Objective To assess the usefulness of combined dual-energy CT pulmonary angiography (DE-CTPA) and indirect CT venography (CTV) in the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE).Methods Forty-nine patients with leg swelling suspected of pulmonary embolism (PE) underwent both DE-CTPA combined with CTV and lower extremity venous ultrasound (US) in 1-2 days prior to CT.Image quality of CTPA and dual energy lung perfusion image (DEPI) was rated using a 5-point scale and the coherence between CTPA and DEPI was analyzed by Kappa statistics.The ability of CTV and US in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was compared by Chi-square test.Results Twenty-nine of 49 patients were identified with PE by DE-CTPA,including 28 patients identified by CTPA and one more by DEPI,and 21 patients were found to have both PE and DVT.Both DE-CTPA and DEPI had positive findings for pulmonary embolism in 19 patients and both had negative findings in 18 patients.There was a moderate agreement between DEPI and DE-CTPA in the assessment of PE (Kappa value =0.7534).Thirty-eight patients with DVT were identified by US,while 35 patients were identified by CTV.Among the 35 patients with DVT identified by CTV,pelvic veins were involved in 25 patients,while the inferior vena cava was involved in 3 patients.There was no significant difference between CTV and US in the diagnosis of DVT(P =0.625).The detection rate of VTE with DE-CTPA combining CTV was 30.6％ higher than that with CTPA alone.Conclusions The combined DE-CTPA and CTV achievesone-stop examination.It not only provides evaluation of PE and DVT and increases detection of VTE,but also depicts perfusion defect of pulmonary parenchyma that corresponds to PE.

Objective To compare the differences in radiation doses from CT scanning between children of different age groups and adult patients by using both traditional radiation dose assessment parameters and size-specific dose estimates (SSDE).Methods A total of 406 patients undergoing lung CT examination were studied.They were sampled retrospectively and continuously from the Union Hospital and divided into six groups by age distritution (0-2,3-6,7-10,11-14,15-18,＞18 years old).The CTDIvol and DLP values were randomly sampled using MATLAB platform-based dicom data software.The SSDE and water equivalent diameter were also calculated according to the AAPM 220 Report.The differences in radiation doses from lung CT scaning between children and adult patients were analysed.Results The CTDIvol values for all age groups were significantly lower than the SSDE values.The differences were statistically significant (t =-36.36,-32.83,-30.36,-28.74,-23.89,P＜0.05).The SSDE values were 137％,94％,79％,57％ and 42％ higher than the CTDIvol values,respectively.The CTDIvol values for the adult group were also lower than the SSDE values,and the difference was statistically significant (t=-21.92,P＜0.05),and the SSDE value was about 41％ higher than the CTDIvol value.With the increased age,CTDIvol value,DLP value,Dw value and SSDE value for children of all age groups gradually increased and were significantly smaller than those for the adult group.The difference was statistically significant (F=63.39,203.28,89.27,103.44,P＜0.05).The conversion coefficient f for all age groups decreased significantly with age,which was significantly higher than that for the adult group,and the difference was statistically significant (F =109.83,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions In lung CT scanning,the CTDIvol value significantly underestimated the radiation doses to children as compared to adults.CTDIvol values are more easily underestimated for younger patients.The SSDE method allows for more accurate reflection of the radiation doses to different patients,taking into account differences in the examined patient size.

