Tang Wentian, Li Wenjing, Zhao Yane, Chen Jiliang, Ge Yingqian, Jin Dongsheng, Luo Song, Lu Guangming
Department of Radiology, Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China.
Siemens Healthineers CT Collaboration, Shanghai 200126, China.
AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2025 Jul 10. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A8917.
This study aimed to conduct a preliminary comparison of the visualization of lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) in head and neck photon-counting detector computed tomography angiography (PCD-CTA) with four reconstruction modes.
This retrospective study included patients who underwent head and neck CTA with PCD-CT between January 2024 and May 2024 and those who underwent CTA with energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) between September 2023 and May 2024. The images were reconstructed in four modes for the PCD-CT group and one mode for the EID-CT group. The image quality was evaluated, and the LSAs were visualized using subjective evaluations and quantitative assessments. The Friedman test was used to compare the characteristics of the four reconstruction modes.
The PCD-CT group comprised 56 patients (average age 65 ± 14 years; 28 males), and the EID-CT group comprised 28 patients (average age, 64 ± 12 years; 14 males). In the PCD-CT group, the 0.2-mm-slice-thickness threshold 3 dimension (T3D) mode displayed the highest counts of LSAs (right side: 4.00 [range, 3.00-4.00]; left side: 4.00 [range, 3.00-4.00]) and the longest LSAs (right side: 23.33 ± 4.86 mm; left side: 24.18 ± 4.51 mm). The 0.4-mm-slice-thickness vascular spectral postprocessing (VSPP) mode obtained higher subjective evaluation scores. Furthermore, the PCD-CT group exhibited a higher count of LSAs, longer LSA lengths, and superior image quality than the EID-CT group.
PCD-CT achieves better visualization of LSAs and image quality than EID-CT and therefore constitutes an important method for observing LSAs in the future.
PCD-CTA＝ photon-counting detector computed tomography angiography; LSAs＝ lenticulostriate arteries; EID-CT＝ energy-integrating detector CT; T3D＝ threshold 3 dimension; VSPP＝ vascular spectral postprocessing; CSVD＝ progression of cerebral small vessel disease; ICAD＝ intracranial atherosclerotic disease; UHR＝ ultra-high-resolution; QIR＝ quantum iterative reconstruction; ROI＝ region of interest; HU＝ hounsfield units; SNR＝ signal-to-noise ratio; CNR＝ contrast-to-noise ratio; FWHM＝ full width of half maximum; MIP＝ maximum intensity projection; CPR＝ curved planar reformation; ICC＝ intraclass correlation coefficient.
本研究旨在对头部和颈部光子计数探测器计算机断层血管造影（PCD-CTA）中豆纹动脉（LSA）在四种重建模式下的可视化情况进行初步比较。
这项回顾性研究纳入了2024年1月至2024年5月期间接受头部和颈部PCD-CT血管造影检查的患者，以及2023年9月至2024年5月期间接受能量积分探测器CT（EID-CT）血管造影检查的患者。PCD-CT组的图像以四种模式重建，EID-CT组的图像以一种模式重建。对图像质量进行评估，并通过主观评价和定量评估来观察LSA。采用Friedman检验比较四种重建模式的特征。
PCD-CT组包括56例患者（平均年龄65±14岁；男性28例），EID-CT组包括28例患者（平均年龄64±12岁；男性14例）。在PCD-CT组中，0.2毫米层厚阈值三维（T3D）模式显示的LSA数量最多（右侧：4.00[范围3.00 - 4.00]；左侧：4.00[范围3.00 - 4.00]），LSA最长（右侧：23.33±4.86毫米；左侧：24.18±4.51毫米）。0.4毫米层厚血管光谱后处理（VSPP）模式获得了更高的主观评价分数。此外，PCD-CT组的LSA数量更多、LSA长度更长，图像质量也优于EID-CT组。
与EID-CT相比，PCD-CT能更好地显示LSA且图像质量更高，因此是未来观察LSA的一种重要方法。
PCD-CTA = 光子计数探测器计算机断层血管造影；LSA = 豆纹动脉；EID-CT = 能量积分探测器CT；T3D = 阈值三维；VSPP = 血管光谱后处理；CSVD = 脑小血管病进展；ICAD = 颅内动脉粥样硬化疾病；UHR = 超高分辨率；QIR = 量子迭代重建；ROI = 感兴趣区域；HU = 亨氏单位；SNR = 信噪比；CNR = 对比噪声比；FWHM = 半高宽；MIP = 最大密度投影；CPR = 曲面重组；ICC = 组内相关系数
