Effect of energy difference in the evaluation of calcification size and luminal diameter in calcified coronary artery plaque using spectral CT.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the calcium blooming-reducing effect and the differences of luminal diameter among various-energy virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) using rapid kilovolt-switching dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five calcified segments in 31 patients were analyzed. For the analysis, 40- to 140-keV VMIs on both non-contrast CT and coronary CT angiography were generated at 10-keV steps, and calcification size and luminal diameter were measured using CT number profile curve and full-width at half-maximum method. We compared calcification size and luminal diameter on each keV VMIs with those on 70-keV VMI. RESULTS: There was no significant differences among the 40- to 140-keV VMIs regarding calcification size or luminal diameter. CONCLUSION: The 40- to 140-keV VMIs produced by single-source DECT had no effect on the calcification size or luminal diameter in the coronary artery.

Investigation of myocardial extracellular volume fraction in heart failure patients using iodine map with rapid-kV switching dual-energy CT: Segmental comparison with MRI T1 mapping.

PURPOSE: To measure myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) for each region or segment using iodine density image (IDI) with single-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and compare the results with an MRI T1 mapping approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this prospective study, 79 consecutive heart failure patients referred for MRI were included and 23 patients (14 men, 63 ± 14 years) who underwent both MRI and late contrast enhancement DECT following coronary CT angiography were evaluated. CT-ECV was computed from IDI using late acquisition projection data. MR-ECV was computed from native and post-contrast T1 maps using non-rigid image registration for segments with evaluable image quality from 3.0-T MRI. Regional CT-ECV and MR-ECV were measured based on 16-segment models. CT-ECV and MR-ECV were compared using Pearson correlations. Agreement among methods was assessed using Bland-Altman comparisons. RESULTS: In the 368 segments, although all segments were evaluable on IDI, 37 segments were rated as non-evaluable on T1 maps. Overall, 331 segments were analyzed. Mean CT-ECV and MR-ECV were 31.6 ± 9.1 and 33.2 ± 9.1, respectively. Strong correlations were seen between CT-ECV and MR-ECV for each region, as follows: all segments, r = 0.837; septal, r = 0.871; mid-septal, r = 0.895; anterior, r = 0.869; inferior, r = 0.793; and lateral, 0.864 (all p < 0.001). Differences between CT-ECV and MR-ECV were as follows: all segments, 1.13 ± 4.98; septal, -1.51 ± 4.37; mid-septal, -1.85 ± 4.22; anterior, 2.54 ± 4.89; inferior, 1.2 ± 5.78; and lateral, 2.65 ± 3.98. CONCLUSION: ECV using DECT and from cardiac MRI showed a strong correlation on regional and segmental evaluations. DECT is useful for characterizing myocardial ECV changes as well as MRI.

Myocardial delayed enhancement on dual-energy computed tomography: The prevalence and related factors in patients with suspicion of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the prevalence of myocardial delayed enhancement (MDE) in patients with suspected obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), and to investigate factors related to the presence or absence of MDE. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 191 consecutive patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with MDE imaging for clinical suspicion of CAD from December 2014 to December 2016. The presence of MDE on iodine-density images using dual-energy CT was assessed by two independent readers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with the presence of MDE. RESULTS: MDE was detected in 58 (30%) patients. Male gender, hypertension, prior heart failure (HF) hospitalization, and CCTA-detected CAD were independent factors related to the presence of MDE. When CCTA-detected CAD was excluded to narrow down the analysis to factors obtainable before CCTA, interventricular septum thickness (IVST) ≥12 mm was added as another independent factor. The combination of the following four factors: female gender, no history of hypertension, no history of prior HF hospitalization, and IVST < 12 mm demonstrated high specificity (98.3%) and positive predictive value (96.2%) for predicting the absence of MDE. CONCLUSIONS: Male gender, hypertension, prior HF hospitalization, and CAD were independently associated with the presence of MDE in patients with suspected CAD. The combination of female gender, no history of hypertension, no history of prior HF hospitalization, and IVST < 12 mm is likely to be a helpful predictor in discriminating patients without MDE before CCTA.

