Evaluation of computer-aided detection and dual energy software in detection of peripheral pulmonary embolism on dual-energy pulmonary CT angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Choong Wook; Seo, Joon Beom; Song, Jae-Woo; Kim, Mi-Young; Lee, Ha Young; Park, Yang Shin; Chae, Eun Jin; Jang, Yu Mi; Kim, Namkug; Krauss, Bernard

2011-01-01

To evaluate the sensitivity of computer-aided detection(CAD) and dual-energy software('Lung PBV', 'Lung Vessels') for detecting peripheral pulmonary embolism(PE). Between Jan-2007 and Jan-2008, 309 patients underwent dual-energy CT angiography(DECTA) for the evaluation of suspected PE. Among them, 37 patients were retrospectively selected; 21 with PE at segmental-or-below levels and 16 without PE according to clinical reports. A standard computer assisted detection (CAD) package and two new types of software('Lung PBV', 'Lung Vessels') were applied on a dedicated workstation. This resulted in four alternative tests for detecting PE: DECTA alone and DECTA with CAD, 'Lung Vessels' and 'Lung PBV'. Two radiologists independently read all cases at different reading sessions. Two thoracic radiologists set the reference standard by combining all information from DECTA and software. The sensitivity of detection for all, segmental and subsegmental-or-below PE were assessed. The reference standard contained 136 PE(segmental 65, subsegmental-or-below 71). With DECTA alone, the sensitivity of detection for all, segmental and subsegmental-or-below pulmonary arteries was 54.5%/73.7%/34.4%; DECTA with CAD, 57.8%/76.8%/37.9%; DECTA with 'Lung PBV', 61.1%/79.9%/41.4%; DECTA with 'Lung Vessels', 64.0%/78.3%/48.5% respectively. The use of CAD, Lung Vessels and Lung PBV shows improved capability to detect peripheral PE. (orig.)

Dual energy computer tomography. Objectve dosimetry, image quality and dose efficiency; Dual Energy Computertomographie. Objektive Dosimetrie, Bildqualitaet und Dosiseffizienz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schenzle, Jan Christian

2012-05-24

The aim of the present studies was an objective reflection of newly developed methods of modern imaging techniques concerning radiation exposure to the human body. Dual Source computed tomography has opened up a broad variety of new diagnostic possibilities. Using two X-ray sources with an angular offset of about 90 in a single gantry, images with a high spatiotemporal resolution can be achieved, for example in patients suffering acute chest pain. The Dual Energy Mode is based on the acquisition of two data sets with two different X-ray spectra which make it possible to identify certain substances with different spectral properties like bone, iodine or other organic material. [6-17] There is no doubt that this technical innovation will make an essential contribution to clinical diagnostics, but it remained to be proven that there is no additional dose. An anthropomorphic Phantom and thermoluminiscent detectors were used to objectively quantify the radiation dose resulting from the different examination protocols. For Dual Energy CT examinations, it was possible to verify dose neutrality in combination with comparable image quality and even improved contrast to noise ratio. Nowadays, this protocol is used in clinical routine examinations, e.g. for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism. A milestone in dose reduction was reached with modern triple rule out protocols. Causes of acute chest pain such as heart attack, pulmonary embolism or aortic rupture can be differentiated in a single examination with a high precision and a fractional amount of dose compared to conventional methods.

Dual-energy computed tomographic virtual noncalcium algorithm for detection of bone marrow edema in acute fractures: early experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Reagan, Adrian C; Mallinson, Paul I; O'Connell, Timothy; McLaughlin, Patrick D; Krauss, Bernhard; Munk, Peter L; Nicolaou, Savvas; Ouellette, Hugue A

2014-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) is often used to assess the presence of occult fractures when plain radiographs are equivocal in the acute traumatic setting. While providing increased spatial resolution, conventional computed tomography is limited in the assessment of bone marrow edema, a finding that is readily detectable on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Dual-energy CT has recently been shown to demonstrate patterns of bone marrow edema similar to corresponding MRI studies. Dual-energy CT may therefore provide a convenient modality for further characterizing acute bony injury when MRI is not readily available. We report our initial experiences of 4 cases with imaging and clinical correlation.

Anatomical decomposition in dual energy chest digital tomosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghoon; Kim, Ye-seul; Choi, Sunghoon; Lee, Haenghwa; Choi, Seungyeon; Kim, Hee-Joung

2016-03-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the early diagnosis of lung cancer has recently become more important. For early screening lung cancer, computed tomography (CT) has been used as a gold standard for early diagnosis of lung cancer [1]. The major advantage of CT is that it is not susceptible to the problem of misdiagnosis caused by anatomical overlapping while CT has extremely high radiation dose and cost compared to chest radiography. Chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) is a recently introduced new modality for lung cancer screening with relatively low radiation dose compared to CT [2] and also showing high sensitivity and specificity to prevent anatomical overlapping occurred in chest radiography. Dual energy material decomposition method has been proposed for better detection of pulmonary nodules as means of reducing the anatomical noise [3]. In this study, possibility of material decomposition in CDT was tested by simulation study and actual experiment using prototype CDT. Furthermore organ absorbed dose and effective dose were compared with single energy CDT. The Gate v6 (Geant4 application for tomographic emission), and TASMIP (Tungsten anode spectral model using the interpolating polynomial) code were used for simulation study and simulated cylinder shape phantom consisted of 4 inner beads which were filled with spine, rib, muscle and lung equivalent materials. The patient dose was estimated by PCXMC 1.5 Monte Carlo simulation tool [4]. The tomosynthesis scan was performed with a linear movement and 21 projection images were obtained over 30 degree of angular range with 1.5° degree of angular interval. The proto type CDT system has same geometry with simulation study and composed of E7869X (Toshiba, Japan) x-ray tube and FDX3543RPW (Toshiba, Japan) detector. The result images showed that reconstructed with dual energy clearly visualize lung filed by removing unnecessary bony structure. Furthermore, dual energy CDT could enhance

Dual energy quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Precision of the mineral density measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braillon, P.; Bochu, M.

1989-01-01

The improvement that could be obtained in quantitative bone mineral measurements by dual energy computed tomography was tested in vitro. From the results of 15 mineral density measurements (in mg Ca/cm 3 , done on a precise lumbar spine phantom (Hologic) and referred to the values obtained on the same slices on a Siemens Osteo-CT phantom, the precision found was 0.8%, six times better than the precision calculated from the uncorrected measured values [fr

Single- versus dual-energy quantitative computed tomography for spinal densitometry in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laan, R.F.J.M.; Erning, L.J.Th.O. van; Lemmens, J.A.M.; Putte, L.B.A. van de; Ruijs, S.H.J.; Riel, P.L.C.M. van

1992-01-01

Lumbar bone mineral density was measured by both single- and dual-energy quantitative computed tomography in 109 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results were corrected for the age-related increase in vertebral fat content by converting them to percentages of expected densities, using sex and energy-level specific regression equations obtained in a normal reference population. The percentages of expected density are approximately 10% lower in the single- than in the dual-energy mode, both in the patients with and without prednisone therapy. This difference is statistically highly significant, and is positively correlated with the duration of the disease and with the degree of radiological joint destruction. The data suggest that the vertebral fat content may be increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as a consequence of disease-dependent mechanisms. (Author)

Projection decomposition algorithm for dual-energy computed tomography via deep neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yifu; Yan, Bin; Chen, Jian; Zeng, Lei; Li, Lei

2018-03-15

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been widely used to improve identification of substances from different spectral information. Decomposition of the mixed test samples into two materials relies on a well-calibrated material decomposition function. This work aims to establish and validate a data-driven algorithm for estimation of the decomposition function. A deep neural network (DNN) consisting of two sub-nets is proposed to solve the projection decomposition problem. The compressing sub-net, substantially a stack auto-encoder (SAE), learns a compact representation of energy spectrum. The decomposing sub-net with a two-layer structure fits the nonlinear transform between energy projection and basic material thickness. The proposed DNN not only delivers image with lower standard deviation and higher quality in both simulated and real data, and also yields the best performance in cases mixed with photon noise. Moreover, DNN costs only 0.4 s to generate a decomposition solution of 360 × 512 size scale, which is about 200 times faster than the competing algorithms. The DNN model is applicable to the decomposition tasks with different dual energies. Experimental results demonstrated the strong function fitting ability of DNN. Thus, the Deep learning paradigm provides a promising approach to solve the nonlinear problem in DECT.

Measurement of breast tissue composition with dual energy cone-beam computed tomography: A postmortem study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding Huanjun; Ducote, Justin L.; Molloi, Sabee [Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States)

2013-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of a three-material compositional measurement of water, lipid, and protein content of breast tissue with dual kVp cone-beam computed tomography (CT) for diagnostic purposes. Methods: Simulations were performed on a flat panel-based computed tomography system with a dual kVp technique in order to guide the selection of experimental acquisition parameters. The expected errors induced by using the proposed calibration materials were also estimated by simulation. Twenty pairs of postmortem breast samples were imaged with a flat-panel based dual kVp cone-beam CT system, followed by image-based material decomposition using calibration data obtained from a three-material phantom consisting of water, vegetable oil, and polyoxymethylene plastic. The tissue samples were then chemically decomposed into their respective water, lipid, and protein contents after imaging to allow direct comparison with data from dual energy decomposition. Results: Guided by results from simulation, the beam energies for the dual kVp cone-beam CT system were selected to be 50 and 120 kVp with the mean glandular dose divided equally between each exposure. The simulation also suggested that the use of polyoxymethylene as the calibration material for the measurement of pure protein may introduce an error of -11.0%. However, the tissue decomposition experiments, which employed a calibration phantom made out of water, oil, and polyoxymethylene, exhibited strong correlation with data from the chemical analysis. The average root-mean-square percentage error for water, lipid, and protein contents was 3.58% as compared with chemical analysis. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the water, lipid, and protein contents can be accurately measured using dual kVp cone-beam CT. The tissue compositional information may improve the sensitivity and specificity for breast cancer diagnosis.

Dual energy radiography using active detector technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seibert, J.A.; Poage, T.F.; Alvarez, R.E.

1996-01-01

A new technology has been implemented using an open-quotes active-detectorclose quotes comprised of two computed radiography (CR) imaging plates in a sandwich geometry for dual-energy radiography. This detector allows excellent energy separation, short exposure time, and high signal to noise ratio (SNR) for clinically robust open-quotes bone-onlyclose quotes and open-quotes soft-tissue onlyclose quotes images with minimum patient motion. Energy separation is achieved by two separate exposures at widely different kVp's: the high energy (120 kVp + 1.5 mm Cu filter) exposure is initiated first, followed by a short burst of intense light to erase the latent image on the front plate, and then a 50 kVp (low energy) exposure. A personal computer interfaced to the x-ray generator, filter wheel, and active detector system orchestrates the acquisition sequence within a time period of 150 msec. The front and back plates are processed using a CR readout algorithm with fixed speed and wide dynamic range. open-quotes Bone-onlyclose quotes and open-quotes soft-tissue onlyclose quotes images are calculated by geometric alignment of the two images and application of dual energy decomposition algorithms on a pixel by pixel basis. Resultant images of a calibration phantom demonstrate an increase of SNR 2 / dose by ∼73 times when compared to a single exposure open-quotes passive-detectorclose quotes comprised of CR imaging plates, and an ∼8 fold increase compared to a screen-film dual-energy cassette comprised of different phosphor compounds. In conclusion, dual energy imaging with open-quotes active detectorclose quotes technology is clinically feasible and can provide substantial improvements over conventional methods for dual-energy radiography

Myocardial perfusion imaging with dual energy CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Kwang Nam [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Radiology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); De Cecco, Carlo N. [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Caruso, Damiano [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Rome (Italy); Tesche, Christian [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Heart Center Munich-Bogenhausen, Munich (Germany); Spandorfer, Adam; Varga-Szemes, Akos [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Schoepf, U. Joseph, E-mail: schoepf@musc.edu [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Stress dual-energy sCTMPI offers the possibility to directly detect the presence of myocardial perfusion defects. • Stress dual-energy sCTMPI allows differentiating between reversible and fixed myocardial perfusion defects. • The combination of coronary CT angiography and dual-energy sCTMPI can improve the ability of CT to detect hemodynamically relevant coronary artery disease. - Abstract: Dual-energy CT (DECT) enables simultaneous use of two different tube voltages, thus different x-ray absorption characteristics are acquired in the same anatomic location with two different X-ray spectra. The various DECT techniques allow material decomposition and mapping of the iodine distribution within the myocardium. Static dual-energy myocardial perfusion imaging (sCTMPI) using pharmacological stress agents demonstrate myocardial ischemia by single snapshot images of myocardial iodine distribution. sCTMPI gives incremental values to coronary artery stenosis detected on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) by showing consequent reversible or fixed myocardial perfusion defects. The comprehensive acquisition of CCTA and sCTMPI offers extensive morphological and functional evaluation of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have revealed that dual-energy sCTMPI shows promising diagnostic accuracy for the detection of hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease compared to single-photon emission computed tomography, invasive coronary angiography, and cardiac MRI. The aim of this review is to present currently available DECT techniques for static myocardial perfusion imaging and recent clinical applications and ongoing investigations.

Impact of polychromatic x-ray sources on helical, cone-beam computed tomography and dual-energy methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidky, Emil Y; Zou Yu; Pan Xiaochuan

2004-01-01

Recently, there has been much work devoted to developing accurate and efficient algorithms for image reconstruction in helical, cone-beam computed tomography (CT). Little attention, however, has been directed to the effect of physical factors on helical, cone-beam CT image reconstruction. This work investigates the effect of polychromatic x-rays on image reconstruction in helical, cone-beam computed tomography. A pre-reconstruction dual-energy technique is developed to reduce beam-hardening artefacts and enhance contrast in soft tissue

Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual-source dual-energy computed tomography based on material decomposition: an animal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jing; Song, Zhi-Qiang; Yan, Fu-Hua

2014-01-01

To explore the feasibility of dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (DSDECT) for hepatic iron and fat separation in vivo. All of the procedures in this study were approved by the Research Animal Resource Center of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. Sixty rats that underwent DECT scanning were divided into the normal group, fatty liver group, liver iron group, and coexisting liver iron and fat group, according to Prussian blue and HE staining. The data for each group were reconstructed and post-processed by an iron-specific, three-material decomposition algorithm. The iron enhancement value and the virtual non-iron contrast value, which indicated overloaded liver iron and residual liver tissue, respectively, were measured. Spearman's correlation and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed, respectively, to analyze statistically the correlations with the histopathological results and differences among groups. The iron enhancement values were positively correlated with the iron pathology grading (r = 0.729, pVNC) values were negatively correlated with the fat pathology grading (r = -0.642,pVNC values (F = 25.308,pVNC values were only observed between the fat-present and fat-absent groups. Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual energy material decomposition in vivo was feasible, even when they coexisted.

PVAL breast phantom for dual energy calcification detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koukou, V; Martini, N; Velissarakos, K; Gkremos, D; Michail, C; Kandarakis, I; Fountos, G; Fountzoula, C; Bakas, A

2015-01-01

Microcalcifications are the main indicator for breast cancer. Dual energy imaging can enhance the detectability of calcifications by suppressing the tissue background. Two digital images are obtained using two different spectra, for the low- and high-energy respectively, and a weighted subtracted image is produced. In this study, a dual energy method for the detection of the minimum breast microcalcification thickness was developed. The used integrated prototype system consisted of a modified tungsten anode X-ray tube combined with a high resolution CMOS sensor. The breast equivalent phantom used was an elastically compressible gel of polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL). Hydroxyapatite was used to simulate microcalcifications with thicknesses ranging from 50 to 500 μm. The custom made phantom was irradiated with 40kVp and 70kVp. Tungsten (W) anode spectra filtered with 100μm Cadmium and 1000pm Copper, for the low- and high-energy, respectively. Microcalcifications with thicknesses 300μm or higher can be detected with mean glandular dose (MGD) of 1.62mGy. (paper)

Mass thickness measurement of dual-sample by dual-energy X-rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Mincong; Li Hongmei; Chen Ziyu; Shen Ji

2008-01-01

X-ray equivalent energy can be used to measure mass thicknesses of materials. Based on this, a method of mass thickness measurement of dual-sample was discussed. It was found that in the range of sample mass thickness under investigation, the equivalent mass attenuation coefficient of a component could be used to compute mass thicknesses of a dual-sample, with relative errors of less than 5%. Mass thickness measurement of a fish sample was performed, and the fish bone and flesh could be displayed separately and clearly by their own mass thicknesses. This indicates that the method is effective in mass thickness measurement of dual-sample of suitable thicknesses. (authors)

Ion range estimation by using dual energy computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huenemohr, Nora; Greilich, Steffen [German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology; Krauss, Bernhard [Siemens AG, Forchheim (Germany). Imaging and Therapy; Dinkel, Julien [German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Radiology; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States). Radiology; Gillmann, Clarissa [German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology; University Hospital Heidelberg (Germany). Radiation Oncology; Ackermann, Benjamin [Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Heidelberg (Germany); Jaekel, Oliver [German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology; Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Heidelberg (Germany); University Hospital Heidelberg (Germany). Radiation Oncology

2013-07-01

Inaccurate conversion of CT data to water-equivalent path length (WEPL) is one of the most important uncertainty sources in ion treatment planning. Dual energy CT (DECT) imaging might help to reduce CT number ambiguities with the additional information. In our study we scanned a series of materials (tissue substitutes, aluminum, PMMA, and other polymers) in the dual source scanner (Siemens Somatom Definition Flash). Based on the 80 kVp/140Sn kVp dual energy images, the electron densities Q{sub e} and effective atomic numbers Z{sub eff} were calculated. We introduced a new lookup table that translates the Q{sub e} to the WEPL. The WEPL residuals from the calibration were significantly reduced for the investigated tissue surrogates compared to the empirical Hounsfield-look-up table (single energy CT imaging) from (-1.0 {+-} 1.8)% to (0.1 {+-} 0.7)% and for non-tissue equivalent PMMA from -7.8% to -1.0%. To assess the benefit of the new DECT calibration, we conducted a treatment planning study for three different idealized cases based on tissue surrogates and PMMA. The DECT calibration yielded a significantly higher target coverage in tissue surrogates and phantom material (i.e. PMMA cylinder, mean target coverage improved from 62% to 98%). To verify the DECT calibration for real tissue, ion ranges through a frozen pig head were measured and compared to predictions calculated by the standard single energy CT calibration and the novel DECT calibration. By using this method, an improvement of ion range estimation from -2.1% water-equivalent thickness deviation (single energy CT) to 0.3% (DECT) was achieved. If one excludes raypaths located on the edge of the sample accompanied with high uncertainties, no significant difference could be observed. (orig.)

