Metal implants on abdominal CT: does split-filter dual-energy CT provide additional value over iterative metal artifact reduction?

PURPOSE: To assess image quality and metal artifact reduction in split-filter dual-energy CT (sfDECT) of the abdomen with hip or spinal implants using virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) and iterative metal artifact reduction algorithm (iMAR). METHODS: 102 portal-venous abdominal sfDECTs of patients with hip (n = 71) or spinal implants (n = 31) were included in this study. Images were reconstructed as 120kVp-equivalent images (Mixed) and VMI (40–190 keV), with and without iMAR. Quantitative artifact and image noise was measured using 12 different ROIs. Subjective image quality was rated by two readers using a five-point Likert-scale in six categories, including overall image quality and vascular contrast. RESULTS: Lowest quantitative artifact in both hip and spinal implants was measured in VMI(190keV-iMAR). However, it was not significantly lower than in Mixed(iMAR) (for all ROIs, p = 1.00), which were rated best for overall image quality (hip: 1.00 [IQR: 1.00–2.00], spine: 3.00 [IQR:2.00–3.00]). VMI(50keV-iMAR) was rated best for vascular contrast (hip: 1.00 [IQR: 1.00–2.00], spine: 2.00 [IQR: 1.00–2.00]), which was significantly better than Mixed (both, p < 0.001). VMI(50keV-iMAR) provided superior overall image quality compared to Mixed for hip (1.00 vs 2.00, p < 0.001) and similar diagnostic image quality for spinal implants (2.00 vs 2.00, p = 0.51). CONCLUSION: For abdominal sfDECT with hip or spinal implants Mixed(iMAR) images should be used. High keV VMI do not further improve image quality. IMAR allows the use of low keV images (VMI(50keV)) to improve vascular contrast, compared to Mixed images. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00261-022-03682-3.