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Zhong J, Wang L, Shen H, Li J, Lu W, Shi X, Xing Y, Hu Y, Ge X, Ding D, Yan F, Du L, Yao W, Zhang H. Improving lesion conspicuity in abdominal dual-energy CT with deep learning image reconstruction: a prospective study with five readers. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:5331-5343. [PMID: 36976337 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09556-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate image quality, diagnostic acceptability, and lesion conspicuity in abdominal dual-energy CT (DECT) using deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) compared to those using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (Asir-V) at 50% blending (AV-50), and to identify potential factors impacting lesion conspicuity. METHODS The portal-venous phase scans in abdominal DECT of 47 participants with 84 lesions were prospectively included. The raw data were reconstructed to virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) at 50 keV using filtered back-projection (FBP), AV-50, and DLIR at low (DLIR-L), medium (DLIR-M), and high strength (DLIR-H). A noise power spectrum (NPS) was generated. CT number and standard deviation values of eight anatomical sites were measured. Signal-to-noise (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values were calculated. Five radiologists assessed image quality in terms of image contrast, image noise, image sharpness, artificial sensation, and diagnostic acceptability, and evaluated the lesion conspicuity. RESULTS DLIR further reduced image noise (p < 0.001) compared to AV-50 while better preserved the average NPS frequency (p < 0.001). DLIR maintained CT number values (p > 0.99) and improved SNR and CNR values compared to AV-50 (p < 0.001). DLIR-H and DLIR-M showed higher ratings in all image quality analyses than AV-50 (p < 0.001). DLIR-H provided significantly better lesion conspicuity than AV-50 and DLIR-M regardless of lesion size, relative CT attenuation to surrounding tissue, or clinical purpose (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS DLIR-H could be safely recommended for routine low-keV VMI reconstruction in daily contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT to improve image quality, diagnostic acceptability, and lesion conspicuity. KEY POINTS • DLIR is superior to AV-50 in noise reduction, with less shifts of the average spatial frequency of NPS towards low frequency, and larger improvements of NPS noise, noise peak, SNR, and CNR values. • DLIR-M and DLIR-H generate better image quality in terms of image contrast, noise, sharpness, artificial sensation, and diagnostic acceptability than AV-50, while DLIR-H provides better lesion conspicuity than AV-50 and DLIR-M. • DLIR-H could be safely recommended as a new standard for routine low-keV VMI reconstruction in contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT to provide better lesion conspicuity and better image quality than the standard AV-50.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Zhong
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Lingyun Wang
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Hailin Shen
- Department of Radiology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - Jianying Li
- Computed Tomography Research Center, GE Healthcare, Beijing, 100176, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Computed Tomography Research Center, GE Healthcare, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiaomeng Shi
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yue Xing
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Yangfan Hu
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Xiang Ge
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Defang Ding
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Lianjun Du
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Weiwu Yao
- Department of Imaging, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China.
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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