Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39090380›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology experimental2024

In vitro and in vivo optimized reconstruction for low-keV virtual monoenergetic photon-counting detector CT angiography of lower legs.

Dirk Graafen, Willi Bart, Moritz C Halfmann, Lukas Müller, Lukas Hobohm, Yang Yang, Achim Neufang, Christine Espinola-Klein, Michael B Pitton, Roman Kloeckner and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European radiology experimental, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. A scoping review of photon-counting detector computed tomography in cardiovascular imaging.Diagnostic and interventional radiology (Ankara, Turkey) · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Dirk GraafenDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. dirk.graafen@unimedizin-mainz.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2588-2009
Willi BartDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Moritz C HalfmannDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Lukas MüllerDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Lukas HobohmDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Yang YangDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Achim NeufangDepartment of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Christine Espinola-KleinDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Michael B PittonDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Roman KloecknerInstitute of Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Akos Varga-SzemesDivision of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Tilman EmrichDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLower extremity peripheral artery disease frequently presents with calcifications which reduces the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) angiography, especially below-the-knee. Photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT offers improved spatial resolution and less calcium blooming. We aimed to identify the optimal reconstruction parameters for PCD-CT angiography of the lower legs.

methodsTubes with different diameters (1-5 mm) were filled with different iodine concentrations and scanned in a water container. Images were reconstructed with 0.4 mm isotropic resolution using a quantitative kernel at all available sharpness levels (Qr36 to Qr76) and using different levels of quantum iterative reconstruction (QIR-2-4). Noise and image sharpness were determined for all reconstructions. Additionally, CT angiograms of 20 patients, reconstructed with a medium (Qr44), sharp (Qr60), and ultrasharp (Qr72) kernel at QIR-2-4, were evaluated by three readers assessing noise, delineation of plaques and vessel walls, and overall quality.

resultsIn the phantom study, increased kernel sharpness led to higher image noise (e.g., 16, 38, 77 HU for Qr44, Qr60, Qr72, and QIR-3). Image sharpness increased with increasing kernel sharpness, reaching a plateau at the medium-high level 60. Higher QIR levels decreased image noise (e.g., 51, 38, 25 HU at QIR-2-4 and Qr60) without reducing vessel sharpness. The qualitative in vivo results confirmed these findings: the sharp kernel (Qr60) with the highest QIR yielded the best overall quality.

conclusionThe combination of a sharpness level optimized reconstruction kernel (Qr60) and the highest QIR level yield the best image quality for PCD-CT angiography of the lower legs when reconstructed at 0.4-mm resolution. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Using high-resolution PCD-CT angiography with optimized reconstruction parameters might improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence in peripheral artery disease of the lower legs. KEY POINTS: Effective exploitation of the potential of PCD-CT angiography requires optimized reconstruction parameters. Too soft or too sharp reconstruction kernels reduce image quality. The highest level of quantum iterative reconstruction provides the best image quality.

Indexed as

Computed Tomography AngiographyPhantoms, ImagingPhotonsAgedFemaleHumansLegLower ExtremityMaleMiddle AgedPeripheral Arterial DiseaseBelow-the-kneeCT angiographyPhoton-counting detector CTQuantum iterative reconstructionReconstruction kernel

Identifiers

PMID39090380
PMCPMC11294310

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.