Quantitative evaluation of non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by late iodine enhancement using rapid kV switching dual-energy computed tomography: A feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of myocardial iodine density and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) from delayed iodine density images using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for differentiation between non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) patients and normal subjects. METHODS: Forty-six subjects were imaged, including 35 normal subjects and 11 patients with NIDCM. All subjects underwent myocardial delayed enhancement (MDE) imaging on rapid-kVp switching DECT. Global and segmental iodine density and ECV were calculated from MDE images. Histogram analysis was also performed. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the cut-off value and diagnostic performances in differentiating NIDCM patients from normal subjects. RESULTS: Global iodine density and ECV were significantly higher in NIDCM compared with normal controls (iodine: 14.19 ±â€¯3.90 vs. 10.69 ±â€¯1.88 in 100 µg/cm3, p = 0.015; ECV: 31.35 ±â€¯2.53% vs. 26.62 ±â€¯2.69%, p < 0.001). In histogram analyses, kurtosis was higher in NIDCM than in controls (0.47 ±â€¯0.46 vs. 1.26 ±â€¯0.88, p < 0.001). On segmental analysis, ECV showed higher values in NIDCM than in controls for all segments. ECV could differentiate between normal myocardium and NIDCM with 91.0% sensitivity and 86.0% specificity at a cut-off of 28.82% (area under the curve of ROC, 0.906). Iodine density could differentiate between normal myocardium and NIDCM with 91% sensitivity and 60% specificity at a cut-off of 11.18 (area under the curve of ROC, 0.812). CONCLUSIONS: Iodine density and ECV values from DECT may provide indices offering high diagnostic accuracy for discriminating between NIDCM and normal myocardium.

Image quality improvements using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction for evaluating chronic myocardial infarction using iodine density images with spectral CT.

Single-source dual-energy CT (ssDECT) allows the reconstruction of iodine density images (IDIs) from projection based computing. We hypothesized that adding adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) could improve image quality. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect and determine the optimal blend percentages of ASiR for IDI of myocardial late iodine enhancement (LIE) in the evaluation of chronic myocardial infarction using ssDECT. A total of 28 patients underwent cardiac LIE using a ssDECT scanner. IDIs between 0 and 100% of ASiR contributions in 10% increments were reconstructed. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of remote myocardia and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of infarcted myocardia were measured. Transmural extent of infarction was graded using a 5-point scale. The SNR, CNR, and transmural extent were assessed for each ASiR contribution ratio. The transmural extents were compared with MRI as a reference standard. Compared to 0% ASiR, the use of 20-100% ASiR resulted in a reduction of image noise (p < 0.01) without significant differences in the signal. Compared with 0% ASiR images, reconstruction with 100% ASiR image showed the highest improvement in SNR (229%; p < 0.001) and CNR (199%; p < 0.001). ASiR above 80% showed the highest ratio (73.7%) of accurate transmural extent classification. In conclusion, ASiR intensity of 80-100% in IDIs can improve image quality without changes in signal and maximizes the accuracy of transmural extent in infarcted myocardium.

Carotid Plaque Evaluation Using Gemstone Spectral Imaging: Comparison with Magnetic Resonance Angiography.

BACKGROUND: The present study compared the applicability of computed tomography carotid plaque imaging using effective Z maps with gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) to that of magnetic resonance plaque imaging using 3-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography. METHODS: Stenosis was assessed in 18 carotid arteries of 14 patients, and the effective Z values of noncalcified carotid plaques were compared with the signal intensities of magnetic resonance angiography. RESULTS: It was found that the effective Z value of noncalcified carotid plaques was significantly lower for a group with high signal intensity than for a group with low signal intensity on magnetic resonance angiography (P <.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of effective Z values was .975, and the presumed cutoff effective Z value required to discriminate low and high intensity plaques on magnetic resonance angiography was 7.83. CONCLUSIONS: The effective Z value generated by GSI is a useful parameter to detect vulnerable carotid plaque materials.