SU-G-IeP3-04: Effective Dose Measurements in Fast Kvp Switch Dual Energy Computed Tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raudabaugh, J; Moore, B [Duke Medical Physics, Duke Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory (United States); Nguyen, G; Yoshizumi, T [Duke Radiology, Duke Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory (United States); Lowry, C; Nelson, R [Duke Radiology (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The objective of this study was two-fold: (a) to test a new approach to approximating organ dose by using the effective energy of the combined 80kV/140kV beam in dual-energy (DE) computed tomography (CT), and (b) to derive the effective dose (ED) in the abdomen-pelvis protocol in DECT. Methods: A commercial dual energy CT scanner was employed using a fast-kV switch abdomen/pelvis protocol alternating between 80 kV and 140 kV. MOSFET detectors were used for organ dose measurements. First, an experimental validation of the dose equivalency between MOSFET and ion chamber (as a gold standard) was performed using a CTDI phantom. Second, the ED of DECT scans was measured using MOSFET detectors and an anthropomorphic phantom. For ED calculations, an abdomen/pelvis scan was used using ICRP 103 tissue weighting factors; ED was also computed using the AAPM Dose Length Product (DLP) method and compared to the MOSFET value. Results: The effective energy was determined as 42.9 kV under the combined beam from half-value layer (HVL) measurement. ED for the dual-energy scan was calculated as 16.49 ± 0.04 mSv by the MOSFET method and 14.62 mSv by the DLP method. Conclusion: Tissue dose in the center of the CTDI body phantom was 1.71 ± 0.01 cGy (ion chamber) and 1.71 ± 0.06 (MOSFET) respectively; this validated the use of effective energy method for organ dose estimation. ED from the abdomen-pelvis scan was calculated as 16.49 ± 0.04 mSv by MOSFET and 14.62 mSv by the DLP method; this suggests that the DLP method provides a reasonable approximation to the ED.

Synthetic CT: Simulating low dose single and dual energy protocols from a dual energy scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Adam S.; Pelc, Norbert J.

2011-01-01

decompositions. The aforementioned noise constraint also allows us to compute feasible mAs values that can be synthesized for each kVp. Results: The single energy synthesized and actual reconstructed images exhibit identical signal and noise properties at 100 kVp and at 120 kVp, and across a range of mAs values. For example, the noise in both the synthesized and actual images at 100 kVp increases by √(2) when the mAs is halved. The synthesized and actual material decompositions of a dual energy protocol show excellent agreement when the decomposition images are linearly weighted to form monoenergetic images at energies from 40 to 100 keV. For simulated single energy protocols with kVp between 80 and 140, the highest feasible mAs exceeds that of either initial scan. Conclusions: This work describes and validates the synthetic CT theory and algorithm by comparing its results to actual scans. Synthetic CT is a powerful new tool that allows users to realistically see how protocol selection affects CT images and enables radiologists to retrospectively identify the lowest dose protocol achievable that provides diagnostic quality images on real patients.

The feasibility of colorectal cancer detection using dual-energy computed tomography with iodine mapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boellaard, T.N.; Henneman, O.D.F.; Streekstra, G.J.; Venema, H.W.; Nio, C.Y.; Dorth-Rombouts, M.C. van; Stoker, J.

2013-01-01

Aim: To assess the feasibility of colorectal cancer detection using dual-energy computed tomography with iodine mapping and without bowel preparation or bowel distension. Materials and methods: Consecutive patients scheduled for preoperative staging computed tomography (CT) because of diagnosed or high suspicion for colorectal cancer were prospectively included in the study. A single contrast-enhanced abdominal CT acquisition using dual-source mode (100 kV/140 kV) was performed without bowel preparation. Weighted average 120 kV images and iodine maps were created with post-processing. Two observers performed a blinded read for colorectal lesions after being trained on three colorectal cancer patients. One observer performed an unblinded read for lesion detectability and placed a region of interest (ROI) within each lesion. Results: In total 21 patients were included and 18 had a colorectal cancer at the time of the CT acquisition. Median cancer size was 43 mm [interquartile range (IQR) 27–60 mm] and all 18 colorectal cancers were visible on the 120 kV images and iodine map during the unblinded read. During the blinded read, observers found 90% (27/30) of the cancers with 120 kV images only and 96.7% (29/30) after viewing the iodine map in addition (p = 0.5). Median enhancement of colorectal cancers was 29.9 HU (IQR 23.1–34.6). The largest benign lesions (70 and 25 mm) were visible on the 120 kV images and iodine map, whereas four smaller benign lesions (7–15 mm) were not. Conclusion: Colorectal cancers are visible on the contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT without bowel preparation or insufflation. Because of the patient-friendly nature of this approach, further studies should explore its use for colorectal cancer detection in frail and elderly patients

Accuracy of iodine quantification using dual energy CT in latest generation dual source and dual layer CT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; van Hamersvelt, Robbert W; Willemink, Martin J; Schmidt, Bernhard T; Flohr, Thomas; Schilham, Arnold; Milles, Julien; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Leiner, Tim; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of iodine quantification with dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in two high-end CT systems with different spectral imaging techniques. METHODS: Five tubes with different iodine concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/ml) were analysed in an anthropomorphic

Local differences in mineral content in vertebral trabecular bone measured by dual-energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nepper-Rasmussen, J.; Mosekilde, L.; Aarhus Univ.

1989-01-01

Twelve lumbar vertebral bodies from cadavers were examined with dual-energy CT, to measure the calcium content in a big central region of interest (ROI). In each of five vertebrae the calcium content was also measured in six small ROI. After completed scanning, six small cylinders were drilled out from each vertebra, and the ash-density of each cylinder was measured. The dual-energy CT measurements correlated well with the ash-density. Both ash-density and dual-energy CT showed a significantly higher mineral content in the posterior part of the vertebrae than in the anterior part, and this difference might be responsible for problems encountered with the reproducibility of dual-energy CT. (orig.)

Detection of simulated pulmonary nodules by single-exposure dual-energy computed radiography of the chest: effect of a computer-aided diagnosis system (Part 2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kido, Shoji; Kuriyama, Keiko; Kuroda, Chikazumi; Nakamura, Hironobu; Ito, Wataru; Shimura, Kazuo; Kato, Hisatoyo

2002-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme on the detection of pulmonary nodules (PNs) in single-exposure dual-energy subtraction computed radiography (CR) images of the chest, and to evaluate the effect of this CAD scheme on radiologists' detectabilities. Methods and material: We compared the detectability by the CAD scheme with the detectability by 12 observers by using conventional CR (C-CR) and bone-subtracted CR (BS-CR) images of 25 chest phantoms with a low-contrast nylon nodule. Results: Both in the CAD scheme and for the observers, the detectability of BS-CR images was superior to that of C-CR images (P<0.005). The detection performance of the CAD scheme was equal to that of the observers. The nodules detected by the CAD did not necessarily coincide with those by the observers. Thus, if observers can use the results of the CAD system as a 'second opinion', their detectabilities increase. Conclusion: The CAD system for detection of PNs in the single-exposure dual-energy subtraction method is promising for improving radiologists' detectabilities of PNs

Assessment of hepatic fatty infiltration using dual-energy computed tomography: a phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jung-Hui; Tsai, Chang-Yu; Huang, Hsuan-Ming

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for the quantification of liver fat content (LFC). We prepared two phantoms: homogenized mixtures of porcine liver and fat and homogeneous mixtures of liver- and fat-equivalent solutions. Tubes containing mixtures with known fat concentrations were scanned on a dual-source CT scanner using two DE scanning protocols (80 kV/Sn140 kV and 100 kV/Sn140 kV). Attenuation curves obtained from DECT were used to describe attenuations of various degrees of LFC at different energies. LFC was calculated from DECT data and compared with the known LFC. The phantom made of liver/fat mixtures was not used for liver fat quantification because the increase of fat content did not show a decline of CT numbers. This may be due to inhomogeneity as observed in CT images. Attenuation curves obtained from two DE scanning protocols had the ability to discriminate small differences in fat concentrations. Our results also showed a strong correlation between DECT measurements and known LFC (R 2  > 0.99, P < 0.005). DECT will be a reliable tool for liver fat quantification. Furthermore, attenuation curves obtained from DECT data can be used for discriminating various degrees of LFC. (paper)

Technical Note: Insertion of digital lesions in the projection domain for dual-source, dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrero, Andrea; Chen, Baiyu; Li, Zhoubo; Yu, Lifeng; McCollough, Cynthia

2017-05-01

To compare algorithms performing material decomposition and classification in dual-energy CT, it is desirable to know the ground truth of the lesion to be analyzed in real patient data. In this work, we developed and validated a framework to insert digital lesions of arbitrary chemical composition into patient projection data acquired on a dual-source, dual-energy CT system. A model that takes into account beam-hardening effects was developed to predict the CT number of objects with known chemical composition. The model utilizes information about the x-ray energy spectra, the patient/phantom attenuation, and the x-ray detector energy response. The beam-hardening model was validated on samples of iodine (I) and calcium (Ca) for a second-generation dual-source, dual-energy CT scanner for all tube potentials available and a wide range of patient sizes. The seven most prevalent mineral components of renal stones were modeled and digital stones were created with CT numbers computed for each patient/phantom size and x-ray energy spectra using the developed beam-hardening model. Each digital stone was inserted in the dual-energy projection data of a water phantom scanned on a dual-source scanner and reconstructed with the routine algorithms in use in our practice. The geometry of the forward projection for dual-energy data was validated by comparing CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution of simulated dual-energy CT data of the ACR phantom with experimentally acquired data. The beam-hardening model and forward projection method accurately predicted the CT number of I and Ca over a wide range of tube potentials and phantom sizes. The images reconstructed after the insertion of digital kidney stones were consistent with the images reconstructed from the scanner, and the CT number ratios for different kidney stone types were consistent with data in the literature. A sample application of the proposed tool was also demonstrated. A framework was developed and validated

Aortic endograft surveillance: use of fast-switch kVp dual-energy computed tomography with virtual noncontrast imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Maturen, Katherine E; Kleaveland, Patricia A; Kaza, Ravi K; Liu, Peter S; Quint, Leslie E; Khalatbari, Shokoufeh H; Platt, Joel F

2011-01-01

To assess endoleak detection and patients' radiation exposure using fast-switch peak kilovoltage (kVp) dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) with virtual noncontrast (VNC) imaging. Institutional review board approved retrospective review of triphasic CTs for endograft follow-up: single-energy true noncontrast (TNC) and dual-energy arterial- and venous-phase postcontrast scans on GE HD-750 64-detector scanners. Iodine-subtracted VNC images generated from dual-energy data. Two radiologists (VNC readers) independently performed 2 reading sessions without TNC images: (1) arterial and VNC and (2) venous and VNC. Interrater agreement, leak detection sensitivity, and dose estimates were calculated. Original dictations described 24 endoleaks in 78 scans. Virtual noncontrast reader agreement was high (κ = 0.78-0.79). Virtual noncontrast reader ranges for sensitivity and negative predictive value for leak detection were 87.5% to 95.8% and 94.0% to 98.0% in venous phase. Dose reduction estimate was 40% by eliminating one phase and 64% by eliminating 2 phases of imaging. Virtual noncontrast images from fast-switch peak kilovoltage DECT data can substitute for TNC imaging in the postendograft aorta, conferring substantial dose reduction. Eliminating 1 of 2 postcontrast phases further reduces dose, with greater negative predictive value for leak detection in the venous versus the arterial phase. Thus, the use of a monophasic venous-phase DECT with VNC images is suggested for long-term endograft surveillance in stable patients.

Computed Tomography of the Head and Neck Region for Tumor Staging-Comparison of Dual-Source, Dual-Energy and Low-Kilovolt, Single-Energy Acquisitions.

Science.gov (United States)

May, Matthias Stefan; Bruegel, Joscha; Brand, Michael; Wiesmueller, Marco; Krauss, Bernhard; Allmendinger, Thomas; Uder, Michael; Wuest, Wolfgang

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to intra-individually compare the image quality obtained by dual-source, dual-energy (DSDE) computed tomography (CT) examinations and different virtual monoenergetic reconstructions to a low single-energy (SE) scan. Third-generation DSDE-CT was performed in 49 patients with histologically proven malignant disease of the head and neck region. Weighted average images (WAIs) and virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) for low (40 and 60 keV) and high (120 and 190 keV) energies were reconstructed. A second scan aligned to the jaw, covering the oral cavity, was performed for every patient to reduce artifacts caused by dental hardware using a SE-CT protocol with 70-kV tube voltages and matching radiation dose settings. Objective image quality was evaluated by calculating contrast-to-noise ratios. Subjective image quality was evaluated by experienced radiologists. Highest contrast-to-noise ratios for vessel and tumor attenuation were obtained in 40-keV VMI (all P image quality was also highest for 40-keV, but differences to 60-keV VMI, WAI, and 70-kV SE were nonsignificant (all P > 0.05). High kiloelectron volt VMIs reduce metal artifacts with only limited diagnostic impact because of insufficiency in case of severe dental hardware. CTDIvol did not differ significantly between both examination protocols (DSDE: 18.6 mGy; 70-kV SE: 19.4 mGy; P = 0.10). High overall image quality for tumor delineation in head and neck imaging were obtained with 40-keV VMI. However, 70-kV SE examinations are an alternative and modified projections aligned to the jaw are recommended in case of severe artifacts caused by dental hardware.

Evaluation of non-linear blending in dual-energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holmes, David R.; Fletcher, Joel G.; Apel, Anja; Huprich, James E.; Siddiki, Hassan; Hough, David M.; Schmidt, Bernhard; Flohr, Thomas G.; Robb, Richard; McCollough, Cynthia; Wittmer, Michael; Eusemann, Christian

2008-01-01

Dual-energy CT scanning has significant potential for disease identification and classification. However, it dramatically increases the amount of data collected and therefore impacts the clinical workflow. One way to simplify image review is to fuse CT datasets of different tube energies into a unique blended dataset with desirable properties. A non-linear blending method based on a modified sigmoid function was compared to a standard 0.3 linear blending method. The methods were evaluated in both a liver phantom and patient study. The liver phantom contained six syringes of known CT contrast which were placed in a bovine liver. After scanning at multiple tube currents (45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, and 115 mAs for the 140-kV tube), the datasets were blended using both methods. A contrast-to-noise (CNR) measure was calculated for each syringe. In addition, all eight scans were normalized using the effective dose and statistically compared. In the patient study, 45 dual-energy CT scans were retrospectively mixed using the 0.3 linear blending and modified sigmoid blending functions. The scans were compared visually by two radiologists. For the 15, 45, and 64 HU syringes, the non-linear blended images exhibited similar CNR to the linear blended images; however, for the 79, 116, and 145 HU syringes, the non-linear blended images consistently had a higher CNR across dose settings. The radiologists qualitatively preferred the non-linear blended images of the phantom. In the patient study, the radiologists preferred non-linear blending in 31 of 45 cases with a strong preference in bowel and liver cases. Non-linear blending of dual energy data can provide an improvement in CNR over linear blending and is accompanied by a visual preference for non-linear blended images. Further study on selection of blending parameters and lesion conspicuity in non-linear blended images is being pursued

Empirical dual energy calibration (EDEC) for cone-beam computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenner, Philip; Berkus, Timo; Kachelriess, Marc

2007-01-01

Material-selective imaging using dual energy CT (DECT) relies heavily on well-calibrated material decomposition functions. These require the precise knowledge of the detected x-ray spectra, and even if they are exactly known the reliability of DECT will suffer from scattered radiation. We propose an empirical method to determine the proper decomposition function. In contrast to other decomposition algorithms our empirical dual energy calibration (EDEC) technique requires neither knowledge of the spectra nor of the attenuation coefficients. The desired material-selective raw data p 1 and p 2 are obtained as functions of the measured attenuation data q 1 and q 2 (one DECT scan=two raw data sets) by passing them through a polynomial function. The polynomial's coefficients are determined using a general least squares fit based on thresholded images of a calibration phantom. The calibration phantom's dimension should be of the same order of magnitude as the test object, but other than that no assumptions on its exact size or positioning are made. Once the decomposition coefficients are determined DECT raw data can be decomposed by simply passing them through the polynomial. To demonstrate EDEC simulations of an oval CTDI phantom, a lung phantom, a thorax phantom and a mouse phantom were carried out. The method was further verified by measuring a physical mouse phantom, a half-and-half-cylinder phantom and a Yin-Yang phantom with a dedicated in vivo dual source micro-CT scanner. The raw data were decomposed into their components, reconstructed, and the pixel values obtained were compared to the theoretical values. The determination of the calibration coefficients with EDEC is very robust and depends only slightly on the type of calibration phantom used. The images of the test phantoms (simulations and measurements) show a nearly perfect agreement with the theoretical μ values and density values. Since EDEC is an empirical technique it inherently compensates for scatter

