First evaluation of color K-edge image quality using spectral photon-counting CT combined with two contrast agents: A phantom study

IF 8.1 2区医学 Q1 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-04 DOI:10.1016/j.diii.2025.11.005

Ramata Coulibaly , Antoine Robert , Angèle Houmeau , Christian A. Hernandez , Agnieszka Gutwinska , Maria Nicole Antonuccio , Simon Rit , Joël Greffier , Salim A. Si-Mohamed

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the image quality of color K-edge imaging obtained with a spectral photon-counting CT (SPCCT) scanner using a spectral phantom with a mixture of iodine-based and gadolinium-based contrast agents.

Materials and methods

A clinical SPCCT scanner prototype was used to scan a spectral phantom. Three dedicated cavities were filled with three contrast agents including iodine alone, gadolinium alone and a mixture of both. Two concentrations of 0.5 and 2 mg/mL were evaluated using nine helical PCCT scans at 120 kVp and 150 mAs. Conventional, color iodine and color K-edge gadolinium images were obtained through a material decomposition algorithm using three basis materials (water, iodine, gadolinium). Attenuation (in Hounsfield unit [HU]), iodine and gadolinium concentrations and task-based transfer function (TTF) were measured on each cavity and image. The noise power spectrum (NPS) was calculated on the phantom's background.

Results

Color K-edge imaging differentiated iodine and gadolinium but underestimated their concentrations. Gadolinium concentrations were underestimated by 9.4 ± 2.2 (standard deviation [SD]) % and 9.2 ± 1.0 (SD) % for gadolinium alone, 14.9 ± 2.3 (SD) % and 11.4 ± 1.2 (SD) % for the mixture, at 0.5 and 2 mg/mL, respectively. Similar TTF values at 50 % were found for color iodine (0.43 ± 0.01 [SD] mm⁻¹) and color K-edge gadolinium (0.45 ± 0.03 (SD) mm⁻¹) images for respective cavities at 2 mg/mL but the lowest values were found for color K-edge gadolinium images (0.43 ± 0.01 [SD] mm⁻¹ vs. 0.29 ± 0.01 [SD] mm⁻¹) at 0.5 mg/mL. The value of noise magnitude was 24.75 HU, 0.06 mg/mL and 0.03 mg/mL for conventional, color iodine and color K-edge gadolinium images, respectively.

Conclusion

Color K-edge imaging helps distinguish between contrast agents while being associated with lownoise magnitude, high-frequency spatial noise and high spatial resolution.

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光谱光子计数CT结合两种造影剂对彩色k边缘图像质量的首次评价：幻影研究。

目的：本研究的目的是评估光谱光子计数CT （SPCCT）扫描仪使用光谱幻影与碘基和钆基对比剂的混合物获得的彩色k边缘成像的图像质量。材料与方法：使用临床SPCCT扫描仪原型扫描光谱幻像。三个专用腔内填充了三种造影剂，包括单独的碘，单独的钆和两者的混合物。在120 kVp和150 ma下，使用9次螺旋PCCT扫描评估0.5和2 mg/mL两种浓度。采用水、碘、钆三种基材进行材料分解，得到常规图像、彩色图像和彩色k边图像。在每个空腔和图像上测量衰减（Hounsfield单位[HU]）、碘和钆浓度以及基于任务的传递函数（TTF）。在图像背景下计算噪声功率谱（NPS）。结果：彩色k边缘成像可区分碘和钆，但低估了它们的浓度。在0.5 mg/mL和2 mg/mL条件下，钆浓度分别被低估了9.4±2.2（标准差[SD]） %和9.2±1.0 (SD) %, 14.9±2.3 (SD) %和11.4±1.2 (SD) %。彩色碘（0.43±0.01 [SD] mm-1）和彩色K-edge钆（0.45±0.03 (SD) mm-1）在2 mg/mL浓度下，各空腔的TTF值相似，均为50%，但彩色K-edge钆图像的TTF值最低，为0.43±0.01 [SD] mm-1vs。0.29±0.01 [SD] mm-1), 0.5 mg/mL。常规图像、彩色碘图像和彩色k边钆图像的噪声值分别为24.75 HU、0.06 mg/mL和0.03 mg/mL。结论：彩色k边缘成像有助于区分造影剂，同时具有低噪声幅度、高空间噪声和高空间分辨率的特点。

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来源期刊

Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging Medicine-Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

CiteScore

8.50

自引率

29.10%

发文量

126

审稿时长

11 days

期刊介绍： Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging accepts publications originating from any part of the world based only on their scientific merit. The Journal focuses on illustrated articles with great iconographic topics and aims at aiding sharpening clinical decision-making skills as well as following high research topics. All articles are published in English. Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging publishes editorials, technical notes, letters, original and review articles on abdominal, breast, cancer, cardiac, emergency, forensic medicine, head and neck, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, interventional, obstetric, pediatric, thoracic and vascular imaging, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, as well as contrast material, computer developments, health policies and practice, and medical physics relevant to imaging.