The clinical application of 16-slice CT coronary angiography (CTCA) and the impact of plaques differently characterized on assessing coronary artery stenosis were evaluated. Thirty-eight patients with coronary artery disease diagnosed by conventional coronary angiography (CAG) un- derwent 16-slice CTCA (collimation: 16×0.75 mm; rotation time: 420 msec; kernel: 35f; effective current: 500 mAs; tube voltage: 120 kV). The interval between CTCA and CAG was within one month. CTCA was evaluated by consensus of two independent experienced radiologists unknowing CAG findings. Original images, maximum intensity projections and multiplanar reconstructions were used to assess coronary artery stenosis. For a determined plaque an attenuation value≥130 HU was considered as calcified, and ＜130 HU noncalcified. The plaques were then classified into significant calcification (extensive calcification), medium calcification (small isolated calcification) and noncal- cification. The diagnostic accuracy of 16-slice CTCA findings as well as to detect ≥50% stenoses caused by plaques was evaluated respectively regarding CAG as the standard of reference. In com- parison with CAG findings, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value derived from CTCA for mild stenosis (＜50%) were 72.7%, 38.5%, 50%, 62.5%, respectively; for moderate stenosis (50%-75%) 82.4%, 72.7%, 70%, 84.2%, resepctively; and for severe coronary stenosis (＞75%) 85%, 90.5%, 81%, 92.7% respectively. With the increase of stenoses degree, the value of CTCA was greater. For the classification of the plaque calcification with ≥50% stenosis CTCA at- tained the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value for severe calcificatoin 73.3%, 22.2%, 61.1% and 33.3%, respectively; for moderate calcification 70%, 55.6%, 63.6% and 62.5%, respectively; for noncalcification 93.8%, 85.7%, 93.8% and 85.7% respectively. CTCA was restricted in assessing coronary artery stenosis in the presence of calcification, but CTCA value was much im-proved in assessing non-calcified stenosis. It was concluded that 16-slice CTCA could provide useful information about coronary artery stenosis, especially for severe stenosis (≥50%) and non-calcified plaque. Since CTCA is a noninvasive technique, it may be useful in screening coronary artery dis-ease.

Objective:To assess the clinical application of bedside X-ray photography assistor (Patent No. 202 023 219 898.1) in neonatal bedside photography.Methods:From April 2021 to February 2022, a total of 180 pediatric patients were selected who underwent bedside chest X-ray photography in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. These patients were divided into contrpol group, consisting of 48 males and 42 females aged at (3.3 ± 2.0) d (0-10 d), and experimental group, including 50 males and 40 females aged (3.1±2.2) d (0-12 d). For chest photography, routine workflow was followed in the control group while in experimental group bedside photography protection and body position fixing device was used. The examination time, reshoot rate and image quality were compared between the two groups.Results:The diagnostic physician score and patient comfort score in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences ( t = 3.98, 3.82, P < 0.001). The success rate in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group, with statistically significant difference ( χ2= 7.84, P < 0.05). The average time of examination in the experimental group was not significantly different from in the control group ( P>0.05 ). Conclusions:The application of bedside X-ray photography assistor in neonatal bedside photography can significantly improve the success rate and image quality and reduce the radiation dose to pediatric patients without significantly increased examination time, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Objective:To investigate the value of the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) on dose estimations of children's head CT scans.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on plain head CT scans of 252 patients with the 64-row detector CT device of Discovery 750HD in the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January to September in 2019. The volume CT dose index (CTDI vol)values were recorded. The head circumference (HC), area, and CT value were measured using a self-developed computer program, and the water equivalent diameter (WED), size-specific conversion factors ( f293 and f220), and absorbed dose (SSDE 293 and SSDE 220) were calculated according to the AAPM reports 293 and 220.The patients were divided into three groups by the quartering meth odaccording to their HC(<47.8 cm, 47.8-52.7 cm, >52.7 cm)and four groups based on their ages(0-2, 3-6, 7-10 and 11-14 years old). The difference between parameters ( f220 and f293, SSDE 220 and SSDE 293、SSDE 293 and CTDI vol) were compared for different groups, and the correlation of HC with f293 and SSDE 293 was analyzed. Results:There was an overestimation of f220 by 11.11% ( t=252.61, P<0.05) compared with f293. SSDE 220 was overestimated by 10.31% ( t=228.21, P<0.05) compared with SSDE 293, and SSDE 293 was underestimated by 9.60% ( t=-31.34, P<0.05)compared with CTDI vol. For the three HC groups, SSDE 220 was overestimated by 8.54%, 10.37%, and 11.57% ( t=73.73, 438.58, 275.52, P<0.05)compared with SSDE 293, and SSDE 293 was underestimated by 1.30%, 9.79%, and 14.61% ( t=-1.91, -60.95, -47.64, P<0.05)compared with CTDI vol. For the four age groups SSDE 220 was overestimated by 8.45%, 10.00%, 10.57%, and 11.36% ( t=63.58, 232.29, 247.84, 302.95, P< 0.05)compared with SSDE 293, and SSDE 293 was underestimated by 1.49%, 8.27%, 10.63%, and 13.78% ( t=-1.83, -28.27, -37.30, -49.80, P< 0.05)compared with CTDI vol. Furthermore, HC was highly correlated with f293 and SSDE 293 ( r2=0.88 and 0.76, respectively, P< 0.05). Conclusions:The radiation dose in children′s head CT scanning can be more accurately estimated according to the AAPM Report 293, while it can be overestimated by CTDI vol. Meanwhile, the CT radiation dose can be patently overestimated with the AAPM Report 220 compared with Report 293.HC is closely correlated with f293 and SSDE 293 and it can be used to estimatee more accurately for SSDE and the radiation dose received by children during head CT scanning.