WE-FG-207B-08: Dual-Energy CT Iodine Accuracy Across Vendors and Platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobsen, M; Wood, C; Cody, D

2016-01-01

Purpose: Although a major benefit of dual-energy CT is its quantitative capabilities, it is critical to understand how results vary by scanner manufacturer and/or model before making clinical patient management decisions. Each manufacturer utilizes a specific dual-energy CT approach; cross-calibration may be required for facilities with more than one dual-energy CT scanner type. Methods: A solid dual-energy quality control phantom (Gammex, Inc.; Appleton, WI) representing a large body cross-section containing three Iodine inserts (2mg/ml, 5mg/ml, 15 mg/ml) was scanned on these CT systems: GE HD-750 (80/140kVp), prototype GE Revolution CT with GSI (80/140kVp), Siemens Flash (80/140kVp and 100/140kVp), and Philips IQon (120kVp and 140kVp). Iodine content was measured in units of concentration (mg/ml) from a single 5mm-thick central image. Three to five acquisitions were performed on each scanner platform in order to compute standard deviation. Scan acquisitions were approximately dose-matched (∼25mGy CTDIvol) and image parameters were as consistent as possible (thickness, kernel, no noise reduction applied). Results: Iodine measurement error ranges were −0.24-0.16 mg/ml for the 2mg/ml insert (−12.0 − 8.0%), −0.28–0.26 mg/ml for the 5mg/ml insert (−5.6 − 5.2%), and −1.16−0.99 mg/ml for the 15mg/ml insert (−7.7 − 6.6%). Standard deviations ranged from 0 to 0.19 mg/ml for the repeated acquisitions from each scanner. The average iodine measurement error and standard deviation across all systems and inserts was −0.21 ± 0.48 mg/ml (−1.5 ± 6.48%). The largest absolute measurement error was found in the 15mg/ml iodine insert. Conclusion: There was generally good agreement in Iodine quantification across 3 dual-energy CT manufacturers and 4 scanner models. This was unexpected given the widely different underlying dual-energy CT mechanisms employed. Future work will include additional scanner platforms, independent verification of the Iodine

Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual-source dual-energy computed tomography based on material decomposition: an animal study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Ma

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (DSDECT for hepatic iron and fat separation in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All of the procedures in this study were approved by the Research Animal Resource Center of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. Sixty rats that underwent DECT scanning were divided into the normal group, fatty liver group, liver iron group, and coexisting liver iron and fat group, according to Prussian blue and HE staining. The data for each group were reconstructed and post-processed by an iron-specific, three-material decomposition algorithm. The iron enhancement value and the virtual non-iron contrast value, which indicated overloaded liver iron and residual liver tissue, respectively, were measured. Spearman's correlation and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA were performed, respectively, to analyze statistically the correlations with the histopathological results and differences among groups. RESULTS: The iron enhancement values were positively correlated with the iron pathology grading (r = 0.729, p<0.001. Virtual non-iron contrast (VNC values were negatively correlated with the fat pathology grading (r = -0.642,p<0.0001. Different groups showed significantly different iron enhancement values and VNC values (F = 25.308,p<0.001; F = 10.911, p<0.001, respectively. Among the groups, significant differences in iron enhancement values were only observed between the iron-present and iron-absent groups, and differences in VNC values were only observed between the fat-present and fat-absent groups. CONCLUSION: Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual energy material decomposition in vivo was feasible, even when they coexisted.

Can a dual-energy computed tomography predict unsuitable stone components for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy?

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Sung Hoon; Oh, Tae Hoon; Seo, Ill Young

2015-09-01

To assess the potential of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to identify urinary stone components, particularly uric acid and calcium oxalate monohydrate, which are unsuitable for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). This clinical study included 246 patients who underwent removal of urinary stones and an analysis of stone components between November 2009 and August 2013. All patients received preoperative DECT using two energy values (80 kVp and 140 kVp). Hounsfield units (HU) were measured and matched to the stone component. Significant differences in HU values were observed between uric acid and nonuric acid stones at the 80 and 140 kVp energy values (penergy values (p<0.001). DECT improved the characterization of urinary stone components and was a useful method for identifying uric acid and calcium oxalate monohydrate stones, which are unsuitable for ESWL.

Experimental characterization of a direct conversion amorphous selenium detector with thicker conversion layer for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Scaduto, David A; Tousignant, Olivier; Zhao, Wei

2017-08-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced imaging is being investigated as a tool to identify and localize angiogenesis in the breast, a possible indicator of malignant tumors. This imaging technique requires that x-ray images are acquired at energies above the k-shell binding energy of an appropriate radiocontrast agent. Iodinated contrast agents are commonly used for vascular imaging, and require x-ray energies greater than 33 keV. Conventional direct conversion amorphous selenium (a-Se) flat-panel imagers for digital mammography show suboptimal absorption efficiencies at these higher energies. We use spatial-frequency domain image quality metrics to evaluate the performance of a prototype direct conversion flat-panel imager with a thicker a-Se layer, specifically fabricated for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging. Imaging performance was evaluated in a prototype digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system. The spatial resolution, noise characteristics, detective quantum efficiency, and temporal performance of the detector were evaluated for dual-energy imaging for both conventional full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and DBT. The zero-frequency detective quantum efficiency of the prototype detector is improved by approximately 20% over the conventional detector for higher energy beams required for imaging with iodinated contrast agents. The effect of oblique entry of x-rays on spatial resolution does increase with increasing photoconductor thickness, specifically for the most oblique views of a DBT scan. Degradation of spatial resolution due to focal spot motion was also observed. Temporal performance was found to be comparable to conventional mammographic detectors. Increasing the a-Se thickness in direct conversion flat-panel imagers results in better performance for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging. The reduction in spatial resolution due to oblique entry of x-rays is appreciable in the most extreme clinically relevant cases, but may not profoundly

Dual-energy computed tomography of cruciate ligament injuries in acute knee trauma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peltola, Erno K. [Helsinki University Hospital, Toeoeloe Trauma Center, Department of Radiology, Helsinki Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki (Finland); Koskinen, Seppo K. [Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Stockholm (Sweden)

2015-09-15

To examine dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in evaluating cruciate ligament injuries. More specifically, the purpose was to assess the optimal keV level in DECT gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) images and to examine the usefulness of collagen-specific color mapping and dual-energy bone removal in the evaluation of cruciate ligaments and the popliteus tendon. At a level 1 trauma center, a 29-month period of emergency department DECT examinations for acute knee trauma was reviewed by two radiologists for presence of cruciate ligament injuries, visualization of the popliteus tendon and the optimal keV level in GSI images. Three different evaluating protocols (GSI, bone removal and collagen-specific color mapping) were rated. Subsequent MRI served as a reference standard for intraarticular injuries. A total of 18 patients who had an acute knee trauma, DECT and MRI were found. On MRI, six patients had an ACL rupture. DECT's sensitivity and specificity to detect ACL rupture were 79 % and 100 %, respectively. The DECT vs. MRI intra- and interobserver proportions of agreement for ACL rupture were excellent or good (kappa values 0.72-0.87). Only one patient had a PCL rupture. In GSI images, the optimal keV level was 63 keV. GSI of 40-140 keV was considered to be the best evaluation protocol in the majority of cases. DECT is a usable method to evaluate ACL in acute knee trauma patients with rather good sensitivity and high specificity. GSI is generally a better evaluation protocol than bone removal or collagen-specific color mapping in the evaluation of cruciate ligaments and popliteus tendon. (orig.)

White Paper of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance on Dual-Energy CT, Part 1: Technology and Terminology.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, Marilyn J; Kaza, Ravi K; Bolus, David N; Boll, Daniel T; Rofsky, Neil M; De Cecco, Carlo N; Foley, W Dennis; Morgan, Desiree E; Schoepf, U Joseph; Sahani, Dushyant V; Shuman, William P; Vrtiska, Terri J; Yeh, Benjamin M; Berland, Lincoln L

This is the first of a series of 4 white papers that represent Expert Consensus Documents developed by the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance through its task force on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). This article, part 1, describes the fundamentals of the physical basis for DECT and the technology of DECT and proposes uniform nomenclature to account for differences in proprietary terms among manufacturers.

Complementary contrast media for metal artifact reduction in dual-energy computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Jack W; Edic, Peter M; FitzGerald, Paul F; Torres, Andrew S; Yeh, Benjamin M

2015-07-01

Metal artifacts have been a problem associated with computed tomography (CT) since its introduction. Recent techniques to mitigate this problem have included utilization of high-energy (keV) virtual monochromatic spectral (VMS) images, produced via dual-energy CT (DECT). A problem with these high-keV images is that contrast enhancement provided by all commercially available contrast media is severely reduced. Contrast agents based on higher atomic number elements can maintain contrast at the higher energy levels where artifacts are reduced. This study evaluated three such candidate elements: bismuth, tantalum, and tungsten, as well as two conventional contrast elements: iodine and barium. A water-based phantom with vials containing these five elements in solution, as well as different artifact-producing metal structures, was scanned with a DECT scanner capable of rapid operating voltage switching. In the VMS datasets, substantial reductions in the contrast were observed for iodine and barium, which suffered from contrast reductions of 97% and 91%, respectively, at 140 versus 40 keV. In comparison under the same conditions, the candidate agents demonstrated contrast enhancement reductions of only 20%, 29%, and 32% for tungsten, tantalum, and bismuth, respectively. At 140 versus 40 keV, metal artifact severity was reduced by 57% to 85% depending on the phantom configuration.

Bone mineral density in renal osteodystrophy: Comparison of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funke, M.; Maeurer, J.; Grabbe, E.; Scheler, F.

1992-01-01

Measurements of bone density were carried out in 25 patients on dialysis for terminal renal insufficiency, using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Unlike in subjects with normal kidneys, there was no significant correlation between these methods in this series. Ten patients showed an increase in bone density of the vertebral spongiosa on QCT measurements, which was interpreted as due to osteosclerotic bone changes in renal osteopathy. QCT showed advantages over DXA in demonstrating these changes. (orig.) [de

Dual-energy CT can detect malignant lymph nodes in rectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Najami, I; Lahaye, M J; Beets-Tan, R G H; Baatrup, G

2017-05-01

There is a need for an accurate and operator independent method to assess the lymph node status to provide the most optimal personalized treatment for rectal cancer patients. This study evaluates whether Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) could contribute to the preoperative lymph node assessment, and compared it to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The objective of this prospective observational feasibility study was to determine the clinical value of the DECT for the detection of metastases in the pelvic lymph nodes of rectal cancer patients and compare the findings to MRI and histopathology. The patients were referred to total mesorectal excision (TME) without any neoadjuvant oncological treatment. After surgery the rectum specimen was scanned, and lymph nodes were matched to the pathology report. Fifty-four histology proven rectal cancer patients received a pelvic DECT scan and a standard MRI. The Dual Energy CT quantitative parameters were analyzed: Water and Iodine concentration, Dual-Energy Ratio, Dual Energy Index, and Effective Z value, for the benign and malignant lymph node differentiation. DECT scanning showed statistical difference between malignant and benign lymph nodes in the measurements of iodine concentration, Dual-Energy Ratio, Dual Energy Index, and Effective Z value. Dual energy CT classified 42% of the cases correctly according to N-stage compared to 40% for MRI. This study showed statistical difference in several quantitative parameters between benign and malignant lymph nodes. There were no difference in the accuracy of lymph node staging between DECT and MRI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual energy computed tomography for the head.

Science.gov (United States)

Naruto, Norihito; Itoh, Toshihide; Noguchi, Kyo

2018-02-01

Dual energy CT (DECT) is a promising technology that provides better diagnostic accuracy in several brain diseases. DECT can generate various types of CT images from a single acquisition data set at high kV and low kV based on material decomposition algorithms. The two-material decomposition algorithm can separate bone/calcification from iodine accurately. The three-material decomposition algorithm can generate a virtual non-contrast image, which helps to identify conditions such as brain hemorrhage. A virtual monochromatic image has the potential to eliminate metal artifacts by reducing beam-hardening effects. DECT also enables exploration of advanced imaging to make diagnosis easier. One such novel application of DECT is the X-Map, which helps to visualize ischemic stroke in the brain without using iodine contrast medium.

3 Years Experience with Energy Production on the Nissum Bredning Wave Dragon Prototype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frigaard, Peter; Tedd, James; Kofoed, Jens Peter

2006-01-01

Wave Dragon is a floating wave energy converter working by extracting energy principally by means of overtopping of waves into a reservoir. A 1:4.5 scale prototype has been sea tested for 20 months. This paper presents results from testing, experiences gained and developments made during this ext......Wave Dragon is a floating wave energy converter working by extracting energy principally by means of overtopping of waves into a reservoir. A 1:4.5 scale prototype has been sea tested for 20 months. This paper presents results from testing, experiences gained and developments made during...... this extended period. The prototype is highly instrumented. The overtopping characteristic and the power produced are presented here. This has enabled comparison between the prototype and earlier results from both laboratory model and computer simulation. This gives the optimal operating point and the expected...... power of the device. The project development team has gained much soft experience from working in the harsh offshore environment. In particular the effect of marine growth in the draft tubes of the turbines has been investigated. The control of the device has been a focus for development as is operates...

Gamification in a Prototype Household Energy Game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fijnheer, J.D.L.; van Oostendorp, H.; Veltkamp, R.C.

2016-01-01

Research where gamification is used to influence household energy consumption is an emerging field. This paper reviews design features of the prototype Powersaver Game. The aim of this game is to influence household energy consumption in the long-term. The evaluation of the design of the prototype,

Optimization of breast cancer detection in Dual Energy X-ray Mammography using a CMOS imaging detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koukou, V; Martini, N; Sotiropoulou, P; Nikiforidis, G; Fountos, G; Michail, C; Kalyvas, N; Valais, I; Kandarakis, I; Bakas, A; Kounadi, E

2015-01-01

Dual energy mammography has the ability to improve the detection of microcalcifications leading to early diagnosis of breast cancer. In this simulation study, a prototype dual energy mammography system, using a CMOS based imaging detector with different X-ray spectra, was modeled. The device consists of a 33.91 mg/cm 2 Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb scintillator screen, placed in direct contact with the sensor, with a pixel size of 22.5 μm. Various filter materials and tube voltages of a Tungsten (W) anode for both the low and high energy were examined. The selection of the filters applied to W spectra was based on their K- edges (K-edge filtering). Hydroxyapatite (HAp) was used to simulate microcalcifications. Calcification signal-to-noise ratio (SNR tc ) was calculated for entrance surface dose within the acceptable levels of conventional mammography. Optimization was based on the maximization of SNR tc while minimizing the entrance dose. The best compromise between SNR tc value and dose was provided by a 35kVp X-ray spectrum with added beam filtration of 100μm Pd and a 70kVp Yb filtered spectrum of 800 μm for the low and high energy, respectively. Computer simulation results show that a SNR tc value of 3.6 can be achieved for a calcification size of 200 μm. Compared with previous studies, this method can improve detectability of microcalcifications

Agreement and precision of periprosthetic bone density measurements in micro-CT, single and dual energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Mussmann, Bo; Overgaard, Søren; Torfing, Trine; Traise, Peter; Gerke, Oke; Andersen, Poul Erik

2017-07-01

The objective of this study was to test the precision and agreement between bone mineral density measurements performed in micro CT, single and dual energy computed tomography, to determine how the keV level influences density measurements and to assess the usefulness of quantitative dual energy computed tomography as a research tool for longitudinal studies aiming to measure bone loss adjacent to total hip replacements. Samples from 10 fresh-frozen porcine femoral heads were placed in a Perspex phantom and computed tomography was performed with two acquisition modes. Bone mineral density was calculated and compared with measurements derived from micro CT. Repeated scans and dual measurements were performed in order to measure between- and within-scan precision. Mean density difference between micro CT and single energy computed tomography was 72 mg HA/cm 3 . For dual energy CT, the mean difference at 100 keV was 128 mg HA/cm 3 while the mean difference at 110-140 keV ranged from -84 to -67 mg HA/cm 3 compared with micro CT. Rescanning the samples resulted in a non-significant overall between-scan difference of 13 mg HA/cm 3 . Bland-Altman limits of agreement were wide and intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.29 to 0.72, while 95% confidence intervals covered almost the full possible range. Repeating the density measurements for within-scan precision resulted in ICCs >0.99 and narrow limits of agreement. Single and dual energy quantitative CT showed excellent within-scan precision, but poor between-scan precision. No significant density differences were found in dual energy quantitative CT at keV-levels above 110 keV. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1470-1477, 2017. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tophaceous Gout in an Anorectic Patient Visualized by Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Heidi Dahl; Sheta, Hussam; Birger Morillon, Melanie

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Gout is characterized by deposition of uric acid crystals (monosodium urate) in tissues and fluids. This can cause acute inflammatory arthritis. The 2015 ACR/EULAR criteria for the diagnosis of gout include dual energy computed tomography (DECT)-demonstrated monosodium urate crystals...... known to have anorexia nervosa. During our clinical examination, we detected plenty of tophi on both hands, but no swollen joints. The diagnosis of gout was made by visualizing crystals in a biopsy from a tophus. The first line of treatment was allopurinol, the second line was rasburicase...... and soft tissue. CONCLUSIONS DECT is an imaging modality useful to assess urate crystal deposits at diagnosis of gout and could be considered during treatment evaluation. Lack of adherence to treatment should be considered when P-urate values vary significantly and when DECT scans over years persistently...

Recent Advances in Cardiac Computed Tomography: Dual Energy, Spectral and Molecular CT Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Danad, Ibrahim; Fayad, Zahi A.; Willemink, Martin J.; Min, James K.