Measurement of Myocardial Extracellular Volume Fraction From Iodine Density Images Using Single-Source, Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: A Feasibility Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to develop and validate an iodine density method for the quantification of myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) fraction using single-source, dual-energy computed tomography. METHODS: Extracellular volume measurements were carried out in 40 subjects (20 patients with heart failure, 20 control subjects) using single-source, dual-energy computed tomography. Subtraction-derived ECVs (subECVs) were computed by subtracting precontrast from delayed images. Iodine density-derived ECVs (iECVs) were calculated from iodine density images obtained from delayed images. Iodine density-derived ECVs were compared with reference subECVs. RESULTS: A strong correlation (r = 0.896, P < 0.0001) and a small bias (-0.06%) were determined between subECV and iECV with high interobserver concordances (0.915 and 0.906, respectively). Extracellular volume measurements in patients with heart failure were higher in both subECV and iECV compared with control subjects (34.6% [SD, 5.0%] vs 29.5% [SD, 3.6%], P = 0.001, for subECV; 34.9% [SD, 4.5%] vs 29.2% [SD, 2.6%], P < 0.0001, for iECV). CONCLUSIONS: Extracellular volume analysis using iodine density is a useful tool for the noninvasive quantification of ECV in myocardial diseases.

Evaluation of image quality of coronary artery plaque with rapid kVp-switching dual-energy CT.

We evaluated the virtual monochromatic imaging (VMI) energy levels that maximize image quality of each coronary plaque component in dual-energy computed tomography angiography in 495 coronary segments (45 for each energy level). Maximal signal-to-noise ratios were different for plaque, lumen, fat, and surrounding tissue (p<0.05). Maximal contrast-to-noise ratios were observed at 70keV for calcified plaque (CP), non-calcified plaque (NCP), and fat in comparison with the lumen (p<0.05), and 70keV and 120keV for NCP in comparison with fat (p=0.144). VMI demonstrated maximal image quality at different energy levels for each component of coronary artery plaque.

Assessment of carotid plaque composition using fast-kV switching dual-energy CT with gemstone detector: comparison with extracorporeal and virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound.

INTRODUCTION: The present study compares the applicability of CT carotid plaque imaging using effective Z maps using gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) with that of conventional extracorporeal carotid ultrasound (US) and virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS). METHODS: We assessed stenosis in 31 carotid arteries of 30 patients. All patients underwent carotid CTA using GSI (Discovery CT750 HD, GE Healthcare). US and IVUS were examined with 25 and 8 vessels, respectively. We compared the effective Z values at noncalcified carotid plaque with the plaque components identified by US. We defined the plaque with low or low to iso intensity on US as vulnerable plaque and the plaque with iso, iso to high, and high intensity on US as stable plaque. We also performed visual assessment of color-coded effective Z maps in comparison with VH-IVUS and compared effective Z values with plaque components generated by VH-IVUS. RESULTS: The effective Z values at noncalcified carotid plaque were significantly lower for a group with vulnerable plaque, than with stable plaque on US (p < 0.05). Receiver operating curve analysis showed that AUC of effective Z values was 0.882 concerning the differentiation of these two groups on US. The interpretation of color-coded effective Z maps was essentially compatible with that of VH-IVUS for carotid plaque in all vessels. Effective Z values at noncalcified plaque showed significant negative correlation with the areas of fibro-fatty components generated by VH-IVUS (ρ = -0.874, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Effective Z maps generated by GSI can detect vulnerable carotid plaque materials.

