Image quality of lung perfusion with photon-counting-detector CT: comparison with dual-source, dual-energy CT.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the quality of lung perfusion imaging obtained with photon-counting-detector CT (PCD-CT) in comparison with dual-source, dual-energy CT (DECT).

Methods: Seventy-one consecutive patients scanned with PCD-CT were compared to a paired population scanned with dual-energy on a 3rd-generation DS-CT scanner using (a) for DS-CT (Group 1): collimation: 64 × 0.6 × 2 mm; pitch: 0.55; (b) for PCD-CT (Group 2): collimation: 144 × 0.4 mm; pitch: 1.5; single-source acquisition. The injection protocol was similar in both groups with the reconstruction of perfusion images by subtraction of high- and low-energy virtual monoenergetic images.

Results: Compared to Group 1, Group 2 examinations showed: (a) a shorter duration of data acquisition (0.93 ± 0.1 s vs 3.98 ± 0.35 s; p < 0.0001); (b) a significantly lower dose-length-product (172.6 ± 55.14 vs 339.4 ± 75.64 mGy·cm; p < 0.0001); and (c) a higher level of objective noise (p < 0.0001) on mediastinal images. On perfusion images: (a) the mean level of attenuation did not differ (p = 0.05) with less subjective image noise in Group 2 (p = 0.049); (b) the distribution of scores of fissure visualization differed between the 2 groups (p < 0.0001) with a higher proportion of fissures sharply delineated in Group 2 (n = 60; 84.5% vs n = 26; 26.6%); (c) the rating of cardiac motion artifacts differed between the 2 groups (p < 0.0001) with a predominance of examinations rated with mild artifacts in Group 2 (n = 69; 97.2%) while the most Group 1 examinations showed moderate artifacts (n = 52; 73.2%).

Conclusion: PCD-CT acquisitions provided similar morphologic image quality and superior perfusion imaging at lower radiation doses.

Clinical relevance statement: The improvement in the overall quality of perfusion images at lower radiation doses opens the door for wider applications of lung perfusion imaging in clinical practice.

Key points: The speed of data acquisition with PCD-CT accounts for mild motion artifacts. Sharply delineated fissures are depicted on PCD-CT perfusion images. High-quality perfusion imaging was obtained with a 52% dose reduction.