CT-based thermometry with virtual monoenergetic images by dual-energy of fat, muscle and bone using FBP, iterative and deep learning–based reconstruction

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of CT-based thermometry for clinical applications regarding a three-component tissue phantom of fat, muscle and bone. Virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) by dual-energy measurements and conventional polychromatic 120-kVp images with modern reconstruction algorithms adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Volume (ASIR-V) and deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) were compared. METHODS: A temperature-regulating water circuit system was developed for the systematic evaluation of the correlation between temperature and Hounsfield units (HU). The measurements were performed on a Revolution CT with gemstone spectral imaging technology (GSI). Complementary measurements were performed without GSI (voltage 120 kVp, current 130–545 mA). The measured object was a tissue equivalent phantom in a temperature range of 18 to 50°C. The evaluation was carried out for VMI at 40 to 140 keV and polychromatic 120-kVp images. RESULTS: The regression analysis showed a significant inverse linear dependency between temperature and average HU regardless of ASIR-V and DLIR. VMI show a higher temperature sensitivity compared to polychromatic images. The temperature sensitivities were 1.25 HU/°C (120 kVp) and 1.35 HU/°C (VMI at 140 keV) for fat, 0.38 HU/°C (120 kVp) and 0.47 HU/°C (VMI at 40 keV) for muscle and 1.15 HU/°C (120 kVp) and 3.58 HU/°C (VMI at 50 keV) for bone. CONCLUSIONS: Dual-energy with VMI enables a higher temperature sensitivity for fat, muscle and bone. The reconstruction with ASIR-V and DLIR has no significant influence on CT-based thermometry, which opens up the potential of drastic dose reductions. KEY POINTS: • Virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) enable a higher temperature sensitivity for fat (8%), muscle (24%) and bone (211%) compared to conventional polychromatic 120-kVp images. • With VMI, there are parameters, e.g. monoenergy and reconstruction kernel, to modulate the temperature sensitivity. In contrast, there are no parameters to influence the temperature sensitivity for conventional polychromatic 120-kVp images. • The application of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Volume (ASIR-V) and deep learning–based image reconstruction (DLIR) has no effect on CT-based thermometry, opening up the potential of drastic dose reductions in clinical applications.