2015-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) evolved into a powerful diagnostic tool and it is impossible to imagine current clinical practice without CT imaging. Due to its widespread availability, ease of clinical application, superb sensitivity for detection of CAD, and non-invasive nature, CT has become a valuable tool within the armamentarium of the cardiologist. In the last few years, numerous technological advances in CT have occurred—including dual energy CT (DECT), spectral CT and CT-based molecular imaging. By harnessing the advances in technology, cardiac CT has advanced beyond the mere evaluation of coronary stenosis to an imaging modality tool that permits accurate plaque characterization, assessment of myocardial perfusion and even probing of molecular processes that are involved in coronary atherosclerosis. Novel innovations in CT contrast agents and pre-clinical spectral CT devices have paved the way for CT-based molecular imaging. PMID:26068288

Dual-energy bone removal computed tomography (BRCT): preliminary report of efficacy of acute intracranial hemorrhage detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Naruto, Norihito; Tannai, Hidenori; Nishikawa, Kazuma; Yamagishi, Kentaro; Hashimoto, Masahiko; Kawabe, Hideto; Kamisaki, Yuichi; Sumiya, Hisashi; Kuroda, Satoshi; Noguchi, Kyo

2018-02-01

One of the major applications of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is automated bone removal (BR). We hypothesized that the visualization of acute intracranial hemorrhage could be improved on BRCT by removing bone as it has the highest density tissue in the head. This preliminary study evaluated the efficacy of a DE BR algorithm for the head CT of trauma patients. Sixteen patients with acute intracranial hemorrhage within 1 day after head trauma were enrolled in this study. All CT examinations were performed on a dual-source dual-energy CT scanner. BRCT images were generated using the Bone Removal Application. Simulated standard CT and BRCT images were visually reviewed in terms of detectability (presence or absence) of acute hemorrhagic lesions. DECT depicted 28 epidural/subdural hemorrhages, 17 contusional hemorrhages, and 7 subarachnoid hemorrhages. In detecting epidural/subdural hemorrhage, BRCT [28/28 (100%)] was significantly superior to simulated standard CT [17/28 (61%)] (p = .001). In detecting contusional hemorrhage, BRCT [17/17 (100%)] was also significantly superior to simulated standard CT [11/17 (65%)] (p = .0092). BRCT was superior to simulated standard CT in detecting acute intracranial hemorrhage. BRCT could improve the detection of small intracranial hemorrhages, particularly those adjacent to bone, by removing bone that can interfere with the visualization of small acute hemorrhage. In an emergency such as head trauma, BRCT can be used as support imaging in combination with simulated standard CT and bone scale CT, although BRCT cannot replace a simulated standard CT.

Prototyping and Simulating Parallel, Distributed Computations with VISA

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Demeure, Isabelle M; Nutt, Gary J

1989-01-01

...] to support the design, prototyping, and simulation of parallel, distributed computations. In particular, VISA is meant to guide the choice of partitioning and communication strategies for such computations, based on their performance...

Development of optimized segmentation map in dual energy computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Yamakawa, Keisuke; Ueki, Hironori

2012-03-01

Dual energy computed tomography (DECT) has been widely used in clinical practice and has been particularly effective for tissue diagnosis. In DECT the difference of two attenuation coefficients acquired by two kinds of X-ray energy enables tissue segmentation. One problem in conventional DECT is that the segmentation deteriorates in some cases, such as bone removal. This is due to two reasons. Firstly, the segmentation map is optimized without considering the Xray condition (tube voltage and current). If we consider the tube voltage, it is possible to create an optimized map, but unfortunately we cannot consider the tube current. Secondly, the X-ray condition is not optimized. The condition can be set empirically, but this means that the optimized condition is not used correctly. To solve these problems, we have developed methods for optimizing the map (Method-1) and the condition (Method-2). In Method-1, the map is optimized to minimize segmentation errors. The distribution of the attenuation coefficient is modeled by considering the tube current. In Method-2, the optimized condition is decided to minimize segmentation errors depending on tube voltagecurrent combinations while keeping the total exposure constant. We evaluated the effectiveness of Method-1 by performing a phantom experiment under the fixed condition and of Method-2 by performing a phantom experiment under different combinations calculated from the total exposure constant. When Method-1 was followed with Method-2, the segmentation error was reduced from 37.8 to 13.5 %. These results demonstrate that our developed methods can achieve highly accurate segmentation while keeping the total exposure constant.

Evaluation of low-dose dual energy computed tomography for in vivo assessment of renal/ureteric calculus composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahalingam, Harshavardhan; Lal, Anupam; Mandal, Arup K; Singh, Shrawan Kumar; Bhattacharyya, Shalmoli; Khandelwal, Niranjan

2015-08-01

This study aimed to assess the accuracy of low-dose dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in predicting the composition of urinary calculi. A total of 52 patients with urinary calculi were scanned with a 128-slice dual-source DECT scanner by use of a low-dose protocol. Dual-energy (DE) ratio, weighted average Hounsfield unit (HU) of calculi, radiation dose, and image noise levels were recorded. Two radiologists independently rated study quality. Stone composition was assessed after extraction by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS). Analysis of variance was used to determine if the differences in HU values and DE ratios between the various calculus groups were significant. Threshold cutoff values to classify the calculi into separate groups were identified by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. A total of 137 calculi were detected. FTIRS analysis differentiated the calculi into five groups: uric acid (n=17), struvite (n=3), calcium oxalate monohydrate and dihydrate (COM-COD, n=84), calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM, n=28), and carbonate apatite (n=5). The HU value could differentiate only uric acid calculi from calcified calculi (p80% sensitivity and specificity to differentiate them. The DE ratio could not differentiate COM from COM-COD calculi. No study was rated poor in quality by either of the observers. The mean radiation dose was 1.8 mSv. Low-dose DECT accurately predicts urinary calculus composition in vivo while simultaneously reducing radiation exposure without compromising study quality.

Virtual non-contrast in second-generation, dual-energy computed tomography: Reliability of attenuation values

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toepker, Michael; Moritz, Thomas; Krauss, Bernhard; Weber, Michael; Euller, Gordon; Mang, Thomas; Wolf, Florian; Herold, Christian J.; Ringl, Helmut

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of attenuation values in virtual non-contrast images (VNC) reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans performed on a second-generation dual-energy CT scanner, compared to single-energy, non-contrast images (TNC). Materials and methods: Sixteen phantoms containing a mixture of contrast agent and water at different attenuations (0–1400 HU) were investigated on a Definition Flash-CT scanner using a single-energy scan at 120 kV and a DE-CT protocol (100 kV/SN140 kV). For clinical assessment, 86 patients who received a dual-phase CT, containing an unenhanced single-energy scan at 120 kV and a contrast enhanced (110 ml Iomeron 400 mg/ml; 4 ml/s) DE-CT (100 kV/SN140 kV) in an arterial (n = 43) or a venous phase, were retrospectively analyzed. Mean attenuation was measured within regions of interest of the phantoms and in different tissue types of the patients within the corresponding VNC and TNC images. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation were used for statistical analysis. Results: For all phantoms, mean attenuation in VNC was 5.3 ± 18.4 HU, with respect to water. In 86 patients overall, 2637 regions were measured in TNC and VNC images, with a mean difference between TNC and VNC of −3.6 ± 8.3 HU. In 91.5% (n = 2412) of all cases, absolute differences between TNC and VNC were under 15 HU, and, in 75.3% (n = 1986), differences were under 10 HU. Conclusions: Second-generation dual-energy CT based VNC images provide attenuation values close to those of TNC. To avoid possible outliers multiple measurements are recommended especially for measurements in the spleen, the mesenteric fat, and the aorta.

Virtual non-contrast in second-generation, dual-energy computed tomography: reliability of attenuation values.

Science.gov (United States)

Toepker, Michael; Moritz, Thomas; Krauss, Bernhard; Weber, Michael; Euller, Gordon; Mang, Thomas; Wolf, Florian; Herold, Christian J; Ringl, Helmut

2012-03-01

To evaluate the reliability of attenuation values in virtual non-contrast images (VNC) reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans performed on a second-generation dual-energy CT scanner, compared to single-energy, non-contrast images (TNC). Sixteen phantoms containing a mixture of contrast agent and water at different attenuations (0-1400 HU) were investigated on a Definition Flash-CT scanner using a single-energy scan at 120 kV and a DE-CT protocol (100 kV/SN140 kV). For clinical assessment, 86 patients who received a dual-phase CT, containing an unenhanced single-energy scan at 120 kV and a contrast enhanced (110 ml Iomeron 400 mg/ml; 4 ml/s) DE-CT (100 kV/SN140 kV) in an arterial (n=43) or a venous phase, were retrospectively analyzed. Mean attenuation was measured within regions of interest of the phantoms and in different tissue types of the patients within the corresponding VNC and TNC images. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation were used for statistical analysis. For all phantoms, mean attenuation in VNC was 5.3±18.4 HU, with respect to water. In 86 patients overall, 2637 regions were measured in TNC and VNC images, with a mean difference between TNC and VNC of -3.6±8.3 HU. In 91.5% (n=2412) of all cases, absolute differences between TNC and VNC were under 15HU, and, in 75.3% (n=1986), differences were under 10 HU. Second-generation dual-energy CT based VNC images provide attenuation values close to those of TNC. To avoid possible outliers multiple measurements are recommended especially for measurements in the spleen, the mesenteric fat, and the aorta. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual energy CT: New horizon in medical imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goo, Hyun Woo [Dept. of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Goo, Jin Mo [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-01

Dual-energy CT has remained underutilized over the past decade probably due to a cumbersome workflow issue and current technical limitations. Clinical radiologists should be made aware of the potential clinical benefits of dual-energy CT over single-energy CT. To accomplish this aim, the basic principle, current acquisition methods with advantages and disadvantages, and various material-specific imaging methods as clinical applications of dual-energy CT should be addressed in detail. Current dual-energy CT acquisition methods include dual tubes with or without beam filtration, rapid voltage switching, dual-layer detector, split filter technique, and sequential scanning. Dual-energy material-specific imaging methods include virtual monoenergetic or monochromatic imaging, effective atomic number map, virtual non-contrast or unenhanced imaging, virtual non-calcium imaging, iodine map, inhaled xenon map, uric acid imaging, automatic bone removal, and lung vessels analysis. In this review, we focus on dual-energy CT imaging including related issues of radiation exposure to patients, scanning and post-processing options, and potential clinical benefits mainly to improve the understanding of clinical radiologists and thus, expand the clinical use of dual-energy CT; in addition, we briefly describe the current technical limitations of dual-energy CT and the current developments of photon-counting detector.

Dual-Energy CT: New Horizon in Medical Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Goo, Hyun Woo; Goo, Jin Mo

2017-01-01

Dual-energy CT has remained underutilized over the past decade probably due to a cumbersome workflow issue and current technical limitations. Clinical radiologists should be made aware of the potential clinical benefits of dual-energy CT over single-energy CT. To accomplish this aim, the basic principle, current acquisition methods with advantages and disadvantages, and various material-specific imaging methods as clinical applications of dual-energy CT should be addressed in detail. Current dual-energy CT acquisition methods include dual tubes with or without beam filtration, rapid voltage switching, dual-layer detector, split filter technique, and sequential scanning. Dual-energy material-specific imaging methods include virtual monoenergetic or monochromatic imaging, effective atomic number map, virtual non-contrast or unenhanced imaging, virtual non-calcium imaging, iodine map, inhaled xenon map, uric acid imaging, automatic bone removal, and lung vessels analysis. In this review, we focus on dual-energy CT imaging including related issues of radiation exposure to patients, scanning and post-processing options, and potential clinical benefits mainly to improve the understanding of clinical radiologists and thus, expand the clinical use of dual-energy CT; in addition, we briefly describe the current technical limitations of dual-energy CT and the current developments of photon-counting detector.

Machine learning-based dual-energy CT parametric mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Kuan-Hao; Kuo, Jung-Wen; Jordan, David W; Van Hedent, Steven; Klahr, Paul; Wei, Zhouping; Al Helo, Rose; Liang, Fan; Qian, Pengjiang; Pereira, Gisele C; Rassouli, Negin; Gilkeson, Robert C; Traughber, Bryan J; Cheng, Chee-Wai; Muzic, Raymond F

2018-05-22

The aim is to develop and evaluate machine learning methods for generating quantitative parametric maps of effective atomic number (Z_eff), relative electron density (ρ_e), mean excitation energy (I_x), and relative stopping power (RSP) from clinical dual-energy CT data. The maps could be used for material identification and radiation dose calculation. Machine learning methods of historical centroid (HC), random forest (RF), and artificial neural networks (ANN) were used to learn the relationship between dual-energy CT input data and ideal output parametric maps calculated for phantoms from the known compositions of 13 tissue substitutes. After training and model selection steps, the machine learning predictors were used to generate parametric maps from independent phantom and patient input data. Precision and accuracy were evaluated using the ideal maps. This process was repeated for a range of exposure doses, and performance was compared to that of the clinically-used dual-energy, physics-based method which served as the reference. The machine learning methods generated more accurate and precise parametric maps than those obtained using the reference method. Their performance advantage was particularly evident when using data from the lowest exposure, one-fifth of a typical clinical abdomen CT acquisition. The RF method achieved the greatest accuracy. In comparison, the ANN method was only 1% less accurate but had much better computational efficiency than RF, being able to produce parametric maps in 15 seconds. Machine learning methods outperformed the reference method in terms of accuracy and noise tolerance when generating parametric maps, encouraging further exploration of the techniques. Among the methods we evaluated, ANN is the most suitable for clinical use due to its combination of accuracy, excellent low-noise performance, and computational efficiency. . © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in

SU-G-IeP2-15: Virtual Insertion of Digital Kidney Stones Into Dual-Source, Dual- Energy CT Projection Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrero, A; Chen, B; Huang, A; Montoya, J; Yu, L; McCollough, C

2016-01-01

Purpose: In order to investigate novel methods to more accurately estimate the mineral composition of kidney stones using dual energy CT, it is desirable to be able to combine digital stones of known composition with actual phantom and patient scan data. In this work, we developed and validated a method to insert digital kidney stones into projection data acquired on a dual-source, dual-energy CT system. Methods: Attenuation properties of stones of different mineral composition were computed using tabulated mass attenuation coefficients, the chemical formula for each stone type, and the effective beam energy at each evaluated tube potential. A previously developed method to insert lesions into x-ray CT projection data was extended to include simultaneous dual-energy CT projections acquired on a dual-source gantry (Siemens Somatom Flash). Digital stones were forward projected onto both detectors and the resulting projections added to the physically acquired sinogram data. To validate the accuracy of the technique, digital stones were inserted into different locations in the ACR CT accreditation phantom; low and high contrast resolution, CT number accuracy and noise properties were compared before and after stone insertion. The procedure was repeated for two dual-energy tube potential pairs in clinical use on the scanner, 80/Sn140 kV and 100/Sn140 kV, respectively. Results: The images reconstructed after the insertion of digital kidney stones were consistent with the images reconstructed from the scanner. The largest average CT number difference for the 4 insert in the CT number accuracy module of the phantom was 3 HU. Conclusion: A framework was developed and validated for the creation of digital kidney stones of known mineral composition, and their projection-domain insertion into commercial dual-source, dual-energy CT projection data. This will allow a systematic investigation of the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on stone attenuation and dual-energy

Technical note: optimization for improved tube-loading efficiency in the dual-energy computed tomography coupled with balanced filter method.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Masatoshi

2010-08-01

This article describes the spectral optimization of dual-energy computed tomography using balanced filters (bf-DECT) to reduce the tube loadings and dose by dedicating to the acquisition of electron density information, which is essential for treatment planning in radiotherapy. For the spectral optimization of bf-DECT, the author calculated the beam-hardening error and air kerma required to achieve a desired noise level in an electron density image of a 50-cm-diameter cylindrical water phantom. The calculation enables the selection of beam parameters such as tube voltage, balanced filter material, and its thickness. The optimal combination of tube voltages was 80 kV/140 kV in conjunction with Tb/Hf and Bi/Mo filter pairs; this combination agrees with that obtained in a previous study [M. Saito, "Spectral optimization for measuring electron density by the dual-energy computed tomography coupled with balanced filter method," Med. Phys. 36, 3631-3642 (2009)], although the thicknesses of the filters that yielded a minimum tube output were slightly different from those obtained in the previous study. The resultant tube loading of a low-energy scan of the present bf-DECT significantly decreased from 57.5 to 4.5 times that of a high-energy scan for conventional DECT. Furthermore, the air kerma of bf-DECT could be reduced to less than that of conventional DECT, while obtaining the same figure of merit for the measurement of electron density and effective atomic number. The tube-loading and dose efficiencies of bf-DECT were considerably improved by sacrificing the quality of the noise level in the images of effective atomic number.

First experience with single-source dual-energy computed tomography in six patients with acute arthralgia: a feasibility experiment using joint aspiration as a reference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diekhoff, Torsten; Kiefer, Tobias; Hamm, Bernd; Hermann, Kay-Geert A.; Ziegeler, Katharina; Feist, Eugen; Mews, Juergen

2015-01-01

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is an emerging imaging technique for examining patients with suspected gout. Single-source dual-energy CT (S-DECT) is a new way of obtaining DECT information on conventional CT scanners rather than using special dual-source CT systems. We tested the feasibility of S-DECT (320-row CT; Aquilion ONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) in 6 patients (5 men, 1 woman; mean age 61.3, range 48 to 69 years) with acute arthralgia and suspected gout, and compared the S-DECT findings with the results of joint aspiration. Three patients had a diagnosis of gouty arthritis with negatively birefringent crystals in synovial fluid, in addition to gouty tophi in S-DECT. Three patients had no detectable crystals by polarization microscopy and no tophi on DECT. Their final diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis, activated osteoarthritis, and septic arthritis in one case each. This initial experience suggests that S-DECT might be a valuable alternative to dual-source CT. Hence, more patients may benefit from its additional diagnostic abilities in the future. (orig.)

