Photon-counting detector CT: early clinical experience review

Abstract

Since its development in the 1970’s, X-ray computed tomography (CT) has emerged as a landmark diagnostic imaging modality of modern medicine. Technological advances have been crucial to the success of CT imaging, as they have increasingly enabled improvements in image quality and diagnostic value at increasing radiation dose efficiency. With recent advances in engineering and physics, a novel technology has emerged with the potential to surpass several shortcomings and limitations of current CT systems. Photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT might substantially improve and expand the applicability of CT imaging by offering intrinsic spectral capabilities, increased spatial resolution, reduced electronic noise and improved image contrast. In this review we sought to summarize the first clinical experience of PCD-CT. We focused on most recent prototype and first clinically approved PCD-CT systems thereby reviewing initial publications and presenting corresponding clinical cases.

Technical Basics and Clinical Benefits of Photon-Counting CT

“…Novel photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT), which has recently been introduced into clinical practice, has the potential to address these limitations and overcome the weaknesses of previous CT systems. Several review articles have been published explaining the basic principles and clinical advantages of PCD-CT with more or less technical depth, depending on the intended readership 4–13 . In this review, we will focus on recent literature that has grown rapidly since the commercial introduction of a clinically approved PCD-CT and on results from human examinations.…”

“…Several review articles have been published explaining the basic principles and clinical advantages of PCD-CT with more or less technical depth, depending on the intended readership. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In this review, we will focus on recent literature that has grown rapidly since the commercial introduction of a clinically approved PCD-CT and on results from human examinations.…”

Advanced Neuroimaging With Photon-Counting Detector CT

“…This results in improved CNR, as energy-resolving PCD-CTs are able to assign higher weight factors to low-energy bins where contrast between tissues is highest. 4,5…”

“…Finally, PCD-CT allows simultaneous multienergy imaging through detection of the continuous energy spectrum of incoming photons. 4,5 The benefit of these new, technically guided opportunities is subject of intensive ongoing research. To date, already several studies have shown advantages of PCD-CT over conventional CT, [6][7][8] including applications for abdominal, vascular, cardiac, or chest imaging and various other fields of radiology may benefit from the new detector technique.…”

Messtechnische Verfahren im Kontext der DVO Leitlinie – neue Entwicklungen

“…Photon Counting -quantenzählende oder spektral -CT ist ein weiterer Meilenstein in der Entwicklung der Computertomographie [41][42][43], die es erlaubt die Strahlenexposition wesentlich zu verringern und die Auflösung zu verbessern. Weiterhin können ähnlich wie bei der Dual Energy CT Spektralbilder zur Differenzierung und Quantifizierung einzelner Materialien erstellt werden.…”