Improving Diagnostic Accuracy in Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Insights from Spectral Dual-energy CT

This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of spectral dual-energy detector computed tomography (SDCT) and its associated parameters in diagnosing acute pulmonary embolism (APE).

Retrospective analysis of imaging data from 86 APE-diagnosed patients using SDCT was conducted. Virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) at 40, 70, and 100 KeV, Iodine concentration (IC) maps, Electron Cloud Density Map (ECDM), Effective atomic number (Z-eff) maps, and Hounsfield unit attenuation plots (VMI slope) were reconstructed from pulmonary artery phase CT images. The subtraction (SUB) and ratios of VMIs were calculated, and two experienced radiologists evaluated the patients. The Mann-Whitney U test assessed the parameter ability to differentiate between normal and obstructed lung fields and detect emboli in the pulmonary artery. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC) were generated for performance evaluation.

Significant differences (p<0.001) in 40KeV, Ratio, SUB, and Z-eff were found between normal and embolized lung fields. Logistic regression demonstrated good detection performance for Z-eff (AUC=0.986), SUB (AUC=0.975), and IC (AUC=0.974). Parameters such as 40KeV (AUC=0.990), 70KeV (AUC=0.980), 100KeV (AUC=0.962), SUB (AUC=0.990), Z-eff (AUC=0.999), and IC (AUC=1.000) exhibited good detection capabilities for identifying emboli in the pulmonary artery.

SDCT facilitates the identification of diseased lung fields and localization of emboli in the pulmonary artery, thereby improving diagnostic efficiency in APE.