Objective:To study the feasibility that using size-specific dose estimation (SSDE) to estimate organ dose and effective dose in coronary CT angiography (CTA).Methods:Totally 421 consecutive patients with coronary artery CTA were included and retrospectively analized. All patients were scanned using the 3rd generation dual-source Force CT with prospectively ECG gated axis scan mode. The size specific dose estimation(SSDE) for each patient was conducted by calculate water equivalent diameters with Radimetrics. The organ doses of heart, lung, liver and breast, were estimated with Monte Carlo method. Patient-specific effective dose was calculated as a weighted sum of simulated organ doses with the coefficients from ICRP 103. Linear correlation analysis was used to validate the relationship between SSDE and organ doses as well as effective dose, and to derive coefficients for patient specific dose estimation. The mean error rate was used to evaluate estimation accuracy.Results:The CTDI vol, SSDE and effective dose were (16.8±8.7)mGy, (20.8±8.8)mGy and (4.4±2.9)mSv, respectively. The linear fitting formula for estimating organ dose based on SSDE were: Y=1.2 X-6.4 ( R2=0.91, P<0.05, mean error 0.1%) for heart, Y=1.4 X-7.4 ( R2=0.91, P<0.05, mean error 7.9%) for breast, Y=0.89 X-4.6 ( R2=0.86, P<0.05, mean error 8.3%) for lung, and Y=0.36 X-1.8 ( R2=0.64, P<0.05, mean error -17.9%) for liver. The linear fitting formula for estimating the individual effective dose based on SSDE were: Y=0.21 X-1.2 ( R2=0.92, P<0.05, mean error 0.2%) for men, Y=0.39 X-2.2 ( R2=0.93, P<0.05, mean error 1.7%) for women. Conclusions:In coronary artery CTA, the absorbed dose of the organs and patient specific effective dose could be estimated with SSDE and the corresponding conversion coefficients, which will help to achieve personalized assessment and precise management of patient radiation dose and risk in clinical practice.

Objective:To compare the image quality of turbo gradient and spin echo-BLADE diffusion weighted imaging (TGSE-BLADE-DWI) with that of readout segmentation of long variable echo-trains (RESOLVE) at the sellar region.Methods:From September 15 th, 2019 to February 15 th, 2020, 38 patients with suspected sellar abnormalities were enrolled prospectively to perform RESOLVE and TGSE-BLADE-DWI at a 3.0 T MR scanner in Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Totally, 32 patients were identified with sellar lesions. The DWI images were evaluated subjectively and objectively. Two experienced radiologists scored images of the two DWI methods for anatomical structures (including the internal carotid arteries, optic chiasm, pituitary stalk and pituitary gland), lesion conspicuity, susceptibility artifacts, geometric distortions and overall image quality using a five-point scale respectively. Objective parameters on the images of the two DWI methods were analyzed, including lesion size, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The consistency of subjective scores of two radiologists was tested by Kappa test. Paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, Kappa statistics were used for statistical evaluation. Results:TGSE-BLADE-DWI performed significantly better than RESOLVE in depicting the sellar anatomical structures, lesion conspicuity, geometric distortion and overall image quality (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in SNR, maximum longitudinal diameter of lesions and ADC of lesions between the two DWI methods(all P>0.05). The maximum transverse diameter measured by TGSE-BLADE-DWI was significantly smaller than that of RESOLVE ( Z=3.31, P=0.001). Conclusions:Compared with RESOLVE, TGSE-BLADE-DWI is superior in depicting the anatomical structures, decreasing susceptibility artifacts and geometric distortions at the sellar region and effectively improves the image quality of DWI, which has great value in clinical applications.