First experience with single-source dual-energy computed tomography in six patients with acute arthralgia: a feasibility experiment using joint aspiration as a reference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diekhoff, Torsten; Kiefer, Tobias; Hamm, Bernd; Hermann, Kay-Geert A. [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Department of Radiology, Berlin (Germany); Ziegeler, Katharina; Feist, Eugen [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Berlin (Germany); Mews, Juergen [Toshiba Medical Systems Europe, BV, Zoetermeer (Netherlands)

2015-11-15

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is an emerging imaging technique for examining patients with suspected gout. Single-source dual-energy CT (S-DECT) is a new way of obtaining DECT information on conventional CT scanners rather than using special dual-source CT systems. We tested the feasibility of S-DECT (320-row CT; Aquilion ONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) in 6 patients (5 men, 1 woman; mean age 61.3, range 48 to 69 years) with acute arthralgia and suspected gout, and compared the S-DECT findings with the results of joint aspiration. Three patients had a diagnosis of gouty arthritis with negatively birefringent crystals in synovial fluid, in addition to gouty tophi in S-DECT. Three patients had no detectable crystals by polarization microscopy and no tophi on DECT. Their final diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis, activated osteoarthritis, and septic arthritis in one case each. This initial experience suggests that S-DECT might be a valuable alternative to dual-source CT. Hence, more patients may benefit from its additional diagnostic abilities in the future. (orig.)

Dual-Energy CT of Rectal Cancer Specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Najami, Issam; Beets-Tan, Regina G H; Madsen, Gunvor

2016-01-01

is represented by a certain effective Z value, which allows for information on its composition. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to standardize a method for dual-energy scanning of rectal specimens to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of benign versus malignant lymph node differentiation. Histopathological evaluation...... cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured accuracy of differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes by investigating the following: 1) gadolinium, iodine, and water concentrations in lymph nodes; 2) dual-energy ratio; 3) dual-energy index; and 4) effective Z value. RESULTS: Optimal discriminations...... between benign and malignant lymph nodes were obtained using the following cutoff values: 1) effective Z at 7.58 (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 90%; and accuracy, 93%), 2) dual-energy ratio at 1.0 × 10 (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 87%; and accuracy, 90%), 3) dual-energy index at 0.03 (sensitivity, 97...

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM).

Science.gov (United States)

Daniaux, Martin; De Zordo, Tobias; Santner, Wolfram; Amort, Birgit; Koppelstätter, Florian; Jaschke, Werner; Dromain, Clarisse; Oberaigner, Willi; Hubalek, Michael; Marth, Christian

2015-10-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced mammography is one of the latest developments in breast care. Imaging with contrast agents in breast cancer was already known from previous magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography studies. However, high costs, limited availability-or high radiation dose-led to the development of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM). We reviewed the current literature, present our experience, discuss the advantages and drawbacks of CESM and look at the future of this innovative technique.

A Novel Dual-Band Rectenna for Ambient RF Energy Harvesting at GSM 900 MHz and 1800 MHz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinh Khanh Ho

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel dual-band rectenna for RF energy harvesting system. This rectenna is created from a dual-band antenna and a dual-band rectifier which operates at GSM bands (900 MHz and 1800 MHz. The printed monopole antenna is miniaturized by two meander-lines. The received signal from the receiving antenna is rectified by a voltage double using Schottky diode SMS-7630. The rectifier is optimized for low input power level of -20dBm using harmonic balance. Prototype is designed and fabricated. The simulation is validated by measurement with power conversion efficiency of 20% and 40.8% (in measurement at the input power level of -20dBm. The proposed rectenna has output voltage from 183-415 mV. From the measured results, this rectenna provides the possibility to harvest the ambient electromagnetic energy for powering low-power electronic devices.

Optimal design of detector thickness for dual-energy x-ray imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dong Woon; Kim, Ho Kyung [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The projection of three-dimensional (3D) human body on a two-dimensional (2D) radiograph results in the superimposition of normal tissue that can obscure abnormalities and in some common cases be misread as abnormalities. To reduce or eliminate this effect, 3D depth-discrimination techniques such as computed tomography can be used. Another method for improving conspicuity of abnormalities is an energy discrimination technique such as dual-energy imaging (DEI). The DEI discriminates, or enhances, material content (e.g. bone or soft tissue) within a 2D radiograph by combining images obtained at separte low and high energies. A commercial DEI system uses the fast kilovoltage (kVp) switching technique, which acquires low and highkVp projections in successive x-ray exposure. To obtain better quality in DE images, a large energy separation between the low and high-kVp setups is typically used for chest (e.g. 60/120 kVp). The optimal CsI thickness for dual-energy chest imaging has been theoretically investigated by evaluating prewhitening observer model detectability indexes. To evaluate the PW and PWE detectability indexes, dual-energy fluence and MTF have reviewed compared to the conventional descriptions.

Grating Oriented Line-Wise Filtration (GOLF) for Dual-Energy X-ray CT

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Yan; Cong, Wenxiang; Harrison, Daniel; Wang, Ge

2017-12-01

In medical X-ray Computed Tomography (CT), the use of two distinct X-ray source spectra (energies) allows dose-reduction and material discrimination relative to that achieved with only one source spectrum. Existing dual-energy CT methods include source kVp-switching, double-layer detection, dual-source gantry, and two-pass scanning. Each method suffers either from strong spectral correlation or patient-motion artifacts. To simultaneously address these problems, we propose to improve CT data acquisition with the Grating Oriented Line-wise Filtration (GOLF) method, a novel X-ray filter that is placed between the source and patient. GOLF uses a combination of absorption and filtering gratings that are moved relative to each other and in synchronization with the X-ray tube kVp-switching process and/or the detector view-sampling process. Simulation results show that GOLF can improve the spectral performance of kVp-switching to match that of dual-source CT while avoiding patient motion artifacts and dual imaging chains. Although significant flux is absorbed by this pre-patient filter, the proposed GOLF method is a novel path for cost-effectively extracting dual-energy or multi-energy data and reducing radiation dose with or without kVp switching.

Compound analysis of gallstones using dual energy computed tomography-Results in a phantom model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Ralf W., E-mail: ralfwbauer@aol.co [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic of the Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt (Germany); Schulz, Julian R., E-mail: julian.schulz@t-online.d [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic of the Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt (Germany); Zedler, Barbara, E-mail: zedler@em.uni-frankfurt.d [Department of Forensic Medicine, Clinic of the Goethe University Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, 60596 Frankfurt (Germany); Graf, Thomas G., E-mail: thomas.gt.graf@siemens.co [Siemens AG Healthcare Sector, Computed Tomography, Physics and Applications, Siemensstrasse 1, 91313 Forchheim (Germany); Vogl, Thomas J., E-mail: t.vogl@em.uni-frankfurt.d [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic of the Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt (Germany)

2010-07-15

Purpose: The potential of dual energy computed tomography (DECT) for the analysis of gallstone compounds was investigated. The main goal was to find parameters, that can reliably define high percentage (>70%) cholesterol stones without calcium components. Materials and methods: 35 gallstones were analyzed with DECT using a phantom model. Stone samples were put into specimen containers filled with formalin. Containers were put into a water-filled cylindrical acrylic glass phantom. DECT scans were performed using a tube voltage/current of 140 kV/83 mAs (tube A) and 80 kV/340 mAs (tube B). ROI-measurements to determine CT attenuation of each sector of the stones that had different appearance on the CT images were performed. Finally, semi-quantitative infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of these sectors was performed for chemical analysis. Results: ROI-measurements were performed in 45 different sectors in 35 gallstones. Sectors containing >70% of cholesterol and no calcium component (n = 20) on FTIR could be identified with 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity on DECT. These sectors showed typical attenuation of -8 {+-} 4 HU at 80 kV and +22 {+-} 3 HU at 140 kV. Even the presence of a small calcium component (<10%) hindered the reliable identification of cholesterol components as such. Conclusion: Dual energy CT allows for reliable identification of gallstones containing a high percentage of cholesterol and no calcium component in this pre-clinical phantom model. Results from in vivo or anthropomorphic phantom trials will have to confirm these results. This may enable the identification of patients eligible for non-surgical treatment options in the future.

Compound analysis of gallstones using dual energy computed tomography-Results in a phantom model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, Ralf W.; Schulz, Julian R.; Zedler, Barbara; Graf, Thomas G.; Vogl, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The potential of dual energy computed tomography (DECT) for the analysis of gallstone compounds was investigated. The main goal was to find parameters, that can reliably define high percentage (>70%) cholesterol stones without calcium components. Materials and methods: 35 gallstones were analyzed with DECT using a phantom model. Stone samples were put into specimen containers filled with formalin. Containers were put into a water-filled cylindrical acrylic glass phantom. DECT scans were performed using a tube voltage/current of 140 kV/83 mAs (tube A) and 80 kV/340 mAs (tube B). ROI-measurements to determine CT attenuation of each sector of the stones that had different appearance on the CT images were performed. Finally, semi-quantitative infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of these sectors was performed for chemical analysis. Results: ROI-measurements were performed in 45 different sectors in 35 gallstones. Sectors containing >70% of cholesterol and no calcium component (n = 20) on FTIR could be identified with 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity on DECT. These sectors showed typical attenuation of -8 ± 4 HU at 80 kV and +22 ± 3 HU at 140 kV. Even the presence of a small calcium component (<10%) hindered the reliable identification of cholesterol components as such. Conclusion: Dual energy CT allows for reliable identification of gallstones containing a high percentage of cholesterol and no calcium component in this pre-clinical phantom model. Results from in vivo or anthropomorphic phantom trials will have to confirm these results. This may enable the identification of patients eligible for non-surgical treatment options in the future.

Computer-Aided Prototyping Systems (CAPS) within the software acquisition process: a case study

OpenAIRE

Ellis, Mary Kay

1993-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This thesis provides a case study which examines the benefits derived from the practice of computer-aided prototyping within the software acquisition process. An experimental prototyping systems currently in research is the Computer Aided Prototyping System (CAPS) managed under the Computer Science department of the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. This thesis determines the qualitative value which may be realized by ...

Accuracy of iodine quantification using dual energy CT in latest generation dual source and dual layer CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; van Hamersvelt, Robbert W; Willemink, Martin J; Schmidt, Bernhard T; Flohr, Thomas; Schilham, Arnold; Milles, Julien; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Leiner, Tim; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn

2017-09-01

To determine the accuracy of iodine quantification with dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in two high-end CT systems with different spectral imaging techniques. Five tubes with different iodine concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/ml) were analysed in an anthropomorphic thoracic phantom. Adding two phantom rings simulated increased patient size. For third-generation dual source CT (DSCT), tube voltage combinations of 150Sn and 70, 80, 90, 100 kVp were analysed. For dual layer CT (DLCT), 120 and 140 kVp were used. Scans were repeated three times. Median normalized values and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were calculated for all kVp settings and phantom sizes. Correlation between measured and known iodine concentrations was excellent for both systems (R = 0.999-1.000, p < 0.0001). For DSCT, median measurement errors ranged from -0.5% (IQR -2.0, 2.0%) at 150Sn/70 kVp and -2.3% (IQR -4.0, -0.1%) at 150Sn/80 kVp to -4.0% (IQR -6.0, -2.8%) at 150Sn/90 kVp. For DLCT, median measurement errors ranged from -3.3% (IQR -4.9, -1.5%) at 140 kVp to -4.6% (IQR -6.0, -3.6%) at 120 kVp. Larger phantom sizes increased variability of iodine measurements (p < 0.05). Iodine concentration can be accurately quantified with state-of-the-art DECT systems from two vendors. The lowest absolute errors were found for DSCT using the 150Sn/70 kVp or 150Sn/80 kVp combinations, which was slightly more accurate than 140 kVp in DLCT. • High-end CT scanners allow accurate iodine quantification using different DECT techniques. • Lowest measurement error was found in scans with largest photon energy separation. • Dual-source CT quantified iodine slightly more accurately than dual layer CT.

Recent developments of dual-energy CT in oncology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simons, David; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter [Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany); Kachelriess, Marc [Department of Medical Physics in Radiology, Division of X-ray Imaging and CT, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany)

2014-04-15

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) can amply contribute to support oncological imaging: the DECT technique offers promising clinical applications in oncological imaging for tumour detection and characterisation while concurrently reducing the radiation dose. Fast image acquisition at two different X-ray energies enables the determination of tissue- or material-specific features, the calculation of virtual unenhanced images and the quantification of contrast medium uptake; thus, tissue can be characterised and subsequently monitored for any changes during treatment. DECT is already widely used, but its potential in the context of oncological imaging has not been fully exploited yet. The technology is the subject of ongoing innovation and increasingly with respect to its clinical potential, particularly in oncology. This review highlights recent state-of-the-art DECT techniques with a strong emphasis on ongoing DECT developments relevant to oncologic imaging, and then focuses on clinical DECT applications, especially its prospective uses in areas of oncological imaging. circle Dual-energy CT (DECT) offers fast, robust, quantitative and functional whole-body imaging. (orig.)

Dual-energy subtraction radiography of the breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asaga, Taro; Masuzawa, Chihiro; Kawahara, Satoru; Motohashi, Hisahiko; Okamoto, Takashi; Tamura, Nobuo

1988-01-01

Dual-energy projection radiography was applied to breast examination. To perform the dual-energy subtraction radiography using a digital radiography unit, high and low-energy exposures were made at an appropriate time interval under differing X-ray exposure conditions. Dual-energy subtraction radiography was performed in 41 cancer patients in whom the tumor shadow was equivocal or the border of cancer infiltration was not clearly demonstrated by compression mammography, and 15 patients with benign diseases such as fibrocystic disease, cyst and fibroadenoma. In 21 cases out of the 41 cancer patients, the dual-energy subtraction radiography clearly visualized the malignant tumor shadows and the border of cancer infiltration and the daughter nodules by removing the shadows of normal mammary gland. On the other hand, beign diseases such as fibrocystic disease and cyst could be diagnosed as such, because the tumor shadow and the irregularly concentrated image of mammary gland disappeared by the dual-energy subtraction. These results suggest that this new technique will be useful in examination of breast masses. (author)

Dual-energy subtraction radiography of the breast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asaga, Taro; Masuzawa, Chihiro; Kawahara, Satoru; Motohashi, Hisahiko; Okamoto, Takashi; Tamura, Nobuo

1988-06-01

Dual-energy projection radiography was applied to breast examination. To perform the dual-energy subtraction radiography using a digital radiography unit, high and low-energy exposures were made at an appropriate time interval under differing X-ray exposure conditions. Dual-energy subtraction radiography was performed in 41 cancer patients in whom the tumor shadow was equivocal or the border of cancer infiltration was not clearly demonstrated by compression mammography, and 15 patients with benign diseases such as fibrocystic disease, cyst and fibroadenoma. In 21 cases out of the 41 cancer patients, the dual-energy subtraction radiography clearly visualized the malignant tumor shadows and the border of cancer infiltration and the daughter nodules by removing the shadows of normal mammary gland. On the other hand, beign diseases such as fibrocystic disease and cyst could be diagnosed as such, because the tumor shadow and the irregularly concentrated image of mammary gland disappeared by the dual-energy subtraction. These results suggest that this new technique will be useful in examination of breast masses.

Dual computations of non-Abelian Yang-Mills theories on the lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherrington, J. Wade; Khavkine, Igor; Christensen, J. Daniel

2007-01-01

In the past several decades there have been a number of proposals for computing with dual forms of non-Abelian Yang-Mills theories on the lattice. Motivated by the gauge-invariant, geometric picture offered by dual models and successful applications of duality in the U(1) case, we revisit the question of whether it is practical to perform numerical computation using non-Abelian dual models. Specifically, we consider three-dimensional SU(2) pure Yang-Mills as an accessible yet nontrivial case in which the gauge group is non-Abelian. Using methods developed recently in the context of spin foam quantum gravity, we derive an algorithm for efficiently computing the dual amplitude and describe Metropolis moves for sampling the dual ensemble. We relate our algorithms to prior work in non-Abelian dual computations of Hari Dass and his collaborators, addressing several problems that have been left open. We report results of spin expectation value computations over a range of lattice sizes and couplings that are in agreement with our conventional lattice computations. We conclude with an outlook on further development of dual methods and their application to problems of current interest

Bone mineral density in renal osteodystrophy: Comparison of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography. Vergleichende Untersuchungen mit der quantitativen Computertomographie und der Dual-Energy-X-Ray-Absorptiometrie zur Knochendichte bei renaler Osteopathie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Funke, M.; Maeurer, J.; Grabbe, E. (Abt. Roentgendiagnostik, Klinikum, Goettingen Univ. (Germany)); Scheler, F. (Abt. Nephrologie und Rheumatologie, Klinikum, Goettingen Univ. (Germany))

1992-08-01

Measurements of bone density were carried out in 25 patients on dialysis for terminal renal insufficiency, using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Unlike in subjects with normal kidneys, there was no significant correlation between these methods in this series. Ten patients showed an increase in bone density of the vertebral spongiosa on QCT measurements, which was interpreted as due to osteosclerotic bone changes in renal osteopathy. QCT showed advantages over DXA in demonstrating these changes. (orig.).

