Clinical Translation of a One-Stop-Shop Imaging Method for Abdominal CT

摘要 CT成像是现代放射科使用的主要诊断工具之一， 对现代医学的影响怎么说都不为过近年来，光谱CT技术已经发展到 解决了与传统单kV CT成像相关的一个长期存在的技术限制： 对于给定的采集，具有不同材料成分的解剖结构可以具有相同的CT数。 当前的谱CT成像系统已经使用先进的X射线源和/或探测器来实现 使用两种不同的X射线光谱快速扫描成像对象的技术。但这些 基于硬件的谱CT系统并非没有其自身的固有限制。这些限制包括 减小的视场、较慢的扫描速度、高kV和低kV测量之间的配准不良， 双源系统，缺乏管电流调制许多快速千伏开关系统，并具有其他 临床工作流程/效率挑战。在这个应用程序中，我们建议实现和翻译一个新的单- 用于腹部CT应用的kV能谱CT成像方法，其克服了 目前的光谱CT成像方法。有了这种新方法，所有传统的对比度增强单kV 腹部CT检查可用于生成具有所需光谱CT的豪华系列CT图像 功能包括虚拟非造影CT图像、虚拟单能CT图像和定量 材料基础图像（即，一站式服务）。这种新方法使集成的临床工作流程能够改善 临床诊断准确性，同时减少对患者的辐射剂量和造影剂剂量， 整体医疗费用。为实现这一总体目标，将实现三个具体目标。 项目：1）实施和优化技术，以实现一站式单kV光谱CT成像， 腹部应用; 2）验证所提出的一站式单kV光谱CT成像方法， 基于硬件的能谱CT成像方法; 3）将一站式单kV能谱CT 成像方法应用于临床环境，以进行临床性能评价。在此完成后， 项目，一个独特的一站式CT成像范例将被实施并转化为临床 腹部CT检查，仅需单kV对比增强即可实现一站式腹部CT诊断 CT采集。这项新技术可用于所有类型的成像设施，包括社区 发展中国家的医院或诊所，这与硬件双能CT和光子 计算CT成像，传统上保留给高调的学术医疗中心， 提供最新的技术平台。

ABSTRACT CT imaging is one of the primary diagnostic tools utilized in modern radiology departments, and its importance to modern medicine cannot be overstated. In recent years, spectral CT technologies have been developed to address one of the long-standing technical limitations associated with conventional single-kV CT imaging: anatomical structures with different material compositions may have the same CT number for a given acquisition. Current spectral CT imaging systems have been implemented using advanced x-ray source and/or detector technologies that enable image objects to be rapidly scanned using two distinct x-ray spectra. However, these hardware-based spectral CT systems are not without their own intrinsic limitations. Such limitations include a reduced field-of-view, slower scan speeds, misregistration between the high kV and low kV measurements in dual source systems, lack of tube current modulation for many fast kV-switching systems, and having other clinical workflow/efficiency challenges. In this application, we propose to implement and translate a novel single- kV spectral CT imaging method for abdominal CT applications that overcomes the limitations associated with current spectral CT imaging methods. With this new method, all conventional contrast-enhanced single-kV abdominal CT exams can be used to generate a deluxe series of CT images with the desired spectral CT functionalities including virtual non-contrast CT images, virtual mono-energetic CT images, and quantitative material basis images (i.e., one-stop-shop). This new method enables an integrated clinical workflow to improve clinical diagnostic accuracy while reducing both radiation dose and contrast dose to patients, all while reducing overall healthcare costs. Three specific aims will be carried out to accomplish the overarching objective of this project: 1) Implement and optimize techniques to achieve one-stop-shop single-kV spectral CT imaging for abdominal applications; 2) Validate the proposed one-stop-shop single-kV spectral CT imaging method using the hardware based spectral CT imaging methods; and 3) translate the one-stop-shop single-kV spectral CT imaging method to the clinical environment for clinical performance evaluations. Upon the completion of this project, a unique one-stop-shop CT imaging paradigm will have been implemented and translated to clinical abdominal CT exams to enable one-stop-shop abdominal CT diagnoses with just a single-kV contrast-enhanced CT acquisition. This new technique can be made available to all types of imaging facilities including community hospitals or clinics in developing nations, which is in stark contrast to hardware dual-energy CT and photon counting CT imaging which has been traditionally reserved to high profile academic medical centers that can afford the latest technological platforms.