Diagnostic Impact of Quantitative Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Perfusion Imaging for the Assessment of Subsegmental Pulmonary Embolism

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted tomography Vol. 45; no. 1; p. 151
• Main Authors: Celtikci, Pinar, Hekimoglu, Koray, Kahraman, Gokhan, Bozbas, Serife, Gultekin, Bahadir, Akay, Hakki Tankut
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Computed Tomography Angiography; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Perfusion Imaging - methods; Pulmonary Embolism - diagnostic imaging; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1532-3145
• DOI: 10.1097/RCT.0000000000001106

The aim of this study was to investigate the quantitative differences of dual-energy computed tomography perfusion imaging measurements in subsegmental pulmonary embolism (SSPE), between normal lung parenchyma (NLP) and hypoperfused segments (HPS) with and without thrombus on computed tomography angiography (CTA). Lung attenuation, iodine density, and normalized uptake values were measured from HPS and NLP on iodine maps of 43 patients with SSPE. Presence of pulmonary embolism (PE) on CTA was recorded. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis analyses with post hoc comparisons were conducted. The numbers of HPS with and without SSPE on CTA were 45 (55.6%) and 36 (44.4%), respectively. Lung attenuation of NLP was significantly different from HPS (P < 0.001). Iodine density and normalized uptake values of HPS with PE were significantly lower than those of HPS without PE, which is significantly lower than NLP (P < 0.001). Subsegmental pulmonary embolism causes HPS on dual-energy computed tomography perfusion imaging, which demonstrates different iodine density and normalized uptake values depending on the presence of thrombus.