Optimization of dual-energy CT acquisitions for proton therapy using projection-based decomposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilches-Freixas, Gloria; Létang, Jean Michel; Ducros, Nicolas; Rit, Simon

2017-09-01

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been presented as a valid alternative to single-energy CT to reduce the uncertainty of the conversion of patient CT numbers to proton stopping power ratio (SPR) of tissues relative to water. The aim of this work was to optimize DECT acquisition protocols from simulations of X-ray images for the treatment planning of proton therapy using a projection-based dual-energy decomposition algorithm. We have investigated the effect of various voltages and tin filtration combinations on the SPR map accuracy and precision, and the influence of the dose allocation between the low-energy (LE) and the high-energy (HE) acquisitions. For all spectra combinations, virtual CT projections of the Gammex phantom were simulated with a realistic energy-integrating detector response model. Two situations were simulated: an ideal case without noise (infinite dose) and a realistic situation with Poisson noise corresponding to a 20 mGy total central dose. To determine the optimal dose balance, the proportion of LE-dose with respect to the total dose was varied from 10% to 90% while keeping the central dose constant, for four dual-energy spectra. SPR images were derived using a two-step projection-based decomposition approach. The ranges of 70 MeV, 90 MeV, and 100 MeV proton beams onto the adult female (AF) reference computational phantom of the ICRP were analytically determined from the reconstructed SPR maps. The energy separation between the incident spectra had a strong impact on the SPR precision. Maximizing the incident energy gap reduced image noise. However, the energy gap was not a good metric to evaluate the accuracy of the SPR. In terms of SPR accuracy, a large variability of the optimal spectra was observed when studying each phantom material separately. The SPR accuracy was almost flat in the 30-70% LE-dose range, while the precision showed a minimum slightly shifted in favor of lower LE-dose. Photon noise in the SPR images (20 mGy dose

Automated bone removal in CT angiography: Comparison of methods based on single energy and dual energy scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straten, Marcel van; Schaap, Michiel; Dijkshoorn, Marcel L.; Greuter, Marcel J.; Lugt, Aad van der; Krestin, Gabriel P.; Niessen, Wiro J.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate dual energy based methods for bone removal in computed tomography angiography (CTA) images and compare these with single energy based methods that use an additional, nonenhanced, CT scan. Methods: Four different bone removal methods were applied to CT scans of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom, acquired with a second generation dual source CT scanner. The methods differed by the way information on the presence of bone was obtained (either by using an additional, nonenhanced scan or by scanning with two tube voltages at the same time) and by the way the bone was removed from the CTA images (either by masking or subtracting the bone). The phantom contained parts which mimic vessels of various diameters in direct contact with bone. Both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of image quality after bone removal was performed. Image quality was quantified by the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) normalized to the square root of the dose (CNRD). At locations where vessels touch bone, the quality of the bone removal and the vessel preservation were visually assessed. The dual energy based methods were assessed with and without the addition of a 0.4 mm tin filter to the high voltage x-ray tube filtration. For each bone removal method, the dose required to obtain a certain CNR after bone removal was compared with the dose of a reference scan with the same CNR but without automated bone removal. The CNRD value of the reference scan was maximized by choosing the lowest tube voltage available. Results: All methods removed the bone completely. CNRD values were higher for the masking based methods than for the subtraction based methods. Single energy based methods had a higher CNRD value than the corresponding dual energy based methods. For the subtraction based dual energy method, tin filtration improved the CNRD value with approximately 50%. For the masking based dual energy method, it was easier to differentiate between iodine and bone when tin filtration

Endoleak detection using single-acquisition split-bolus dual-energy computer tomography (DECT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Javor, D.; Wressnegger, A.; Unterhumer, S.; Kollndorfer, K.; Nolz, R.; Beitzke, D.; Loewe, C. [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Vienna (Austria)

2017-04-15

To assess a single-phase, dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) with a split-bolus technique and reconstruction of virtual non-enhanced images for the detection of endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Fifty patients referred for routine follow-up post-EVAR CT and a history of at least one post-EVAR follow-up CT examination using our standard biphasic (arterial and venous phase) routine protocol (which was used as the reference standard) were included in this prospective trial. An in-patient comparison and an analysis of the split-bolus protocol and the previously used double-phase protocol were performed with regard to differences in diagnostic accuracy, radiation dose, and image quality. The analysis showed a significant reduction of radiation dose of up to 42 %, using the single-acquisition split-bolus protocol, while maintaining a comparable diagnostic accuracy (primary endoleak detection rate of 96 %). Image quality between the two protocols was comparable and only slightly inferior for the split-bolus scan (2.5 vs. 2.4). Using the single-acquisition, split-bolus approach allows for a significant dose reduction while maintaining high image quality, resulting in effective endoleak identification. (orig.)

Comparative analysis of bone mineral contents with dual-energy quantitative computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, T. J.; Yoon, S. M.; Kim, O. B.; Lee, S. M.; Suh, S. J.

1997-01-01

The Dual-Energy Quantitative Computed Tomography(DEQCT) was compared with bone equivalent K 2 HPO 4 standard solution and ash weight of animal cadaveric trabecular bone in the measurement of bone mineral contents(BMC). The attenuation coefficient of tissues highly depends on the radiation energy, density and effective atomic number of composition. The bone mineral content of DEQCT in this experiments was determined from empirical constants and mass attenuation coefficients of bone, fat and soft tissue equivalent solution in two photon spectra. In this experiments, the BMC of DEQCT with 80 and 120kV p X rays was compared to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. We obtained the mass attenuation coefficient of 0.2409, 0.5608 and 0.2206 in 80kV p , and 0.2046, 0.3273 and 0.1971 cm 2 /g in 120kV p X-ray spectra for water, bone and fat equivalent materials, respectively. The BMC with DEQCT was accomplished with empirical constants K 1 =0.3232, K 2 =0.2450 and mass attenuation coefficients has very closed to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. The BMC of empirical DEQCT and that of manufacturing DEQCT were correlated with ash weight as a correlation r=0.998 and r=0.996, respectively. The BMC of empirical DEQCT using the experimental mass attenuation coefficients and that of manufacture have showed very close to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. (author)

Energy Awareness Displays - Prototype for personalised energy consumption feedback

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Börner, Dirk; Storm, Jeroen; Kalz, Marco; Specht, Marcus

2012-01-01

Börner, D., Storm, J., Kalz, M., & Specht, M. (2012). Energy Awareness Displays - Prototype for personalised energy consumption feedback. In A. Ravencroft, S. Lindstaedt, C. D. Kloos, & D. Hernández-Leo (Eds.), 21st Century Learning for 21st Century Skills - 7th European Conference on Technology

A Flexible Method for Multi-Material Decomposition of Dual-Energy CT Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendonca, Paulo R S; Lamb, Peter; Sahani, Dushyant V

2014-01-01

The ability of dual-energy computed-tomographic (CT) systems to determine the concentration of constituent materials in a mixture, known as material decomposition, is the basis for many of dual-energy CT's clinical applications. However, the complex composition of tissues and organs in the human body poses a challenge for many material decomposition methods, which assume the presence of only two, or at most three, materials in the mixture. We developed a flexible, model-based method that extends dual-energy CT's core material decomposition capability to handle more complex situations, in which it is necessary to disambiguate among and quantify the concentration of a larger number of materials. The proposed method, named multi-material decomposition (MMD), was used to develop two image analysis algorithms. The first was virtual unenhancement (VUE), which digitally removes the effect of contrast agents from contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT exams. VUE has the ability to reduce patient dose and improve clinical workflow, and can be used in a number of clinical applications such as CT urography and CT angiography. The second algorithm developed was liver-fat quantification (LFQ), which accurately quantifies the fat concentration in the liver from dual-energy CT exams. LFQ can form the basis of a clinical application targeting the diagnosis and treatment of fatty liver disease. Using image data collected from a cohort consisting of 50 patients and from phantoms, the application of MMD to VUE and LFQ yielded quantitatively accurate results when compared against gold standards. Furthermore, consistent results were obtained across all phases of imaging (contrast-free and contrast-enhanced). This is of particular importance since most clinical protocols for abdominal imaging with CT call for multi-phase imaging. We conclude that MMD can successfully form the basis of a number of dual-energy CT image analysis algorithms, and has the potential to improve the clinical utility

Fault tolerant distributed real time computer systems for I and C of prototype fast breeder reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manimaran, M., E-mail: maran@igcar.gov.in; Shanmugam, A.; Parimalam, P.; Murali, N.; Satya Murty, S.A.V.

2014-03-15

Highlights: • Architecture of distributed real time computer system (DRTCS) used in I and C of PFBR is explained. • Fault tolerant (hot standby) architecture, fault detection and switch over are detailed. • Scaled down model was used to study functional and performance requirements of DRTCS. • Quality of service parameters for scaled down model was critically studied. - Abstract: Prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) is in the advanced stage of construction at Kalpakkam, India. Three-tier architecture is adopted for instrumentation and control (I and C) of PFBR wherein bottom tier consists of real time computer (RTC) systems, middle tier consists of process computers and top tier constitutes of display stations. These RTC systems are geographically distributed and networked together with process computers and display stations. Hot standby architecture comprising of dual redundant RTC systems with switch over logic system is deployed in order to achieve fault tolerance. Fault tolerant dual redundant network connectivity is provided in each RTC system and TCP/IP protocol is selected for network communication. In order to assess the performance of distributed RTC systems, scaled down model was developed with 9 representative systems and nearly 15% of I and C signals of PFBR were connected and monitored. Functional and performance testing were carried out for each RTC system and the fault tolerant characteristics were studied by creating various faults into the system and observed the performance. Various quality of service parameters like connection establishment delay, priority parameter, transit delay, throughput, residual error ratio, etc., are critically studied for the network.

Structural dimensioning of dual purpose cask prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Luiz Leite da; Mourao, Rogerio Pimenta; Lopes, Claudio Cunha

2005-01-01

The structural dimensioning of a Type B(U) dual purpose cask prototype is part of the scope of work of the Brazilian institute CDTN in the IAEA regional project involving Latin American countries which operate research reactors (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru). In order to meet the dimensional and operational characteristics of the reactor facilities in these countries, a maximum weight of 10.000 kgf and a maximum dimension of 1 m in at least one direction were set for the cask. With these design restrictions, the cask's payload is either 21 MTR or 78 TRIGA fuel elements. The cask's most important components are main body, primary and secondary lids, basket and impact limiters. The main body has a sandwich-like wall with internal and external layers made of AISI 304 stainless steel with lead in-between. The lead provides biological shielding. The primary lid is similarly layered, but in the axial direction. It is provided with a double system of metallic rings and has ports for pressurization, sampling and containment verification. The secondary lid has the main function of protecting the primary lid against mechanical impacts. The basket structure is basically a tube array reinforced by bottom plate, feet and spacers. Square tubes are used for MTR elements and circular tubes for TRIGA elements. Finally, the impact limiters are structures made of an external stainless steel thin covering and a filling made of the wood composite OSB - Oriented Strand Board. The prototype is provided with bottom and top impact limiters, which are attached to each other by means of four threaded rods. The limiters are not rigidly attached to the cask body. A half scale cask model was designed to be submitted to a testing program. As its volume scales down to 1:8, the model weight is 1,250 kgf. This paper presents the methodology for the preliminary structural dimensioning of the critical parameters of the cask prototype. Both normal conditions of operation and hypothetical

Algorithm-enabled partial-angular-scan configurations for dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Buxin; Zhang, Zheng; Xia, Dan; Sidky, Emil Y; Pan, Xiaochuan

2018-05-01

We seek to investigate an optimization-based one-step method for image reconstruction that explicitly compensates for nonlinear spectral response (i.e., the beam-hardening effect) in dual-energy CT, to investigate the feasibility of the one-step method for enabling two dual-energy partial-angular-scan configurations, referred to as the short- and half-scan configurations, on standard CT scanners without involving additional hardware, and to investigate the potential of the short- and half-scan configurations in reducing imaging dose and scan time in a single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration in which two full rotations are made for collection of dual-energy data. We use the one-step method to reconstruct images directly from dual-energy data through solving a nonconvex optimization program that specifies the images to be reconstructed in dual-energy CT. Dual-energy full-scan data are generated from numerical phantoms and collected from physical phantoms with the standard single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration, whereas dual-energy short- and half-scan data are extracted from the corresponding full-scan data. Besides visual inspection and profile-plot comparison, the reconstructed images are analyzed also in quantitative studies based upon tasks of linear-attenuation-coefficient and material-concentration estimation and of material differentiation. Following the performance of a computer-simulation study to verify that the one-step method can reconstruct numerically accurately basis and monochromatic images of numerical phantoms, we reconstruct basis and monochromatic images by using the one-step method from real data of physical phantoms collected with the full-, short-, and half-scan configurations. Subjective inspection based upon visualization and profile-plot comparison reveals that monochromatic images, which are used often in practical applications, reconstructed from the full-, short-, and half-scan data are largely visually comparable except for some

Effectiveness of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction for 64-Slice Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography in Patients With a Reduced Iodine Load: Comparison With Standard Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ji Won; Lee, Geewon; Lee, Nam Kyung; Moon, Jin Il; Ju, Yun Hye; Suh, Young Ju; Jeong, Yeon Joo

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) for dual-energy computed tomography pulmonary angiography (DE-CTPA) with a reduced iodine load. One hundred forty patients referred for chest CT were randomly divided into a DE-CTPA group with a reduced iodine load or a standard CTPA group. Quantitative and qualitative image qualities of virtual monochromatic spectral (VMS) images with filtered back projection (VMS-FBP) and those with 50% ASIR (VMS-ASIR) in the DE-CTPA group were compared. Image qualities of VMS-ASIR images in the DE-CTPA group and ASIR images in the standard CTPA group were also compared. All quantitative and qualitative indices, except attenuation value of pulmonary artery in the VMS-ASIR subgroup, were superior to those in the VMS-FBP subgroup (all P ASIR images were superior to those of ASIR images in the standard CTPA group (P ASIR images of the DE-CTPA group than in ASIR images of the standard CTPA group (P = 0.001). The ASIR technique tends to improve the image quality of VMS imaging. Dual-energy computed tomography pulmonary angiography with ASIR can reduce contrast medium volume and produce images of comparable quality with those of standard CTPA.

Dual-energy index value of luminal air in fecal-tagging computed tomography colonography: findings and impact on electronic cleansing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wenli; Zhang, Da; Lee, June-Goo; Shirai, Yu; Kim, Se Hyung; Yoshida, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

The purpose of our study was to measure the dual-energy index (DEI) value of colonic luminal air in both phantom and clinical fecal-tagging dual-energy computed tomography (CT) colonography (DE-CTC) images and to demonstrate its impact on dual-energy electronic cleansing. For the phantom study, a custom-ordered colon phantom was scanned by a dual-energy CT scanner (SOMATON Definition Flash; Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany) at two photon energies: 80 and 140 kVp. Before imaging, the phantom was filled with a 300-mL mixture of simulated fecal materials tagged by a nonionic iodinated contrast agent at three contrast concentrations: 20, 40, and 60 mg/mL. Ten regions-of-interest (ROIs) were randomly placed in each of the colonic luminal air, abdominal fat, bony structure, and tagged material in each scan. For the clinical study, 22 DE-CTC (80 and 140 kVp) patient cases were collected, who underwent a low-fiber, low-residue diet bowel preparation and orally administered iodine-based fecal tagging. Twenty ROIs were randomly placed in each of the colonic luminal air, abdominal fat, abdominal soft tissue, and tagged fecal material in each scan. For each ROI, the mean CT values in both 80- and 140-kVp images were measured, and then its DEI was calculated. In the phantom study, the mean DEI values of luminal air were 0.270, 0.298, 0.386, and 0.402 for the four groups of tagging conditions: no tagged material and tagged with three groups of contrast concentrations at 20, 40, and 60 mg/mL. In the clinical study, the mean DEI values were 0.341, -0.012, -0.002, and 0.188 for colonic luminal air, abdominal fat, abdominal soft tissue, and tagged fecal material, respectively. In our study, we observed that the DEI values of colonic luminal air in DE-CTC images (>0.10) were substantially higher than the theoretical value of 0.0063. In addition, the observed DEI values of colonic luminal air were significantly higher than those of soft tissue. These findings have an important

Comparison of bone volume measurements using conventional single and dual energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yung Kyoon; Park, Sang Hoon; Kim, Yon Min

2017-01-01

The study examines changes in calcium volume on born by comparing two figures; one is measured by dual energy computed tomography(DECT) followed by applying variation in monochromatic energy selection( keV), material decomposition(MD), and material suppressed iodine(MSI) analysis, and the other is measured by conventional single source computed tomography(CSCT). For this study, based on CSCT images taken by using human mimicked phantom, 70, 100, 140 keV and MSI, MD material calcium weighting( MCW) and MD material iodine weighting(MIW) of DECT were applied respectively. Then calculated calcium volume was converted to Agatston score for comparison. Volume of human mimicked phantom was in inverse proportion to keV. The volume decreased while keV increased(p<0.05). The most similar DECT volumes were reconstructed at 70 keV, the difference was showed 35.8±12.2 for rib, femur (16.1±24.1), pelvis(13.7±18.8), and spine(179.0±61.8). However, the volume of MSI was down for each organ; the volume of rib was 5.55%, femur(76.34%), pelvis(55.16%) and spine(87.58%). The volume of MSI decreased 55.9% for rib, femur(80.7%), pelvis(69.6%) and spine(54.2%) while MD MIW reduced for rib(83.51%), femur(87.68%), pelvis(86.64%), and spine(82.62%). With the results, the study found that outcomes were affected by the method which examiners employed. When using DECT, calcium volume of born dropped with keV increased. It also found that the most similar DECT images were reconstructed at 70 keV. The results of experiments implied that the users of MSI and MD should be cautious of errors as there are big differences in scores between those two methods

Comparison of bone volume measurements using conventional single and dual energy computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yung Kyoon; Park, Sang Hoon [Dept. of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yon Min [Dept. of Radiotechnology, Wonkwang Health Science University, Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

The study examines changes in calcium volume on born by comparing two figures; one is measured by dual energy computed tomography(DECT) followed by applying variation in monochromatic energy selection( keV), material decomposition(MD), and material suppressed iodine(MSI) analysis, and the other is measured by conventional single source computed tomography(CSCT). For this study, based on CSCT images taken by using human mimicked phantom, 70, 100, 140 keV and MSI, MD material calcium weighting( MCW) and MD material iodine weighting(MIW) of DECT were applied respectively. Then calculated calcium volume was converted to Agatston score for comparison. Volume of human mimicked phantom was in inverse proportion to keV. The volume decreased while keV increased(p<0.05). The most similar DECT volumes were reconstructed at 70 keV, the difference was showed 35.8±12.2 for rib, femur (16.1±24.1), pelvis(13.7±18.8), and spine(179.0±61.8). However, the volume of MSI was down for each organ; the volume of rib was 5.55%, femur(76.34%), pelvis(55.16%) and spine(87.58%). The volume of MSI decreased 55.9% for rib, femur(80.7%), pelvis(69.6%) and spine(54.2%) while MD MIW reduced for rib(83.51%), femur(87.68%), pelvis(86.64%), and spine(82.62%). With the results, the study found that outcomes were affected by the method which examiners employed. When using DECT, calcium volume of born dropped with keV increased. It also found that the most similar DECT images were reconstructed at 70 keV. The results of experiments implied that the users of MSI and MD should be cautious of errors as there are big differences in scores between those two methods.

