Metal Artifact Reduction in Routine Chest and Abdominal Examinations Using Virtual Monoenergetic Images From Spectral Detector Computed Tomography

The objective of this study was to investigate the quantitative and qualitative effects of virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) by spectral detector computed tomography (SDCT) on metal artifacts in routine examinations. Methods Fifty-nine patients with metal artifacts (caused by pacemakers, ports, screws, or prosthetic joints) affecting muscular tissue in the chest and/or abdomen were scanned using SDCT. Attenuation values around the metallic device were compared with contralateral unaffected values, for conventional images and 80 to 200 keV VMIs. In addition, general image quality and artifact intensity were rated by 2 readers. Results The VMIs significantly decreased metal artifact intensity in all patients (P
Source: Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography - Category: Radiology Tags: Abdominal Imaging Source Type: research