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Gastrointestinal Imaging |
1 From the Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Erwin Rd, Box 3808, Durham, NC 27710. Received June 19, 2000; revision requested July 12; revision received August 17; accepted September 1. Address correspondence to E.K.P. (e-mail: pauls003@mc.duke.edu).
| ABSTRACT |
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MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients underwent the protocol. Coronal and sagittal reformations were constructed. Images were reviewed for duration of scan acquisition and length and adequacy of z-axis coverage. Reformations were scored for visualization of portal and hepatic vein branches, liver edge sharpness, cardiac pulsation and respiratory motion artifacts, noise due to mottle, and overall impression.
RESULTS: Mean z-axis coverage was 207 mm ± 33 (SD) (range, 145280 mm), with a mean acquisition time of 10.96 seconds ± 1.78 (range, 7.7314.93 seconds). In 44 (83%) patients, the entire liver was imaged on a single helical scan. Artifact from cardiac motion was not identified on the transverse source images in any patient but was identified on coronal images in eight (15%) and on sagittal images in seven (13%). Similarly, noise due to mottle was not identified on the transverse source images but was identified on coronal images in seven (13%) patients and on sagittal images in six (11%).
CONCLUSION: It is feasible to perform singlebreath-hold three-dimensional liver CT with multidetector row helical CT technology. Reformations provide a unique perspective with which to view the liver and may improve diagnostic capacity.
Index terms: Computed tomography (CT), helical, 761.12115 Computed tomography (CT), image quality Computed tomography (CT), technology Computed tomography (CT), three-dimensional, 761.12117 Liver, CT, 761.12112, 761.12115, 761.12117 Liver neoplasms, metastases, 761.33
| INTRODUCTION |
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Currently, abdominal CT images are acquired and usually viewed in the transverse plane. While transverse CT is useful and adequate for most indications, there are many disease states and clinical scenarios in which coronal, sagittal, oblique, or curved planes are more definitive or contributory to a diagnosis. For example, in the patient for whom resection of hepatic metastases is anticipated, it is critical not only to detect lesions but also to delineate their relationship to the portal veins, hepatic veins, diaphragm, inferior vena cava, and bile ducts. The use of a singlebreath-hold three-dimensional (3D) helical CT protocol with multiplanar reformation may facilitate this delineation. Indeed, Rofsky et al (4) recently reported on the use of magnetic resonance imaging to acquire breath-hold 3D images of the liver with isotropic voxels that proved to be both comprehensive and efficient.
The purpose of this study was to compare image quality among the transverse, coronal, and sagittal planes to determine the feasibility of using singlebreath-hold 3D CT imaging of the liver with multidetector-row helical CT in patients suspected of having hepatic metastases.
| MATERIALS AND METHODS |
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Sites and types of primary malignancy included the colorectum (n = 25), the genitourinary tract (n = 12), lymphoma (n = 7), melanoma (n = 2), the lung (n = 2), and other (n = 5).
In this protocol, we used a CT scanner (QX/i Lightspeed; GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis) that allows the acquisition of four images per gantry rotation. A monophasic 3D helical CT scan of the liver was acquired during a single breath hold. One hundred fifty milliliters of iopamidol (Isovue 300; Bracco Diagnostics, Princeton, NJ; 30 mg of iodine per milliliter) was injected at a rate of 3 mL/sec. The scanning delay was 70 seconds. Technical parameters included a detector row configuration of 4 x 2.5 mm, pitch of 6:1, gantry rotation speed of 0.8 second, table speed of 15 mm per gantry rotation (18.75 mm/sec), 140 kVp, 170260 mA (mean, 197 mA), and displayed field of view of 3040 cm (mean, 35 cm).