Initial results from a prototype whole-body photon-counting computed tomography system.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Z; Leng, S; Jorgensen, S M; Li, Z; Gutjahr, R; Chen, B; Duan, X; Halaweish, A F; Yu, L; Ritman, E L; McCollough, C H

X-ray computed tomography (CT) with energy-discriminating capabilities presents exciting opportunities for increased dose efficiency and improved material decomposition analyses. However, due to constraints imposed by the inability of photon-counting detectors (PCD) to respond accurately at high photon flux, to date there has been no clinical application of PCD-CT. Recently, our lab installed a research prototype system consisting of two x-ray sources and two corresponding detectors, one using an energy-integrating detector (EID) and the other using a PCD. In this work, we report the first third-party evaluation of this prototype CT system using both phantoms and a cadaver head. The phantom studies demonstrated several promising characteristics of the PCD sub-system, including improved longitudinal spatial resolution and reduced beam hardening artifacts, relative to the EID sub-system. More importantly, we found that the PCD sub-system offers excellent pulse pileup control in cases of x-ray flux up to 550 mA at 140 kV, which corresponds to approximately 2.5×10 11 photons per cm 2 per second. In an anthropomorphic phantom and a cadaver head, the PCD sub-system provided image quality comparable to the EID sub-system for the same dose level. Our results demonstrate the potential of the prototype system to produce clinically-acceptable images in vivo .

Imaging the renal lesion with dual-energy multidetector CT and multi-energy applications in clinical practice: what can it truly do for you?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mileto, Achille; Marin, Daniele [Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States); Sofue, Keitaro [Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States); Kobe University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Kobe (Japan)

2016-10-15

Many fortuitously detected renal lesions are incompletely characterised at traditional MDCT imaging, thus posing daily challenges to radiologists and referring physicians. There is burgeoning evidence that dual-energy MDCT and multi-energy applications provide an added value over traditional MDCT imaging in renal lesion characterisation and throughput. This special report gives a vendor-neutral outlook on technical essentials, recommended protocols, high-yield clinical opportunities and reviews radiation dose aspects of dual-energy MDCT imaging and multi-energy applications in renal lesions. In addition to a guide on interpretative traps and emerging problems, we provide an update on new, potential imaging horizons. Dual-energy MDCT and multi-energy applications can facilitate the imaging interpretation and throughput of renal lesions. Conjointly with capitalisation on the benefits, familiarity with dual- and multi-energy data sets as well as continuous scrutiny of interpretative traps can be the keys to the successful implementation and enhanced clinical acceptance of this powerful technique in the imaging community. Continuous advances in hardware and computer interfaces are expected to pave the way for the further expansion of the application spectrum. (orig.)

Reduction of dark-band-like metal artifacts caused by dental implant bodies using hypothetical monoenergetic imaging after dual-energy computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Ray; Hayashi, Takafumi; Ike, Makiko; Noto, Yoshiyuki; Goto, Tazuko K

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of hypothetical monoenergetic images after dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for assessment of the bone encircling dental implant bodies. Seventy-two axial images of implantation sites clipped out from image data scanned using DECT in dual-energy mode were used. Subjective assessment on reduction of dark-band-like artifacts (R-DBAs) and diagnosability of adjacent bone condition (D-ABC) in 3 sets of DECT images-a fused image set (DE120) and 2 sets of hypothetical monoenergetic images (ME100, ME190)-was performed and the results were statistically analyzed. With regards to R-DBAs and D-ABC, significant differences among DE120, ME100, and ME190 were observed. The ME100 and ME190 images revealed more artifact reduction and diagnosability than those of DE120. DECT imaging followed by hypothetical monoenergetic image construction can cause R-DBAs and increase D-ABC and may be potentially used for the evaluation of postoperative changes in the bone encircling implant bodies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prompt and Precise Prototyping

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

For Sanders Design International, Inc., of Wilton, New Hampshire, every passing second between the concept and realization of a product is essential to succeed in the rapid prototyping industry where amongst heavy competition, faster time-to-market means more business. To separate itself from its rivals, Sanders Design aligned with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to develop what it considers to be the most accurate rapid prototyping machine for fabrication of extremely precise tooling prototypes. The company's Rapid ToolMaker System has revolutionized production of high quality, small-to-medium sized prototype patterns and tooling molds with an exactness that surpasses that of computer numerically-controlled (CNC) machining devices. Created with funding and support from Marshall under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, the Rapid ToolMaker is a dual-use technology with applications in both commercial and military aerospace fields. The advanced technology provides cost savings in the design and manufacturing of automotive, electronic, and medical parts, as well as in other areas of consumer interest, such as jewelry and toys. For aerospace applications, the Rapid ToolMaker enables fabrication of high-quality turbine and compressor blades for jet engines on unmanned air vehicles, aircraft, and missiles.

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Angiography of the Lower Extremity Runoff: Impact of Noise-Optimized Virtual Monochromatic Imaging on Image Quality and Diagnostic Accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wichmann, Julian L; Gillott, Matthew R; De Cecco, Carlo N; Mangold, Stefanie; Varga-Szemes, Akos; Yamada, Ricardo; Otani, Katharina; Canstein, Christian; Fuller, Stephen R; Vogl, Thomas J; Todoran, Thomas M; Schoepf, U Joseph

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a noise-optimized virtual monochromatic imaging algorithm (VMI+) on image quality and diagnostic accuracy at dual-energy computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the lower extremity runoff. This retrospective Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study was approved by the local institutional review board. We evaluated dual-energy CTA studies of the lower extremity runoff in 48 patients (16 women; mean age, 63.3 ± 13.8 years) performed on a third-generation dual-source CT system. Images were reconstructed with standard linear blending (F_0.5), VMI+, and traditional monochromatic (VMI) algorithms at 40 to 120 keV in 10-keV intervals. Vascular attenuation and image noise in 18 artery segments were measured; signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Five-point scales were used to subjectively evaluate vascular attenuation and image noise. In a subgroup of 21 patients who underwent additional invasive catheter angiography, diagnostic accuracy for the detection of significant stenosis (≥50% lumen restriction) of F_0.5, 50-keV VMI+, and 60-keV VMI data sets were assessed. Objective image quality metrics were highest in the 40- and 50-keV VMI+ series (SNR: 20.2 ± 10.7 and 19.0 ± 9.5, respectively; CNR: 18.5 ± 10.3 and 16.8 ± 9.1, respectively) and were significantly (all P traditional VMI technique and standard linear blending for evaluation of the lower extremity runoff using dual-energy CTA.

Validation of GEANT3 simulation studies with a dual-head PMT ClearPET TM prototype

CERN Document Server

Ziemons, K; Streun, M; Pietrzyk, U

2004-01-01

The ClearPET TM project is proposed by working groups of the Crystal Clear Collaboration (CCC) to develop a 2/sup nd/ generation high performance small animal positron emission tomograph (PET). High sensitivity and high spatial resolution is foreseen for the ClearPET TM camera by using a phoswich arrangement combining mixed lutetium yttrium aluminum perovskite (LuYAP:Ce) and lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) scintillating crystals. Design optimizations for the first photomultiplier tube (PMT) based ClearPET camera are done with a Monte-Carlo simulation package implemented on GEANT3 (CERN, Geneva, Switzerland). A dual-head prototype has been built to test the frontend electronics and was used to validate the implementation of the GEANT3 simulation tool. Multiple simulations were performed following the experimental protocols to measure the intrinsic resolution and the sensitivity profile in axial and radial direction. Including a mean energy resolution of about 27.0% the simulated intrinsic resolution is about (...

Single-phase dual-energy CT urography in the evaluation of haematuria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ascenti, G.; Mileto, A.; Gaeta, M.; Blandino, A.; Mazziotti, S.; Scribano, E.

2013-01-01

Aim: To assess the value of a single-phase dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) urography protocol with synchronous nephrographic–excretory phase enhancement and to calculate the potential dose reduction by omitting the unenhanced scan. Materials and methods: Eighty-four patients referred for haematuria underwent CT urography using a protocol that included single-energy unenhanced and dual-energy contrast-enhanced with synchronous nephrographic–excretory phase scans. DECT-based images [virtual unenhanced (VUE), weighted average, and colour-coded iodine overlay] were reconstructed. Opacification degree by contrast media of the upper urinary tract, and image quality of virtual unenhanced images were independently evaluated using a four-point scale. The diagnostic accuracy in detecting urothelial tumours on DECT-based images was determined. The dose of a theoretical dual-phase single-energy protocol was obtained by multiplying the effective dose of the unenhanced single-energy acquisition by two. Radiation dose saving by omitting the unenhanced scan was calculated. Results: The degree of opacification was scored as optimal or good in 86.9% of cases (k = 0.72); VUE image quality was excellent or good in 83.3% of cases (k = 0.82). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for urothelial tumours detection were 85.7, 98.6, 92.3, and 97.1%. Omission of the unenhanced scan led to a mean dose reduction of 42.7 ± 5%. Conclusion: Single-phase DECT urography with synchronous nephrographic–excretory phase enhancement represents an accurate “all-in-one’’ approach with a radiation dose saving up to 45% compared with a standard dual-phase protocol.

Image quality optimization and evaluation of linearly mixed images in dual-source, dual-energy CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lifeng; Primak, Andrew N.; Liu Xin; McCollough, Cynthia H.

2009-01-01

In dual-source dual-energy CT, the images reconstructed from the low- and high-energy scans (typically at 80 and 140 kV, respectively) can be mixed together to provide a single set of non-material-specific images for the purpose of routine diagnostic interpretation. Different from the material-specific information that may be obtained from the dual-energy scan data, the mixed images are created with the purpose of providing the interpreting physician a single set of images that have an appearance similar to that in single-energy images acquired at the same total radiation dose. In this work, the authors used a phantom study to evaluate the image quality of linearly mixed images in comparison to single-energy CT images, assuming the same total radiation dose and taking into account the effect of patient size and the dose partitioning between the low-and high-energy scans. The authors first developed a method to optimize the quality of the linearly mixed images such that the single-energy image quality was compared to the best-case image quality of the dual-energy mixed images. Compared to 80 kV single-energy images for the same radiation dose, the iodine CNR in dual-energy mixed images was worse for smaller phantom sizes. However, similar noise and similar or improved iodine CNR relative to 120 kV images could be achieved for dual-energy mixed images using the same total radiation dose over a wide range of patient sizes (up to 45 cm lateral thorax dimension). Thus, for adult CT practices, which primarily use 120 kV scanning, the use of dual-energy CT for the purpose of material-specific imaging can also produce a set of non-material-specific images for routine diagnostic interpretation that are of similar or improved quality relative to single-energy 120 kV scans.

RNAdualPF: software to compute the dual partition function with sample applications in molecular evolution theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Martin, Juan Antonio; Bayegan, Amir H; Dotu, Ivan; Clote, Peter

2016-10-19

RNA inverse folding is the problem of finding one or more sequences that fold into a user-specified target structure s 0 , i.e. whose minimum free energy secondary structure is identical to the target s 0 . Here we consider the ensemble of all RNA sequences that have low free energy with respect to a given target s 0 . We introduce the program RNAdualPF, which computes the dual partition function Z ∗ , defined as the sum of Boltzmann factors exp(-E(a,s 0 )/RT) of all RNA nucleotide sequences a compatible with target structure s 0 . Using RNAdualPF, we efficiently sample RNA sequences that approximately fold into s 0 , where additionally the user can specify IUPAC sequence constraints at certain positions, and whether to include dangles (energy terms for stacked, single-stranded nucleotides). Moreover, since we also compute the dual partition function Z ∗ (k) over all sequences having GC-content k, the user can require that all sampled sequences have a precise, specified GC-content. Using Z ∗ , we compute the dual expected energy 〈E ∗ 〉, and use it to show that natural RNAs from the Rfam 12.0 database have higher minimum free energy than expected, thus suggesting that functional RNAs are under evolutionary pressure to be only marginally thermodynamically stable. We show that C. elegans precursor microRNA (pre-miRNA) is significantly non-robust with respect to mutations, by comparing the robustness of each wild type pre-miRNA sequence with 2000 [resp. 500] sequences of the same GC-content generated by RNAdualPF, which approximately [resp. exactly] fold into the wild type target structure. We confirm and strengthen earlier findings that precursor microRNAs and bacterial small noncoding RNAs display plasticity, a measure of structural diversity. We describe RNAdualPF, which rapidly computes the dual partition function Z ∗ and samples sequences having low energy with respect to a target structure, allowing sequence constraints and specified GC

Prediction of infarction development after endovascular stroke therapy with dual-energy computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Djurdjevic, Tanja; Rehwald, Rafael; Knoflach, Michael; Matosevic, Benjamin; Kiechl, Stefan; Gizewski, Elke Ruth; Glodny, Bernhard; Grams, Astrid Ellen

2017-03-01

After intraarterial recanalisation (IAR), the haemorrhage and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption can be distinguished using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether future infarction development can be predicted from DECT. DECT scans of 20 patients showing 45 BBB disrupted areas after IAR were assessed and compared with follow-up examinations. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses using densities from the iodine map (IM) and virtual non-contrast (VNC) were performed. Future infarction areas are denser than future non-infarction areas on IM series (23.44 ± 24.86 vs. 5.77 ± 2.77; p VNC series (29.71 ± 3.33 vs. 35.33 ± 3.50; p 17.13 HU; p VNC series allowed prediction of infarction volume. Future infarction development after IAR can be reliably predicted with the IM series. The prediction of haemorrhages and of infarction size is less reliable. • The IM series (DECT) can predict future infarction development after IAR. • Later haemorrhages can be predicted using the IM and the BW series. • The volume of definable hypodense areas in VNC correlates with infarction volume.

Computer-assisted trauma care prototype.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzman, T G; Griffith, A; Hunter, W G; Allen, T; Simpson, R J

1995-01-01

Each year, civilian accidental injury results in 150,000 deaths and 400,000 permanent disabilities in the United States alone. The timely creation of and access to dynamically updated trauma patient information at the point of injury is critical to improving the state of care. Such information is often non-existent, incomplete, or inaccurate, resulting in less than adequate treatment by medics and the loss of precious time by medical personnel at the hospital or battalion aid station as they attempt to reassess and treat the patient. The Trauma Care Information Management System (TCIMS) is a prototype system for facilitating information flow and patient processing decisions in the difficult circumstances of civilian and military trauma care activities. The program is jointly supported by the United States Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and a consortium of universities, medical centers, and private companies. The authors' focus has been the human-computer interface for the system. We are attempting to make TCIMS powerful in the functions it delivers to its users in the field while also making it easy to understand and operate. To develop such a usable system, an approach known as user-centered design is being followed. Medical personnel themselves are collaborating with the authors in its needs analysis, design, and evaluation. Specifically, the prototype being demonstrated was designed through observation of actual civilian trauma care episodes, military trauma care exercises onboard a hospital ship, interviews with civilian and military trauma care providers, repeated evaluation of evolving prototypes by potential users, and study of the literature on trauma care and human factors engineering. This presentation at MedInfo '95 is still another avenue for soliciting guidance from medical information system experts and users. The outcome of this process is a system that provides the functions trauma care personnel desire in a manner that can be easily and

Temporal subtraction of dual-energy chest radiographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armato, Samuel G. III; Doshi, Devang J.; Engelmann, Roger; Caligiuri, Philip; MacMahon, Heber

2006-01-01

Temporal subtraction and dual-energy imaging are two enhanced radiography techniques that are receiving increased attention in chest radiography. Temporal subtraction is an image processing technique that facilitates the visualization of pathologic change across serial chest radiographic images acquired from the same patient; dual-energy imaging exploits the differential relative attenuation of x-ray photons exhibited by soft-tissue and bony structures at different x-ray energies to generate a pair of images that accentuate those structures. Although temporal subtraction images provide a powerful mechanism for enhancing visualization of subtle change, misregistration artifacts in these images can mimic or obscure abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether dual-energy imaging could improve the quality of temporal subtraction images. Temporal subtraction images were generated from 100 pairs of temporally sequential standard radiographic chest images and from the corresponding 100 pairs of dual-energy, soft-tissue radiographic images. The registration accuracy demonstrated in the resulting temporal subtraction images was evaluated subjectively by two radiologists. The registration accuracy of the soft-tissue-based temporal subtraction images was rated superior to that of the conventional temporal subtraction images. Registration accuracy also was evaluated objectively through an automated method, which achieved an area-under-the-ROC-curve value of 0.92 in the distinction between temporal subtraction images that demonstrated clinically acceptable and clinically unacceptable registration accuracy. By combining dual-energy soft-tissue images with temporal subtraction, misregistration artifacts can be reduced and superior image quality can be obtained

