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Updated: Jan 2, 2026
Contrast Enhanced Vessel Imaging using MicroCT
Published on: January 27, 2011
Improved coronary artery contrast enhancement using noise-optimised virtual monoenergetic imaging from dual-source
Christophe T Arendt1, Rouben Czwikla1, Lukas Lenga1
1Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
Purpose:
To define optimal kiloelectron volt (keV) settings for virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) reconstruction at dual-energy coronary computed tomography angiography (DE-CCTA).
Method:
Fifty-one DE-CCTA data sets (33 men; mean age, 63.9 ± 13.2 years) were reconstructed as standard linearly-blended images (F_0.6; 60% of 90 kVp, 40% of 150 kVpSn), and with traditional (VMI) and noise-optimised (VMI+) algorithms from 40 to 100 keV in 10-keV intervals. Objective image quality was assessed with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) measurements. Three observers subjectively evaluated vascular contrast, image sharpness, noise and delineation of coronary plaques.
Results:
Median values for objective image analysis were highest in VMI + series at 40 keV (SNR, 44.5; CNR: 33.5), significantly superior (allp < 0.001) to the best VMI series at 70 keV (SNR, 28.1; CNR, 18.4) and standard F_0.6 images (SNR, 23.2; CNR, 15.6). Overall subjective metrics achieved higher scores at 40-keV VMI+ series in comparison to 70-keV VMI series and F_0.6 images (all p < 0.001), with optimal vascular contrast (5; ICC, 0.90), good image sharpness (4; 0.88), low noise (4; 0.82), and optimal plaque delineation (5; 0.89).
Conclusions:
DE-CCTA image reconstruction with 40-keV VMI + allows for significant improvement of both objective and subjective image quality.
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