Program Information
Image Quality Assessment of Contrast-Enhanced 4D-CT for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in Radiotherapy Simulation
W Choi1*, M Xue1 , M Kang1,2 , K Patel1 , W Regine1 , P Klahr3 , J Wang1 , W D'Souza1 , W Lu1 , (1) University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, (2) Yeungnam University Medical Center, Daegu, Daegu, (3) Philips Healthcare, Highland Heights, Ohio
Presentations
SU-E-J-154 (Sunday, July 12, 2015) 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Room: Exhibit Hall
Purpose: This study presents quantitative and qualitative assessment of the image qualities in contrast-enhanced (CE) 3D-CT, 4D-CT and CE 4D-CT to identify feasibility for replacing the clinical standard simulation with a single CE 4D-CT for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDA) in radiotherapy simulation.
Methods: Ten PDA patients were enrolled and underwent three CT scans: a clinical standard pair of CE 3D-CT immediately followed by a 4D-CT, and a CE 4D-CT one week later. Physicians qualitatively evaluated the general image quality and regional vessel definitions and gave a score from 1 to 5. Next, physicians delineated the contours of the tumor (T) and the normal pancreatic parenchyma (P) on the three CTs (CE 3D-CT, 50% phase for 4D-CT and CE 4D-CT), then high density areas were automatically removed by thresholding at 500 HU and morphological operations. The pancreatic tumor contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and conspicuity (C, absolute difference of mean enhancement levels in P and T) were computed to quantitatively assess image quality. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare these quantities.
Results: In qualitative evaluations, CE 3D-CT and CE 4D-CT scored equivalently (4.4±0.4 and 4.3±0.4) and both were significantly better than 4D-CT (3.1±0.6). In quantitative evaluations, the C values were higher in CE 4D-CT (28±19 HU, p=0.19 and 0.17) than the clinical standard pair of CE 3D-CT and 4D-CT (17±12 and 16±17 HU, p=0.65). In CE 3D-CT and CE 4D-CT, mean CNR (1.8±1.4 and 1.8±1.7, p=0.94) and mean SNR (5.8±2.6 and 5.5±3.2, p=0.71) both were higher than 4D-CT (CNR: 1.1±1.3, p<0.3; SNR: 3.3±2.1, p<0.1). The absolute enhancement levels for T and P were higher in CE 4D-CT (87, 82 HU) than in CE 3D-CT (60, 56) and 4D-CT (53, 70).
Conclusions: The individually optimized CE 4D-CT is feasible and achieved comparable image qualities to the clinical standard simulation.
Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: This study was supported in part by Philips Healthcare.
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