title: Dual-source dual-energy CT: dose reduction after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to evaluate the possibility of reducing the dose of ionising radiation by using dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (CT) in patients undergoing CT angiography of the aorta to search for endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty-eight patients (117 M, 31 F; mean age 75 ± 6.5) underwent 171 CT angiography scans for follow-up after EVAR. For each patient we performed a triple-phase acquisition protocol consisting of a nonenhanced phase, an arterial phase and a delayed phase; the latter acquired in dual energy. Two radiologists jointly evaluated the nonenhanced, arterial and delayed phase, and a third radiologist evaluated only the delayed phase and its virtual noncontrast (VNC) reconstruction. Moreover, we compared the cumulative effective doses of the triple-phase acquisition with the dual-energy acquisition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected 34 endoleaks (19.8 %), with 100 % agreement between the triple-phase and dual-energy acquisitions. The effective dose of dual-energy acquisition performed during the delayed phase was 61.7 % lower than that of the triple-phase acquisition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A dual-energy CT scan acquired during the delayed phase and its VNC reconstruction allow detection of endoleaks with a substantial reduction of effective dose and a complete diagnostic agreement with a triple-phase acquisition protocol.
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia Cardiovascolare e d'Urgenza, AO San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy. vitalianobuffa@libero.it.
authors.forename: Vitaliano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Buffa
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Radiologia, Dipartimento Magrassi-Lanzara, Seconda Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solazzo
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Radiologia, Dipartimento Magrassi-Lanzara, Seconda Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Auria
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Radiologia, Dipartimento Magrassi-Lanzara, Seconda Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia Cardiovascolare e d'Urgenza, AO San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallone
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia Cardiovascolare e d'Urgenza, AO San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luzietti
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia Cardiovascolare e d'Urgenza, AO San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madau
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Radiologia, Dipartimento Magrassi-Lanzara, Seconda Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia Cardiovascolare e d'Urgenza, AO San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Miele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*