Objective:To explore the value of monoenergetic imaging on dual-layer spectral detector CT combined with individual injection protocol of contrast medium in brain CT angiography (CTA).Methods:Seventy-six patients who underwent brain CTA on the Philips IQon dual-layer spectral detector CT and individual injection protocol of contrast medium in Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from August to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Objective and subjective evaluation of image quality was performed in conventional energetic images (conventional group) which derived from 120 kVp hybrid iterative reconstruction algorithm and 50 keV virtual monoenergetic images (test group) which derived from spectral reconstruction algorithm. The objective evaluation content included CT values, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery, CT values and standard deviation (SD) of brain parenchyma. The subjective evaluation was completed by two senior radiologists according to the 5-point scale, and the inter-agreement between two radiologists was evaluated by Kappa test. Paired t test or Wilcoxon rank test was used for analysis between two groups. Results:The SNR and CNR of both internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery, as well as CT values of internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery and brain parenchyma, were significantly higher in test group than that in conventional group (all P<0.001). The subjective scores of two radiologists for test group were both 5 (5, 5) points, and the subjective scores for conventional group were both 4 (4, 4) points. The subjective scores of the radiologists were in good agreement, and the Kappa values were 0.74 and 0.84 respectively. The subjective scores of test group were significantly higher than that of conventional group ( Z=-11.15, P<0.001). Conclusion:Monoenergetic imaging on dual-layer spectral detector CT combined with individual injection protocol of contrast medium can improve SNR, CNR and the image quality of brain CTA.

Objective To explore the application value of virtual monochromatic imaging combined with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and automatic spectral imageing mode selection(ASIS) in reducing the radiation dose and contrast dose of CT portal venography.Methods We retrospectively collected 120 cases (80 males and 40 females) who underwent upper abdominal enhancement CT from January 2017 to April 2017.Patients were divided into 3 groups (40 cases in each group) according to the scanning program.Group A used conventional 120 kVp scan,NI =10,contrast agent dosage was 450 mgI/kg of body weight,image was reconstructed with 50％ ASIR technique;Groups B and C used spectral CT mode,NI =10 (Group B),NI =13 (Group C),the amount of contrast agent was 300 mgI/kg of body weight,and the image was reconstructed with 60 keV +50％ ASIR.One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the mean CT values and their differences,image noise,SNR and CNR of portal vein and liver parenchyma in three groups of images.Subjective image quality scores were performed on three groups of images by two senior radiologists.The patient's CTDIvol,DLP were recorded and the E was calculated.Results The amount of contrast agent in group B and C was reduced by about 30％ compared with group A.The portal vein CT values of groups A,B,and C were 168.22± 17.82,209.06±20.07,and 211.03±25.60.The portal vein CT values of group B and C were significantly higher than those of group A,respectively (t =-9.625,-8.680,P ＜ 0.05).The CT value difference between portal vein and liver parenchyma was 60.01± 17.01,106.63±25.83,107.72±25.39,respectively.SNRs were 8.48±1.41,12.64±2.94,10.77±1.94,and CNR were 5.16±1.80,8.13±2.54,7.32±1.84,respectively.The image quality scores were 3.53±0.68,4.75±0.54 and 4.53±0.64,respectively.The CT value difference,SNR,CNR and image quality scores of group B and group C were significantly higher than those in group A(t=-9.536,-9.857,-8.082,-6.064,-6.050,-5.308,-8.912,-6.779,P＜0.05).The CTDIvolof groups A,B and C were (12.15±5.02) mGy,(12.34±4.18) mGy,(10.03±3.13) mGy,DLP were (348.62± 155.99) mGy· cm,(355.56± 131.07) mGy·cm,(287.10±92.25) mGy·cm,respectively,E were (5.23±2.34) mSv,(5.33±1.97) mSv,(4.31±.1.38) mSv,compared with the A and B groups,the CTDI,ol,DLP and E of the C group were significantly lower(t=2.274,2.147,2.147,2.812,2.702,2.702,P＜0.05),and CTDIvol,DLP and E were decreased by 19％.Conclusions In CT portal venography,NI =13,60 keV combined with 50％ ASIR reconstruction and ASIS can be used to personalize the contrast dose and radiation dose of the patient and provide images that meet the diagnostic requirements.