The 2.5-mm transverse source images were reconstructed at 1-mm intervals (60% overlap). The voxels measured 0.7 x 0.7 x 2.5 mm. The data sets were then transferred to a Windows (Microsoft, Redmond, Wash) workstation with software level 3.1 (Advantage; GE Medical Systems), where reformations in the coronal and sagittal planes were performed. Rendering the data into straight coronal and sagittal planes required less than 5 minutes. Images in these planes could be evaluated interactively on the workstation monitor by scrolling through them.
A number of parameters were evaluated in each patient, including scanning duration, z-axis coverage during the single breath hold, mean liver length, and whether the entire liver was included on the scan. In addition, image quality was evaluated subjectively by two reviewers (K.W., E.K.P.) in consensus. Representative images in the transverse, coronal, and sagittal planes were obtained in each patient. All three planes were reviewed, and image quality was subjectively assessed on a three-point scale. The image quality parameters included venous enhancement, liver edge sharpness, cardiac motion artifact, respiratory motion artifact, noise due to mottle, and overall impression of image quality.
The following scale was used to evaluate venous enhancement: 3, distinct visualization of portal and hepatic veins throughout the liver to within 1 cm of the capsular surface; 2, venous enhancement present but not to within 1 cm of the capsule; and 1, subtle or no enhancement of intrahepatic veins.
Edge sharpness was evaluated as follows: 3, sharp edges; 2, blurred edges present but not affecting diagnostic quality; and 1, extreme blurring interfering with diagnostic quality.
Artifact from cardiac motion was evaluated as follows: 3, no visible artifact from cardiac pulsation; 2, minimal cardiac pulsation artifact that did not interfere with diagnostic quality; and 1, cardiac pulsation artifact sufficient to interfere with diagnostic quality.
Artifact from respiratory motion was evaluated as follows: 3, no respiratory motion artifact; 2, minimal respiratory motion artifact that did not interfere with diagnostic quality; and 1, respiratory motion artifact that interfered with diagnostic quality.
Noise due to mottle was evaluated as follows: 3, no mottle; 2, mottle causing only minimal degradation of diagnostic quality; and 1, mottle causing considerable degradation in diagnostic quality.
Overall impression was evaluated as follows: 3, excellent; 2, good; and 1, adequate.
| RESULTS |
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The results of an assessment of subjective image quality are shown in the Table. In the majority of patients, the images were of diagnostic or excellent quality, with a score of either 2 or 3 for venous enhancement, liver edge sharpness, cardiac motion artifact, and respiratory motion artifact (Fig 1). Venous enhancement was graded as good to excellent in 51 (96%) of the patients; images in only two patients demonstrated minimal or no venous enhancement. In no patient was blurring of the liver edge sufficient to render a scan nondiagnostic. Only one of 53 patients had an image with an identifiable respiratory motion artifact, which was best seen on the sagittal reformation. In this patient, the motion caused minimal degradation in scan quality (Fig 2). Cardiac motion artifact that interfered with diagnostic quality was present in only three patients on the coronal reformations and in only one patient on the sagittal reformations. However, noise due to mottle that interfered with diagnostic ability was present in seven patients on the coronal images and in six patients on the sagittal images. The overall impression of diagnostic scan quality closely paralleled the results of noise due to mottle.
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| DISCUSSION |
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We explored the feasibility of using breath-hold 3D CT of the liver with multiplanar reformations by using a multidetector-row CT scanner. With this protocol, the entire liver is rapidly imaged with thin collimation during a single 715-second breath hold. This produces a data set that can be manipulated and reviewed on a workstation to produce highquality multiplanar reformations.
In our study, we used a multidetector-row helical CT scanner, which consists of 16 detector elements aligned along the z axis. Each detector element is 1.25 mm in length, with a cumulative z-axis length of 20 mm. Detectors are electronically arranged in groups of four that determine the section thickness. For example, we used a 4.0 x 2.5-mm detector configuration in which the middle eight detectors were paired, resulting in four 2.5-mm-thick sections. The acquired data set was then reconstructed at 1-mm increments (60% overlap). Compared with singledetector-row helical CT in which section thickness typically ranges from 5 to 8 mm, the 2.5-mm-thick images (3.2 mm at full width at half maximum) reconstructed at 1.0-mm increments should result in less partial volume averaging and, therefore, improved image quality (2,12).
