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Dual-energy computed tomography for evaluation of breast cancer: value of virtual monoenergetic images reconstructed with a noise-reduced monoenergetic reconstruction algorithm

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the image quality and lesion visibility of virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) reconstructed using a new monoenergetic reconstruction algorithm (nMERA) for evaluation of breast cancer.

Materials and methods

Forty-two patients with 46 breast cancers who underwent 4-phasic breast contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) using dual-energy CT (DECT) were enrolled. We selected the peak enhancement phase of the lesion in each patient. The selected phase images were generated by 120-kVp-equivalent linear blended (M120) and monoenergetic reconstructions from 40 to 80 keV using the standard reconstruction algorithm (sMERA: 40, 50, 60, 70, 80) and nMERA (40 +, 50 +, 60 +, 70 +, 80 +). The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was calculated and objectively analyzed. Two independent readers subjectively scored tumor visibility and image quality each on a 5-point scale.

Results

The CNR at 40 + and tumor visibility scores at 40 + and 50 + were significantly higher than those on M120. The CNR at 50 + was not significantly different from that on M120. However, the overall image quality score at 40 + was significantly lower than that at 50 + and on M120 (40 + vs M120, P < 0.0001 and 40 + vs 50 +, P = 0.0001).

Conclusions

VMI reconstructed with nMERA at 50 keV is preferable for evaluation of patients with breast cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We would also like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing.

Funding

This research was carried out without any funding support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan

    Kanako Okada, Megumi Matsuda, Takaharu Tsuda, Teruhito Kido, Akihiro Murata, Hikaru Nishiyama & Teruhito Mochizuki

  2. Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Breast Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan

    Kanako Nishiyama, Haruna Yamasawa & Yoshiaki Kamei

  3. Department of Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine and Proteo-Science Center, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan

    Mie Kurata

  4. Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan

    Mana Fukushima & Riko Kitazawa

  5. Department of Radiology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 19c1, Bol’shaya Pirogovskaya Ulitsa, Moscow, 119146, Russia

    Teruhito Mochizuki

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  1. Kanako Okada
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  2. Megumi Matsuda
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  3. Takaharu Tsuda
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Correspondence to Kanako Okada.

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Okada, K., Matsuda, M., Tsuda, T. et al. Dual-energy computed tomography for evaluation of breast cancer: value of virtual monoenergetic images reconstructed with a noise-reduced monoenergetic reconstruction algorithm. Jpn J Radiol 38, 154–164 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-019-00897-1

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