DECT 最有价值的用途，而碘图被认为是最有价值的 DECT 图像。
