Added value of iodine-specific imaging and virtual non-contrast imaging for gastrointestinal assessment using dual-energy computed tomography.

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has become increasingly available and can be readily incorporated into clinical practice. Although DECT can provide a wide variety of spectral imaging reconstructions, most clinically valuable information is available from a limited number of standard image reconstructions including virtual non-contrast and iodine overlay. The combination of these standard reconstructions can be used for specific diagnostic tasks that provide added value over traditional CT protocols. In this pictorial essay, the added value of these standard reconstructed images will be demonstrated by case examples for diseases specifically related to the gastrointestinal system.