title: Liver virtual non-enhanced CT with dual-source, dual-energy CT: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare virtual non-enhanced liver CT (VNCT) from dual-energy CT (DECT) with true non-enhanced liver CT (TNCT) in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 patients underwent multi-phase abdominal CT. Liver arterial VNCT (VNCT(A)) and portovenous VNCT (VNCT(V)) images were derived from the arterial and portovenous DECT data. The mean CT number, signal to noise ratio (SNR), image quality, contrast to noise (CNR) of liver lesions, lesion detectability and radiation dose were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in mean CT numbers of all organs (all P>0.05). SNR on VNCT images was higher than that of TNCT (all P<0.001). Image quality of VNCT was diagnostic but lower than that of TNCT (P<0.001). VNCT(A) images were superior to VNCT(V) (P<0.001). VNCT(A) and VNCT(V) detected 78 (91%) and 70 (81%) of 86 hepatic focal lesions visualised on TNCT. There was no difference in the size, attenuation and CNR of focal hepatic lesions (all P>0.05), but SNR of the lesions on VNCT was higher than that on TNCT (P<0.001). Radiation dose of biphase DECT was lower than that of routine triphase CT (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VNCT(A) may potentially replace TNCT as part of a multi-phase liver imaging protocol with consequent saving in radiation dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Clinical School of Medical College, Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan East Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Long-Jiang
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Sheng-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Z Jane
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin-Sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chang-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xue-Man
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Guang-Ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
references.citation: Radiology. 2009 Mar;250(3):813-20
references.pmid: 19244048
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2009 Jan;19(1):13-23
references.pmid: 18677487
references.citation: Radiol Clin North Am. 2009 Jan;47(1):41-57
references.pmid: 19195533
references.citation: Radiology. 2009 Aug;252(2):433-40
references.pmid: 19487466
references.citation: Radiology. 2009 Jul;252(1):61-70
references.pmid: 19561250
references.citation: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2009 Jul;193(1):47-54
references.pmid: 19542394
references.citation: Radiology. 2008 Nov;249(2):692-700
references.pmid: 18812561
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2009 Dec;19(12):2844-54
references.pmid: 19657658
references.citation: Invest Radiol. 2009 Jan;44(1):1-6
references.pmid: 19060790
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2007 Jun;17(6):1510-7
references.pmid: 17151859
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2008 Nov;18(11):2414-24
references.pmid: 18523782
references.citation: Radiology. 2004 Sep;232(3):735-8
references.pmid: 15273333
references.citation: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008 Sep;191(3):772-7
references.pmid: 18716108
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2009 Apr;19(4):1019-24
references.pmid: 19002466
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2009 Oct;19(10):2518-22
references.pmid: 19585123
references.citation: Radiology. 2009 Jun;251(3):771-9
references.pmid: 19346514
references.citation: Radiology. 2008 Nov;249(2):682-91
references.pmid: 18780822