Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: Dose Reduction, Series Reduction, and Contrast Load Reduction in Dual-Energy Computed Tomography

Abstract

Evolution in computed tomography technology and image reconstruction have significantly changed practice. Dual energy computed tomography is being increasingly adopted owing to benefits of material separation, quantification, and improved contrast-to-noise ratio. The radiation dose can match that from single energy computed tomography. Spectral information derived from a polychromatic x-ray beam at different energies yields in image reconstructions that reduce the number of phases in a multiphasic examination and decrease the absolute amount of contrast media. This increased analytical and image processing capability provides new avenues for addressing radiation dose and iodine exposure concerns.

Keywords: Contrast media; Dual-energy CT; Iodine; Material density; Radiation dose; Spectral CT; Split-bolus; Virtual unenhanced.