Added value of a single-energy projection-based metal-artifact reduction algorithm for the computed tomography evaluation of oral cavity cancers.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to investigate the added value of the single-energy projection-based metallic artifact reduction (SEMAR) technique on the visualization and diagnostic confidence of oral cavity cancers.


METHODS
Contrast-enhanced CT was performed on 40 patients with dental metalwork. Of these, 18 patients had pathologically confirmed oral cavity cancer, and the other 22 patients had no lesions. CT attenuation and noise in the oral cavity were compared between the conventional and SEMAR images. Two radiologists visually graded the diagnostic confidence on a 5-point scale from 1 (definitely absent) to 5 (definitely present). The value of the SEMAR was assessed in a receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis.


RESULTS
The artifact of the SEMAR images was significantly lower than that of the conventional images (38.4 ± 18.0 HU vs. 187.7 ± 162.7 HU; P < 0.01). Reviewers 1 and 2 detected 10 and 7 more lesions with the SEMAR, respectively. Areas under the curve for the conventional and SEMAR reconstruction were 0.761 and 0.942, respectively, for reviewer 1 and 0.701 and 0.864, respectively, for reviewer 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The SEMAR significantly improved the oral cavity cancer visualization and diagnostic confidence.
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Kenichiro
K
Hirata
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan. utsunomi@kumamoto-u.ac.jp.
Daisuke
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1723-1724
D
Utsunomiya
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Seitaro
S
Oda
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Masafumi
M
Kidoh
Medical Physics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 4-24-1 Kuhonji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 862-0976, Japan.
Yoshinori
Y
Funama
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Hideaki
H
Yuki
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Morikatsu
M
Yoshida
Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Yasuyuki
Y
Yamashita
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media
Adults; CT; Head/neck; Technology assessment