A table speed of 15.00 mm per rotation (18.75 mm/sec) was used, resulting in a pitch of 6:1 (15 mm ÷ 2.5-mm section = 6). Such rapid imaging enabled complete coverage of the liver during a comfortable single breath hold. Indeed, with this protocol the entire liver can be imaged in approximately 11 seconds. A breath hold of this length was well tolerated by our patients.
Noise due to mottle was a cause of image degradation. Noise due to mottle was more evident on the coronal and sagittal reformations than on the transverse source images, likely due to the decreased resolution in the z axis (Fig 3). However, despite the noise due to mottle, image quality was considered diagnostic in the majority of the patients.
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While this protocol is straightforward to perform, some technical problems were encountered. The acquisition was too caudalfailing to obtain images of the dome of the liveror too cephalicfailing to obtain images of the caudal aspect of the liver in nine of 53 patients. In these patients, inadequate coverage was simply the result of underestimating the extent of the liver on the basis of the scout image rather than of a failure of the protocol per se. These issues can be expected with any new protocol and reflect technologist training and experience rather than an inherent limitation of the protocol itself. With education and familiarity, such issues should be minimized. Another potential problem with any 3D CT data set to be viewed on a workstation is the necessity of saving the raw data to the workstation. Generally, the raw data are not archived and are not available retrospectively.
Potential applications of this technique include preoperative planning in patients in whom liver resection is anticipated. With routine transverse CT, lesions may be accurately localized within hepatic segments and the proximity and relationship of a lesion to hepatic vessels and bile ducts may be determined. However, an advantage of the multiplanar reformations is that surgical anatomy relevant to the planned resection may be more clearly delineated, particularly to the hepatic surgeon. Indeed, viewing the relationship of lesions to blood vessels and bile ducts in a coronal plane is similar to viewing the lesions on frontal images obtained at liver resection. In fact, one of the roles of intraoperative ultrasonography is to delineate the relationship of lesions to hepatic blood vessels. Thus, breath-hold 3D CT may be helpful for preoperative planning in patients undergoing evaluation for hepatic surgery.
Another potential application is in lesion characterization. For example, the peripheral nodular enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas may be subtle or indeterminate at transverse CT alone, which could lead to an indeterminate or erroneous diagnosis. In the sagittal or coronal plane, the nodular enhancement may be more clearly demonstrated, allowing a confident diagnosis of hemangioma.
Clearly, breath-hold 3D CT of the upper abdomen could be applied to organs or structures other than the liver. Raptopoulos et al (13) have shown the value of multiplanar reformations in demonstrating pancreatic pathologic findings. Further, in patients with large upper abdominal masses, determination of the organ of origin may be difficult on the basis of transverse CT findings alone. With high-quality multiplanar reformations, the organ of origin may be more clearly understood.
In conclusion, singlebreath-hold multidetector-row 3D CT in patients suspected of having hepatic metastasis is a feasible technique with the potential for improving diagnostic capability. However, further research is required to refine the protocol and to determine its clinical utility.
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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| FOOTNOTES |
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R.C.N. is a consultant for GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis.
Author contributions: Guarantor of integrity of entire study, K.W.; study concepts and design, K.W., E.K.P., R.C.N.; literature research, K.W.; clinical studies, K.W.; experimental studies, K.W.; data acquisition, K.W., E.K.P.; data analysis/interpretation, K.W., E.K.P.; manuscript preparation, K.W., E.K.P.; manuscript definition of intellectual content, K.W., E.K.P.; manuscript editing and revision/review, K.W., E.K.P., R.C.N.; manuscript final version approval, K.W., E.K.P.
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