Review of an initial experience with an experimental spectral photon-counting computed tomography system

Si‐Mohamed, Salim; Bar-Ness, Daniel; Sigovan, Monica; Cormode, David P.; Coulon, Philippe; Coche, Emmanuel; Vlassenbroek, Alain; Normand, Gabrielle; Boussel, Loîc; Douek, Philippe

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2017.04.014

Cited by 110 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…This technology offers the possibility to perform multi-material decomposition including K-edge imaging. Initial pilot studies have demonstrated the possibility to employ SPCCT data for diagnostic tasks [14–16, 21, 28–30]. Muenzel et al demonstrated the feasibility of SPCCT-colonography to differentiate iodine-tagged faeces or fluids and gadolinium-enhanced polyps.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental feasibility of spectral photon-counting computed tomography with two contrast agents for the detection of endoleaks following endovascular aortic repair

et al. 2018

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ObjectivesAfter endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), discrimination of endoleaks and intra-aneurysmatic calcifications within the aneurysm often requires multiphase computed tomography (CT). Spectral photon-counting CT (SPCCT) in combination with a two-contrast agent injection protocol may provide reliable detection of endoleaks with a single CT acquisition.MethodsTo evaluate the feasibility of SPCCT, the stent-lined compartment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm phantom was filled with a mixture of iodine and gadolinium mimicking enhanced blood. To represent endoleaks of different flow rates, the adjacent compartments contained either one of the contrast agents or calcium chloride to mimic intra-aneurysmatic calcifications. After data acquisition with a SPCCT prototype scanner with multi-energy bins, material decomposition was performed to generate iodine, gadolinium and calcium maps.ResultsIn a conventional CT slice, Hounsfield units (HU) of the compartments were similar ranging from 147 to 168 HU. Material-specific maps differentiate the distributions within the compartments filled with iodine, gadolinium or calcium.ConclusionSPCCT may replace multiphase CT to detect endoleaks without sacrificing diagnostic accuracy. It is a unique feature of our method to capture endoleak dynamics and allow reliable distinction from intra-aneurysmatic calcifications in a single scan, thereby enabling a significant reduction of radiation exposure.Key Points• SPCCT might enable advanced endoleak detection.• Material maps derived from SPCCT can differentiate iodine, gadolinium and calcium.• SPCCT may potentially reduce radiation burden for EVAR patients under post-interventional surveillance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental feasibility of spectral photon-counting computed tomography with two contrast agents for the detection of endoleaks following endovascular aortic repair

et al. 2018

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“…Of the limited number of photon-counting CT systems capable of patient scanning described in the literature, all use CdTe-based detectors. 7,29,30 In this paper, we describe the resolution characterization of a CT scanner using a deep, siliconbased, photon-counting detector, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first such prototype system capable of patient scanning. The system is based on a commercial CT gantry where the original detector has been replaced by several edge-on, silicon strip detectors developed specifically for CT applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolution characterization of a silicon-based, photon-counting computed tomography prototype capable of patient scanning

et al. 2019

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Photon-counting detectors are expected to bring a range of improvements to patient imaging with x-ray computed tomography (CT). One is higher spatial resolution. We demonstrate the resolution obtained using a commercial CT scanner where the original energy-integrating detector has been replaced by a singleslice, silicon-based, photon-counting detector. This prototype constitutes the first full-field-of-view silicon-based CT scanner capable of patient scanning. First, the pixel response function and focal spot profile are measured and, combining the two, the system modulation transfer function is calculated. Second, the prototype is used to scan a resolution phantom and a skull phantom. The resolution images are compared to images from a state-ofthe-art CT scanner. The comparison shows that for the prototype 19 lp∕cm are detectable with the same clarity as 14 lp∕cm on the reference scanner at equal dose and reconstruction grid, with more line pairs visible with increasing dose and decreasing image pixel size. The high spatial resolution remains evident in the anatomy of the skull phantom and is comparable to that of other photon-counting CT prototypes present in the literature. We conclude that the deep silicon-based detector used in our study could provide improved spatial resolution in patient imaging without increasing the x-ray dose.

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“…Since the emergence of clinical dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT), there has been an increasing interest in using these systems to discriminate between different contrast agents, based on their specific x-ray attenuation characteristics [ 1 – 9 ]. For example, DECT has recently been used for in vivo depiction of the small bowel wall and for the differentiation between a vascular and an enteric injury, using a combination of an intravenous iodinated contrast agent with an oral tantalum- or tungsten-based contrast agent [ 10 ] or oral bismuth [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multicolour imaging with spectral photon-counting CT: a phantom study

Si‐Mohamed¹,

Bar-Ness²,

Sigovan³

et al. 2018

Eur Radiol Exp

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BackgroundTo evaluate the feasibility of multicolour quantitative imaging with spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT) of different mixed contrast agents.MethodsPhantoms containing eleven tubes with mixtures of varying proportions of two contrast agents (i.e. two selected from gadolinium, iodine or gold nanoparticles) were prepared so that the attenuation of each tube was about 280 HU. Scans were acquired at 120 kVp and 100 mAs using a five-bin preclinical SPCCT prototype, generating conventional, water, iodine, gadolinium and gold images. The correlation between prepared and measured concentrations was assessed using linear regression. The cross-contamination was measured for each material as the root mean square error (RMSE) of its concentration in the other material images, where no signal was expected. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) relative to a phosphate buffered saline tube was calculated for each contrast agent.ResultsThe solutions had similar attenuations (279 ± 10 HU, mean ± standard deviation) and could not be differentiated on conventional images. However, a distinction was observed in the material images within the same samples, and the measured and prepared concentrations were strongly correlated (R2 ≥ 0.97, 0.81 ≤ slope ≤ 0.95, -0.68 ≤ offset ≤ 0.89 mg/mL). Cross-contamination in the iodine images for the mixture of gold and gadolinium contrast agents (RMSE = 0.34 mg/mL) was observed. CNR for 1 mg/mL of contrast agent was better for the mixture of iodine and gadolinium (CNRiodine = 3.20, CNRgadolinium = 2.80) than gold and gadolinium (CNRgadolinium = 1.67, CNRgold = 1.37).ConclusionsSPCCT enables multicolour quantitative imaging. As a result, it should be possible to perform imaging of multiple uptake phases of a given tissue/organ within a single scan by injecting different contrast agents sequentially.

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Review of an initial experience with an experimental spectral photon-counting computed tomography system

Cited by 110 publications

References 51 publications

Experimental feasibility of spectral photon-counting computed tomography with two contrast agents for the detection of endoleaks following endovascular aortic repair

Experimental feasibility of spectral photon-counting computed tomography with two contrast agents for the detection of endoleaks following endovascular aortic repair

Resolution characterization of a silicon-based, photon-counting computed tomography prototype capable of patient scanning

Multicolour imaging with spectral photon-counting CT: a phantom study

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