title: Dual-energy digital subtraction chest radiography: technical considerations.
abstract: In the evaluation of asbestos-related pulmonary and pleural abnormalities, conventional chest radiography has been shown to have a low sensitivity for the detection of lung nodules and subtle interstitial disease. Pleural plaques may simulate pulmonary nodules, and interstitial processes can be masked by adjacent pleural abnormalities. Dual-energy digital subtraction chest radiography may enable investigators to characterize asbestos-related pulmonary and pleural abnormalities with greater accuracy. "Soft-tissue" images, designed to remove pleural calcifications, may allow for better evaluation of the lung parenchyma. "Bone" images, designed to remove soft-tissue structures, may enhance the detection of pleural calcifications. In this pictorial essay we illustrate the methods, technical considerations, and limitations of dual-energy digital subtraction chest radiography performed with global subtraction weighting factors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. gwhitman@di.mdacc.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.forename: Loren T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Niklason
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.forename: L Christine
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Elisha H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kinnard
authors.forename: Andrea H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Michelle K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Kavitha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sunku
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Reginald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed