TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluation of thin-slice abdominal DECT using deep-learning image reconstruction in 74 keV virtual monoenergetic images

T2 - an image quality comparison

AU - Xu, Jack J.

AU - Lönn, Lars

AU - Budtz-Jørgensen, Esben

AU - Jawad, Samir

AU - Ulriksen, Peter S.

AU - Hansen, Kristoffer L.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Purpose: To compare noise, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image quality using deep-learning image reconstruction (DLIR) vs. adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR-V) in 0.625 and 2.5 mm slice thickness gray scale 74 keV virtual monoenergetic (VM) abdominal dual-energy CT (DECT). Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and regional ethics committee. We analysed 30 portal-venous phase abdominal fast kV-switching DECT (80/140kVp) scans. Data were reconstructed to ASIR-V 60% and DLIR-High at 74 keV in 0.625 and 2.5 mm slice thickness. Quantitative HU and noise assessment were measured within liver, aorta, adipose tissue and muscle. Two board-certified radiologists evaluated image noise, sharpness, texture and overall quality based on a five-point Likert scale. Results: DLIR significantly reduced image noise and increased CNR as well as SNR compared to ASIR-V, when slice thickness was maintained (p < 0.001). Slightly higher noise of 5.5–16.2% was measured (p < 0.01) in liver, aorta and muscle tissue at 0.625 mm DLIR compared to 2.5 mm ASIR-V, while noise in adipose tissue was 4.3% lower with 0.625 mm DLIR compared to 2.5 mm ASIR-V (p = 0.08). Qualitative assessments demonstrated significantly improved image quality for DLIR particularly in 0.625 mm images. Conclusions: DLIR significantly reduced image noise, increased CNR and SNR and improved image quality in 0.625 mm slice images, when compared to ASIR-V. DLIR may facilitate thinner image slice reconstructions for routine contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

AB - Purpose: To compare noise, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image quality using deep-learning image reconstruction (DLIR) vs. adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR-V) in 0.625 and 2.5 mm slice thickness gray scale 74 keV virtual monoenergetic (VM) abdominal dual-energy CT (DECT). Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and regional ethics committee. We analysed 30 portal-venous phase abdominal fast kV-switching DECT (80/140kVp) scans. Data were reconstructed to ASIR-V 60% and DLIR-High at 74 keV in 0.625 and 2.5 mm slice thickness. Quantitative HU and noise assessment were measured within liver, aorta, adipose tissue and muscle. Two board-certified radiologists evaluated image noise, sharpness, texture and overall quality based on a five-point Likert scale. Results: DLIR significantly reduced image noise and increased CNR as well as SNR compared to ASIR-V, when slice thickness was maintained (p < 0.001). Slightly higher noise of 5.5–16.2% was measured (p < 0.01) in liver, aorta and muscle tissue at 0.625 mm DLIR compared to 2.5 mm ASIR-V, while noise in adipose tissue was 4.3% lower with 0.625 mm DLIR compared to 2.5 mm ASIR-V (p = 0.08). Qualitative assessments demonstrated significantly improved image quality for DLIR particularly in 0.625 mm images. Conclusions: DLIR significantly reduced image noise, increased CNR and SNR and improved image quality in 0.625 mm slice images, when compared to ASIR-V. DLIR may facilitate thinner image slice reconstructions for routine contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

KW - Computed tomography

KW - Deep learning

KW - Dual-energy CT

KW - Image reconstruction

U2 - 10.1007/s00261-023-03845-w

DO - 10.1007/s00261-023-03845-w

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36810705

AN - SCOPUS:85148425936

VL - 48

SP - 1536

EP - 1544

JO - Abdominal Radiology

JF - Abdominal Radiology

SN - 2366-004X

ER -