Quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging using rapid kVp switch dual-energy CT: preliminary experience

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Radiology

Background:

• Quantitative myocardial CT perfusion (CTP) using single-energy CT (SECT) is limited by beam-hardening (BH) artifacts.
• These artifacts can be misinterpreted as actual perfusion deficits, affecting diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of dual-energy CT (DECT) in minimizing BH artifacts for improved myocardial perfusion estimates.
• To compare projection-based DECT with image-based DECT and SECT in phantom and in vivo models.

Main Methods:

• Investigated DECT performance using a rapid kVp-switching scanner.
• Evaluated BH artifact reduction in a myocardium phantom comparing SECT, image-based DECT, and projection-based DECT.
• Optimized imaging parameters for iodine concentration measurement and assessed dynamic time-resolved DECT for myocardial perfusion in porcine models.

Main Results:

• Projection-based DECT at 70 keV significantly minimized BH artifact-induced attenuation differences in a myocardium phantom compared to SECT and image-based DECT.
• Projection-based DECT achieved the highest contrast-to-noise ratio (3.0) for iodine concentration measurements.
• In porcine studies, projection-based DECT provided more uniform myocardial perfusion estimates than SECT.

Conclusions:

• Projection-based DECT effectively reduces beam-hardening artifacts in myocardial CT perfusion imaging.
• This technique holds potential for more accurate quantitative myocardial CTP compared to conventional SECT.