Diagnostics (Apr 2022)

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Breast Cancer Follow-Ups: Comparison of Virtual Monoenergetic Images and Iodine-Map

  • Jun-Xian Li,
  • Feng-Ji Xie,
  • Chia-Hui Chen,
  • Kuan-Ming Chen,
  • Chia-Jung Tsai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12040946
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 4
p. 946

Abstract

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Differentiating tumor tissue from dense breast tissue can be difficult. Dual-energy CT (DECT) could be suitable for making diagnoses at breast cancer follow-ups. This study investigated the contrast in DECT images and iodine maps for patients with breast cancer being followed-up. Chest CT images captured in 2019 were collected. Five cases of metastatic breast cancer in the lungs were analyzed; the contrast-to-noise ratio (for breast tissue and muscle: CNRb and CNRm, respectively), tumor-to-breast mammary gland ratio (T/B), and tumor-to-muscle ratio (T/M) were calculated. For 84 cases of no metastasis, monochromatic spectral and iodine maps were obtained to compare differences under various breast densities using the K-means algorithm. The optimal T/B, T/M, and CNRb (related to mammary glands) were achieved for the 40-keV image. Conversely, CNRm (related to lungs) was better for higher energy. The optimal balance was achieved at 80 keV. T/B, T/M, and CNR were excellent for iodine maps, particularly for density > 25%. In conclusion, energy of 80 keV is the parameter most suitable for observing the breast and lungs simultaneously by using monochromatic spectral images. Adding iodine mapping can be appropriate when a patient’s breast density is greater than 25%.

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