CT angiography after carotid artery stenting: assessment of the utility of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction and model-based iterative reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION: Follow-up CT angiography (CTA) is routinely performed for post-procedure management after carotid artery stenting (CAS). However, the stent lumen tends to be underestimated because of stent artifacts on CTA reconstructed with the filtered back projection (FBP) technique. We assessed the utility of new iterative reconstruction techniques, such as adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR), for CTA after CAS in comparison with FBP. METHODS: In a phantom study, we evaluated the differences among the three reconstruction techniques with regard to the relationship between the stent luminal diameter and the degree of underestimation of stent luminal diameter. In a clinical study, 34 patients who underwent follow-up CTA after CAS were included. We compared the stent luminal diameters among FBP, ASIR, and MBIR, and performed visual assessment of low attenuation area (LAA) in the stent lumen using a three-point scale. RESULTS: In the phantom study, stent luminal diameter was increasingly underestimated as luminal diameter became smaller in all CTA images. Stent luminal diameter was larger with MBIR than with the other reconstruction techniques. Similarly, in the clinical study, stent luminal diameter was larger with MBIR than with the other reconstruction techniques. LAA detectability scores of MBIR were greater than or equal to those of FBP and ASIR in all cases. CONCLUSION: MBIR improved the accuracy of assessment of stent luminal diameter and LAA detectability in the stent lumen when compared with FBP and ASIR. We conclude that MBIR is a useful reconstruction technique for CTA after CAS.

Evaluation of the effect of geometry for measuring section thickness in tomosynthesis.

Our aim in this study was to evaluate the effect of geometry for measuring section thickness in tomosynthesis by using a metal bead device (bead method). Tomosynthesis images were obtained from two types of tomosynthesis equipment, Safire17 (ST, Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan) and XR650 (GT, GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI). After tomosynthesis radiography with each device, the bead tomosynthesis images were obtained by image reconstruction. The digital profile was obtained from the digital value of the bead central coordinate in the perpendicular direction, and we acquired the slice sensitivity profile (SSP). The section thickness was defined with the full width at half maximum obtained from the SSP. We investigated the change in section thickness under different evaluation conditions: the angular range, the height of the bead position, the source-image receptor distance (SID), and image processing. The section thickness decreased when the angular range and height of the bead position increased. Also, the section thickness varied with a change in the SID. The section thickness differed according to the geometry for measuring the section thickness. Thus, the effect of the geometry used for measurement should be considered when the section thickness in tomosynthesis is measured by the bead method.

Usefulness of monochromatic imaging with metal artifact reduction software for computed tomography angiography after intracranial aneurysm coil embolization.

BACKGROUND: Recently, a newly developed fast-kV switching dual energy CT scanner with a gemstone detector generates virtual high keV images as monochromatic imaging (MI). Each MI can be reconstructed by metal artifact reduction software (MARS) to reduce metal artifact. PURPOSE: To evaluate the degree of metal artifacts reduction and vessel visualization around the platinum coils using dual energy CT with MARS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Dual energy CT was performed using a Discovery CT750 HD scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA). In a phantom study, we measured the mean standard deviation within regions of interest around a 10-mm-diameter platinum coil mass on MI with and without MARS. Thirteen patients who underwent CTA after endovascular embolization for cerebral aneurysm with platinum coils were included in a clinical study. We visually assessed the arteries around the platinum coil mass on MI with and without MARS. RESULTS: Each standard deviation near the coil mass on MI with MARS was significantly lower than that without MARS in a phantom study. On CTA of a clinical study, better visibility of neighboring arteries was obtained in 11 of 13 patients on MI with MARS compared to without MARS due to metal artifact reduction. CONCLUSION: Dual energy CT with MARS reduces metal artifact of platinum coils, resulting in favorable vessel visualization around the coil mass on CTA after embolization.

[Evaluation of the individual tube current setting in electrocardiogram-gated cardiac computed tomography estimated from plain chest computed tomography using computed tomography automatic exposure control].

