Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Baden AG, affiliated Hospital for Research and Teaching of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zurich, Baden, Switzerland.
Department of Forensic Medicine Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Eur Radiol. 2024 Dec;34(12):7934-7943. doi: 10.1007/s00330-024-10820-6. Epub 2024 Jun 10.
Our study comprised a single-center retrospective in vitro correlation between spectral properties, namely ρ/Z values, derived from scanning blood samples using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) with the corresponding laboratory hemoglobin/hematocrit (Hb/Hct) levels and assessed the potential in anemia-detection.
DECT of 813 patient blood samples from 465 women and 348 men was conducted using a standardized scan protocol. Electron density relative to water (ρ or rho), effective atomic number (Z), and CT attenuation (Hounsfield unit) were measured.
Positive correlation with the Hb/Hct was shown for ρ (r-values 0.37-0.49) and attenuation (r-values 0.59-0.83) while no correlation was observed for Z (r-values -0.04 to 0.08). Significant differences in attenuation and ρ values were detected for blood samples with and without anemia in both genders (p value < 0.001) with area under the curve ranging from 0.7 to 0.95. Depending on the respective CT parameters, various cutoff values for CT-based anemia detection could be determined.
In summary, our study investigated the correlation between DECT measurements and Hb/Hct levels, emphasizing novel aspects of ρ and Z values. Assuming that quantitative changes in the number of hemoglobin proteins might alter the mean Z values, the results of our study show that there is no measurable correlation on the atomic level using DECT. We established a positive in vitro correlation between Hb/Hct values and ρ. Nevertheless, attenuation emerged as the most strongly correlated parameter with identifiable cutoff values, highlighting its preference for CT-based anemia detection.
By scanning multiple blood samples with dual-energy CT scans and comparing the measurements with standard laboratory blood tests, we were able to underscore the potential of CT-based anemia detection and its advantages in clinical practice.
Prior in vivo studies have found a correlation between aortic blood pool and measured hemoglobin and hematocrit. Hemoglobin and hematocrit correlated with electron density relative to water and attenuation but not Z. Dual-energy CT has the potential for additional clinical benefits, such as CT-based anemia detection.
我们的研究包括单中心回顾性体外相关性研究，即使用双能计算机断层扫描（DECT）对扫描的血液样本进行光谱特性（ρ/Z 值）分析，与相应的实验室血红蛋白/血细胞比容（Hb/Hct）水平进行相关，并评估其在贫血检测中的潜力。
对 465 名女性和 348 名男性的 813 例患者血液样本进行 DECT，采用标准化扫描方案。测量电子密度相对于水（ρ 或 rho）、有效原子数（Z）和 CT 衰减（亨氏单位）。
ρ（r 值为 0.37-0.49）和衰减（r 值为 0.59-0.83）与 Hb/Hct 呈正相关，而 Z 无相关性（r 值为-0.04 至 0.08）。在男女两性的有或无贫血的血液样本中，衰减和 ρ 值存在显著差异（p 值均<0.001），曲线下面积范围为 0.7 至 0.95。根据各自的 CT 参数，可以确定基于 CT 的贫血检测的各种截断值。
总之，我们的研究调查了 DECT 测量值与 Hb/Hct 水平之间的相关性，强调了 ρ 和 Z 值的新方面。假设血红蛋白蛋白数量的定量变化可能改变平均 Z 值，我们的研究结果表明，在原子水平上，使用 DECT 没有可测量的相关性。我们建立了 Hb/Hct 值与 ρ 之间的正体外相关性。然而，衰减是与血红蛋白和血细胞比容相关性最强的参数，具有可识别的截断值，强调了其在基于 CT 的贫血检测中的优势。
通过对多个血液样本进行双能 CT 扫描，并将测量值与标准实验室血液测试进行比较，我们强调了基于 CT 的贫血检测的潜力及其在临床实践中的优势。
之前的体内研究发现主动脉血池与测量的血红蛋白和血细胞比容之间存在相关性。血红蛋白和血细胞比容与电子密度相对水和衰减相关，但与 Z 不相关。双能 CT 具有额外的临床益处，如基于 CT 的贫血检测。
