title: "How to" incorporate dual-energy imaging into a high volume abdominal imaging practice.
abstract: Dual-energy CT imaging has many potential uses in abdominal imaging. It also has unique requirements for protocol creation depending on the dual-energy scanning technique that is being utilized. It also generates several new types of images which can increase the complexity of image creation and image interpretation. The purpose of this article is to review, for rapid switching and dual-source dual-energy platforms, methods for creating dual-energy protocols, different approaches for efficiently creating dual-energy images, and an approach to navigating and using dual-energy images at the reading station all using the example of a pancreatic multiphasic protocol. It will also review the three most commonly used types of dual-energy images: "workhorse" 120kVp surrogate images (including blended polychromatic and 70 keV monochromatic), high contrast images (e.g., low energy monochromatic and iodine material decomposition images), and virtual unenhanced images. Recent developments, such as the ability to create automatically on the scanner the most common dual-energy images types, namely new "Mono+" images for the DSDECT (dual-source dual-energy CT) platform will also be addressed. Finally, an approach to image interpretation using automated "hanging protocols" will also be covered. Successful dual-energy implementation in a high volume practice requires careful attention to each of these steps of scanning, image creation, and image interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1473, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230, USA. etamm@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1473, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230, USA.
authors.forename: Ott
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1472, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230-1402, USA.
authors.forename: Xinming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1472, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230-1402, USA.
authors.forename: Rick R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Layman
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1472, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230-1402, USA.
authors.forename: Dianna D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cody
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1473, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230, USA.
authors.forename: Priya R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bhosale
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D006801:Humans; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods*; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Computed tomography; Dual-energy; Workflow