title: Dual-energy CT: a promising new technique for assessment of the musculoskeletal system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dual-energy CT (DECT) characterizes the chemical composition of material according to its differential x-ray attenuation at two different energy levels. Applications of DECT in musculoskeletal imaging include imaging of bone marrow edema, tendons, and ligaments and the use of monoenergetic techniques to minimize metal prosthesis beam-attenuating artifacts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most validated application of DECT is undoubtedly its noninvasive and highly specific ability for confirming the presence of monosodium urate deposits in the assessment of gout.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, 899 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada. savvas.nicolaou@vch.ca
authors.forename: Savvakis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicolaou
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Darra T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Jeff R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Korzan
authors.forename: Hugue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ouellette
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munk
mesh_terms: D006073:Gout / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*