The aim of this study was to estimate the tube current on a cardiac computed tomography (CT) from a plain chest CT using CT-automatic exposure control (CT-AEC), to obtain consistent image noise, and to optimize the scan tube current by individualizing the tube current. Sixty-five patients (Group A) underwent cardiac CT at fixed tube current. The mAs value for plain chest CT using CT-AEC (AEC value) and cardiac CT image noise were measured. The tube current needed to obtain the intended level of image noise in the cardiac CT was determined from their correlation. Another 65 patients (Group B) underwent cardiac CT with tube currents individually determined from the AEC value. Image noise was compared among Group A and B. Image noise of cardiac CT in Group B was 24.4 +/- 3.1 HU and was more uniform than in Group A (21.2 +/- 6.1 HU). The error with the desired image noise of 25 HU was lower in Group B (2.4%) than in Group A (15.2%). Individualized tube current selection based on AEC value thus provided consistent image noise and a scan tube current optimized for cardiac CT.

TT virus is distributed in various leukocyte subpopulations at distinct levels, with the highest viral load in granulocytes.

When TT virus (TTV) DNA was quantitated in whole blood and plasma aliquots from 27 viremic individuals by real-time detection PCR that can detect essentially all TTV genotypes, the TTV load was 6.9 +/- 3.5 (mean +/- standard deviation)-fold higher in the whole blood than in the plasma samples [P < 0.002 (paired t test)]. To clarify the reason for this difference, peripheral blood cells of various types including red blood cells, granulocytes (CD15+), B cells (CD19+), T cells (CD3+), monocytes (CD14+), and NK cells (CD3-/CD56+) were separated at a purity of 95.4-99.5% from each of three infected individuals with relatively high TTV viremia, and their TTV viral loads were determined. Red blood cells were uniformly negative, but the other cell types were positive for TTV DNA at various titers. In all three patients, the highest TTV load was found in granulocytes (4.2 x 10(4)-3.1 x 10(5) copies/10(6) cells), followed by monocytes (1.4-2.2 x 10(4) copies/10(6) cells) and NK cells (5.4-6.5 x 10(3) copies/10(6) cells); B and T cells were positive, with a low viral load (6.7 x 10(1)-2.7 x 10(3) copies/10(6) cells). These results indicate that TTV is distributed in various peripheral blood cell types at distinct levels, with the highest viral load in granulocytes, and that a significant proportion of the TTV DNA in peripheral blood is not identified by the standard plasma/serum DNA detection methods.

Genomic and evolutionary characterization of TT virus (TTV) in tupaias and comparison with species-specific TTVs in humans and non-human primates.

TT virus (TTV) was recovered from the sera of tupaias (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) by PCR using primers derived from the noncoding region of the human TTV genome, and its entire genomic sequence was determined. One tupaia TTV isolate (Tbc-TTV14) consisted of only 2199 nucleotides (nt) and had three open reading frames (ORFs), spanning 1506 nt (ORF1), 177 nt (ORF2) and 642 nt (ORF3), which were in the same orientation as the ORFs of the human prototype TTV (TA278). ORF3 was presumed to arise from a splicing of TTV mRNA, similar to reported human TTVs whose spliced mRNAs have been identified, and encoded a joint protein of 214 amino acids with a Ser-, Lys- and Arg-rich sequence at the C terminus. Tbc-TTV14 was less than 50% similar to previously reported TTVs of 3.4-3.9 kb and TTV-like mini viruses (TLMVs) of 2.8-3.0 kb isolated from humans and non-human primates, and known animal circoviruses. Although Tbc-TTV14 has a genomic length similar to animal circoviruses (1.8-2.3 kb), Tbc-TTV14 resembled TTVs and TLMVs with regard to putative genomic organization and transcription profile. Conserved motifs were commonly observed in the coding and noncoding regions of the Tbc-TTV14 genome and in all TTV and TLMV genomes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Tbc-TTV14 is the closest to TLMVs, and is closer to TTVs isolated from tamarin and douroucouli than to TTVs isolated from humans and chimpanzees. These results indicate that tupaias are naturally infected with a new TTV species that has not been identified among primates.