The first mobile photon-counting detector CT: the human images and technical performance study

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Conventional energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) has limitations in spatial resolution and spectral information.
• Photon-counting-detector CT (PCD-CT) technology offers potential advancements in image quality and quantitative analysis.
• The mobile PCD-CT system (OmniTom Elite) has received FDA 510(k) clearance for clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the human imaging capabilities of a mobile PCD-CT system.
• To assess the 'on demand' higher spatial resolution and multi-spectral imaging features of PCD-CT.
• To demonstrate the feasibility and performance of PCD-CT in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an FDA-cleared mobile PCD-CT scanner (OmniTom Elite).
• Imaged certified CT phantoms and a human cadaver head to assess high-resolution (HR) and multi-energy imaging.
• Conducted first-in-human imaging on three volunteers to demonstrate clinical performance.

Main Results:

• First human PCD-CT images at 5 mm slice thickness were diagnostically equivalent to conventional EID-CT.
• PCD-CT HR mode achieved 11 lp/cm resolution, significantly higher than EID-CT's 7 lp/cm (standard mode).
• Quantitative multi-energy CT performance showed accurate material decomposition (iodine, calcium, water) with low error (3.25% in VMI).

Conclusions:

• PCD-CT enables multi-resolution acquisition without hardware changes, offering superior spatial resolution over conventional mobile EID-CT.
• The quantitative spectral capability of PCD-CT allows for accurate, simultaneous multi-energy imaging for material decomposition and VMI generation.
• PCD-CT represents a significant advancement in mobile CT technology, enhancing diagnostic capabilities and quantitative analysis.