Dual-energy perfusion-CT of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klauß, M.; Stiller, W.; Pahn, G.; Fritz, F.; Kieser, M.; Werner, J.; Kauczor, H.U.; Grenacher, L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of dual-energy CT (DECT)-perfusion of pancreatic carcinomas for assessing the differences in perfusion, permeability and blood volume of healthy pancreatic tissue and histopathologically confirmed solid pancreatic carcinoma. Materials and methods: 24 patients with histologically proven pancreatic carcinoma were examined prospectively with a 64-slice dual source CT using a dynamic sequence of 34 dual-energy (DE) acquisitions every 1.5 s (80 ml of iodinated contrast material, 370 mg/ml, flow rate 5 ml/s). 80 kV p , 140 kV p , and weighted average (linearly blended M0.3) 120 kV p -equivalent dual-energy perfusion image data sets were evaluated with a body-perfusion CT tool (Body-PCT, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) for estimating perfusion, permeability, and blood volume values. Color-coded parameter maps were generated. Results: In all 24 patients dual-energy CT-perfusion was. All carcinomas could be identified in the color-coded perfusion maps. Calculated perfusion, permeability and blood volume values were significantly lower in pancreatic carcinomas compared to healthy pancreatic tissue. Weighted average 120 kV p -equivalent perfusion-, permeability- and blood volume-values determined from DE image data were 0.27 ± 0.04 min −1 vs. 0.91 ± 0.04 min −1 (p −1 vs. 0.67 ± 0.05 *0.5 min −1 (p = 0.06) and 0.49 ± 0.07 min −1 vs. 1.28 ± 0.11 min −1 (p p the standard deviations of the kV p 120 kV p -equivalent values were manifestly smaller. Conclusion: Dual-energy CT-perfusion of the pancreas is feasible. The use of DECT improves the accuracy of CT-perfusion of the pancreas by fully exploiting the advantages of enhanced iodine contrast at 80 kV p in combination with the noise reduction at 140 kV p . Therefore using dual-energy perfusion data could improve the delineation of pancreatic carcinomas

In vitro differentiation of renal stone composition using dual-source, dual-energy CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Changsheng; Zhang Longjiang; Xu Feng; Qi Li; Zhao Yan'e; Zheng Ling; Huang Wei; Liu Youhuang; Lu Guangming

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the ability of dual-source. dual-energy CT in differentiating uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones with infrared spectroscopy as reference standard. Materials and Methods: Urinary calculus from 308 patients were scanned in first generation dual-source CT with dual-energy mode between July 2011 and June 2012. Renal Stone application was used to analyze their composition. The uric acid stones color were coded red and non-uric acid stones were blue. CT values were measured in 60 selective urinary calculus including 30 uric acid stones and 30 non-uric acid stones. The accuracy of dual energy CT to differentiate uric acid and no-uric acid stones was calculated. Results: Of 308 patients, 60 patients had uric acid stones and 248 non-uric acid stones. No difference was found for uric acid stone at 80 kV and 140 kV (375.8±69.2 HU vs. 374.1±69.4 HU; t=-0.217, P=0.830), while CT values of non-uric acid stones were higher at 80 kV than those at 140 kV (1455.1±312.4 HU vs. 1039.6±194.4 HU; t=-12.16. P<0.001). CT values of non-uric acid stones at 80 kV, 140 kV, and average weighted images (1455.1±312.4 HU, 1 039.6±194.4 HU, and 882.0±176.4 HU, respectively) were higher than those of uric acid stones (375.8±69.2 HU, 374.1±69.4 HU, and 366.3±80.1 HU, respectively; P<0.001). With infrared spectrum findings as reference standard, the accuracy of dual energy CT in differentiating uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones was 100%. Conclusions: Dual-source, dual-energy CT can accurately differentiate uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones, and plays an important role in treatment planning of renal stones. (authors)

Single-phase dual-energy CT urography in the evaluation of haematuria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ascenti, G; Mileto, A; Gaeta, M; Blandino, A; Mazziotti, S; Scribano, E

2013-02-01

To assess the value of a single-phase dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) urography protocol with synchronous nephrographic-excretory phase enhancement and to calculate the potential dose reduction by omitting the unenhanced scan. Eighty-four patients referred for haematuria underwent CT urography using a protocol that included single-energy unenhanced and dual-energy contrast-enhanced with synchronous nephrographic-excretory phase scans. DECT-based images [virtual unenhanced (VUE), weighted average, and colour-coded iodine overlay] were reconstructed. Opacification degree by contrast media of the upper urinary tract, and image quality of virtual unenhanced images were independently evaluated using a four-point scale. The diagnostic accuracy in detecting urothelial tumours on DECT-based images was determined. The dose of a theoretical dual-phase single-energy protocol was obtained by multiplying the effective dose of the unenhanced single-energy acquisition by two. Radiation dose saving by omitting the unenhanced scan was calculated. The degree of opacification was scored as optimal or good in 86.9% of cases (k = 0.72); VUE image quality was excellent or good in 83.3% of cases (k = 0.82). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for urothelial tumours detection were 85.7, 98.6, 92.3, and 97.1%. Omission of the unenhanced scan led to a mean dose reduction of 42.7 ± 5%. Single-phase DECT urography with synchronous nephrographic-excretory phase enhancement represents an accurate "all-in-one'' approach with a radiation dose saving up to 45% compared with a standard dual-phase protocol. Copyright © 2012 The Royal College of Radiologists. All rights reserved.

Dual-energy compared to single-energy CT in pediatric imaging: a phantom study for DECT clinical guidance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Xiaowei; Servaes, Sabah; Darge, Kassa [The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Radiology, Philadelphia, PA (United States); University of Pennsylvania, The Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (United States); McCullough, William P. [University of Virginia Health System, Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Mecca, Patricia [The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Radiology, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2016-11-15

Dual-energy CT technology is available on scanners from several vendors and offers significant advantages over classic single-energy CT technology in multiple clinical applications. Many studies have detailed dual-energy CT applications in adults and several have evaluated the relative radiation dose performance of dual-energy CT in adult imaging. However, little has been published on dual-energy CT imaging in the pediatric population, and the relative dose performance of dual-energy CT imaging in the pediatric population is not well described. When evaluating dual-energy CT technology for implementation into a routine clinical pediatric imaging practice, the radiation dose implications must be considered, and when comparing relative CT dose performance, image quality must also be evaluated. Therefore the purpose of this study is to develop dual-energy CT scan protocols based on our optimized single-energy scan protocols and compare the dose. We scanned the head, chest and abdomen regions of pediatric-size anthropomorphic phantoms with contrast inserts, using our optimized single-energy clinical imaging protocols on a Siemens Flash {sup registered} CT scanner. We then scanned the phantoms in dual-energy mode using matching image-quality reference settings. The effective CT dose index volume (CTDI{sub vol}) of the scans was used as a surrogate for relative dose in comparing the single- and dual-energy scans. Additionally, we evaluated image quality using visual assessment and contrast-to-noise ratio. Dual-energy CT scans of the head and abdomen were dose-neutral for all three phantoms. Dual-energy CT scans of the chest showed a relative dose increase over the single-energy scan for 1- and 5-year-old child-based age-equivalent phantoms, ranging 11-20%. Quantitative analysis of image quality showed no statistically significant difference in image quality between the single-energy and dual-energy scans. There was no clinically significant difference in image quality by

Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molloi, Sabee, E-mail: symolloi@uci.edu; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A. [Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States)

2014-08-15

Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer.

Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molloi, Sabee; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer

Effects of cross talk on dual energy SPECT imaging between 123I-BMIPP and 201Tl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Masato; Narita, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Juro; Fukutake, Naoshige; Ohyanagi, Mitsumasa; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Fukuchi, Minoru

1994-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine how much cross talk influences the visual assessment of dual energy single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) images with iodine 123 beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (I-123 BMIPP) and thallium-201 in 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction. After single SPECT with I-123 BMIPP was undertaken, simultaneous dual SPECT with I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 were undertaken in all patients. Three patients also underwent single SPECT with Tl-201. I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 uptake was graded in four-score for the comparison between single and dual SPECT images. There was good correlation between dual energy SPECT and both single I-123 BMIPP SPECT (pS=0.97) and single Tl-201 SPECT (pS=0.59). Uptake scores were increased on dual energy SPECT, compared with single I-123 SPECT (8 out of 132 segments) and single Tl-201 SPECT (12 out of 36 segments). Overall, there was a comparatively well correlation between single SEPCT with either I-123 BMIPP or Tl-201 and dual energy SPECT images. However, one tracer uptake sometimes increased in the other tracer defect areas. This was noticeable when I-123 BMIPP exerted an effect on Tl-201. (N.K.)

Dual energy CT of the chest: how about the dose?

Science.gov (United States)

Schenzle, Jan C; Sommer, Wieland H; Neumaier, Klement; Michalski, Gisela; Lechel, Ursula; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Becker, Christoph R; Reiser, Maximilian F; Johnson, Thorsten R C

2010-06-01

New generation Dual Source computed tomography (CT) scanners offer different x-ray spectra for Dual Energy imaging. Yet, an objective, manufacturer independent verification of the dose required for the different spectral combinations is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess dose and image noise of 2 different Dual Energy CT settings with reference to a standard chest scan and to compare image noise and contrast to noise ratios (CNR). Also, exact effective dose length products (E/DLP) conversion factors were to be established based on the objectively measured dose. An anthropomorphic Alderson phantom was assembled with thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) and its chest was scanned on a Dual Source CT (Siemens Somatom Definition) in dual energy mode at 140 and 80 kVp with 14 x 1.2 mm collimation. The same was performed on another Dual Source CT (Siemens Somatom Definition Flash) at 140 kVp with 0.8 mm tin filter (Sn) and 100 kVp at 128 x 0.6 mm collimation. Reference scans were obtained at 120 kVp with 64 x 0.6 mm collimation at equivalent CT dose index of 5.4 mGy*cm. Syringes filled with water and 17.5 mg iodine/mL were scanned with the same settings. Dose was calculated from the TLD measurements and the dose length products of the scanner. Image noise was measured in the phantom scans and CNR and spectral contrast were determined in the iodine and water samples. E/DLP conversion factors were calculated as ratio between the measured dose form the TLDs and the dose length product given in the patient protocol. The effective dose measured with TLDs was 2.61, 2.69, and 2.70 mSv, respectively, for the 140/80 kVp, the 140 Sn/100 kVp, and the standard 120 kVp scans. Image noise measured in the average images of the phantom scans was 11.0, 10.7, and 9.9 HU (P > 0.05). The CNR of iodine with optimized image blending was 33.4 at 140/80 kVp, 30.7 at 140Sn/100 kVp and 14.6 at 120 kVp. E/DLP conversion factors were 0.0161 mSv/mGy*cm for the 140/80 kVp protocol, 0.0181 m

Do Gender Differences in Perceived Prototypical Computer Scientists and Engineers Contribute to Gender Gaps in Computer Science and Engineering?

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrlinger, Joyce; Plant, E Ashby; Hartwig, Marissa K; Vossen, Jordan J; Columb, Corey J; Brewer, Lauren E

2018-01-01

Women are vastly underrepresented in the fields of computer science and engineering (CS&E). We examined whether women might view the intellectual characteristics of prototypical individuals in CS&E in more stereotype-consistent ways than men might and, consequently, show less interest in CS&E. We asked 269 U.S. college students (187, 69.5% women) to describe the prototypical computer scientist (Study 1) or engineer (Study 2) through open-ended descriptions as well as through a set of trait ratings. Participants also rated themselves on the same set of traits and rated their similarity to the prototype. Finally, participants in both studies were asked to describe their likelihood of pursuing future college courses and careers in computer science (Study 1) or engineering (Study 2). Across both studies, we found that women offered more stereotype-consistent ratings than did men of the intellectual characteristics of prototypes in CS (Study 1) and engineering (Study 2). Women also perceived themselves as less similar to the prototype than men did. Further, the observed gender differences in prototype perceptions mediated the tendency for women to report lower interest in CS&E fields relative to men. Our work highlights the importance of prototype perceptions for understanding the gender gap in CS&E and suggests avenues for interventions that may increase women's representation in these vital fields.

Vertebral bone mineral measurement using dual photon absorptiometry and computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksson, S.; Isberg, B.; Lindgren, U.; Huddinge Univ. Hospital

1988-01-01

The lumbar spine of 14 cadavers was studied both by 153 Gd dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) at 96 and 125 kVp. The intact spine and the individual vertebrae were analyzed. After these measurements the ash content of the vertebral body, the posterior elements, and the transverse processes was determined. The fat content of the vertebral body as well as its volume was also measured. With DPA, the bone mineral content (BMC) determined in situ as well as on excised spine specimens correlated highly with the amount of total vertebral ash (r > 0.92, SEE 0.81, SEE 3 ). The so-called corpus density and central density determinations were less accurate. No difference in accuracy was found between measurements when using 3 mm and 4.5 mm step intervals. Variations in the distribution of mineral between the vertebral body and the posterior elements contribute to the error in predicting vertebral body mineral with DPA. QCT gave a smaller error when a cylindric portion of the vertebral body with a 20 diameter was measured compared with one with a 9 mm diameter, when the dual energy technique was used (p 3 ). Single energy QCT was insignificantly less accurate than dual energy QCT. Only small differences were found between vertebrae with high fat density of the vertebral body when single or dual QCT was used. QCT was more accurate than DPA in the prediction of the mineral density of individual vertebral bodies (p < 0.05) but no difference was found when the average values for the lumbar spine were calculated. (orig.)

Top 50 Highly Cited Articles on Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) in Abdominal Radiology: A Bibliometric Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Bo; Wu, Yuhao; O’Keeffe, Michael E; Berger, Ferco H; McLaughlin, Patrick D; Nicolaou, Savvas

2017-01-01

Summary This study aims to identify the 50 most highly cited articles on dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in abdominal radiology Thomson Reuters Web of Science All Databases was queried without year or language restriction. Only original research articles with a primary focus on abdominal radiology using DECT were selected. Review articles, meta-analyses, and studies without human subjects were excluded. Fifty articles with the highest average yearly citation were identified. These articles were published between 2007 and 2017 in 12 journals, with the most in Radiology (12 articles). Articles had a median of 7 authors, with all first authors but one primarily affiliated to radiology departments. The United States of America produced the most articles (16), followed by Germany (13 articles), and China (7 articles). Most studies used Dual Source DECT technology (35 articles), followed by Rapid Kilovoltage Switching (14 articles), and Sequential Scanning (1 article). The top three scanned organs were the liver (24%), kidney (16%), and urinary tract (15%). The most commonly studied pathology was urinary calculi (28%), renal lesion/tumor (23%), and hepatic lesion/tumor (20%). Our study identifies intellectual milestones in the applications of DECT in abdominal radiology. The diversity of the articles reflects on the characteristics and quality of the most influential publications related to DECT. PMID:29657641

Dual- and Multi-Energy CT: Principles, Technical Approaches, and Clinical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Fletcher, Joel G.

2015-01-01

In x-ray computed tomography (CT), materials having different elemental compositions can be represented by identical pixel values on a CT image (ie, CT numbers), depending on the mass density of the material. Thus, the differentiation and classification of different tissue types and contrast agents can be extremely challenging. In dual-energy CT, an additional attenuation measurement is obtained with a second x-ray spectrum (ie, a second “energy”), allowing the differentiation of multiple materials. Alternatively, this allows quantification of the mass density of two or three materials in a mixture with known elemental composition. Recent advances in the use of energy-resolving, photon-counting detectors for CT imaging suggest the ability to acquire data in multiple energy bins, which is expected to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio for material-specific imaging. In this review, the underlying motivation and physical principles of dual- or multi-energy CT are reviewed and each of the current technical approaches is described. In addition, current and evolving clinical applications are introduced. © RSNA, 2015 PMID:26302388

Differentiation of benign and malignant lung lesions: Dual-Energy Computed Tomography findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González-Pérez, Víctor; Arana, Estanislao; Barrios, María; Bartrés, Albert; Cruz, Julia; Montero, Rafael; González, Manuel; Deltoro, Carlos; Martínez-Pérez, Encarnación; De Aguiar-Quevedo, Karol; Arrarás, Miguel

2016-01-01

Purpose: To determine whether parameters generated by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) can distinguish malignant from benign lung lesions. Methods: A prospective review of 125 patients with 126 lung lesions (23 benign and 103 malignant) who underwent lung DECT during arterial phase. All lesions were confirmed by tissue sampling. A radiologist semi-automatically contoured lesions and placed regions of interest (ROIs) in paravertebral muscle (PVM) for normalization. Variables related to absorption in Hounsfield units (HU), effective atomic number (Z eff ), iodine concentration (ρ I ) and spectral CT curves were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to calculate sensitivity and specificity as predictors of malignancy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Reproducibility of measures normalized with PVM was poor. Bivariate analysis showed minimum Z eff and normalized mean Z eff to be statistically significant (p = 0.001), with area under the curve (AUC) values: 0.66 (CI 95% 0.54–0.80) and 0.72 (CI 95%, 0.60–0.84), respectively. Logistic regression models showed no differences between raw and normalized measurements. In both models, minimum HU (OR: 0.9) and size (OR: 0.1) were predictive of benign lesions. Conclusions: A quantitative approach to DECT using raw measurements is simpler than logistic regression models. Normalization to PVM was not clinically reliable due to its poor reproducibility. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Differentiation of benign and malignant lung lesions: Dual-Energy Computed Tomography findings.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Pérez, Víctor; Arana, Estanislao; Barrios, María; Bartrés, Albert; Cruz, Julia; Montero, Rafael; González, Manuel; Deltoro, Carlos; Martínez-Pérez, Encarnación; De Aguiar-Quevedo, Karol; Arrarás, Miguel

2016-10-01

To determine whether parameters generated by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) can distinguish malignant from benign lung lesions. A prospective review of 125 patients with 126 lung lesions (23 benign and 103 malignant) who underwent lung DECT during arterial phase. All lesions were confirmed by tissue sampling. A radiologist semi-automatically contoured lesions and placed regions of interest (ROIs) in paravertebral muscle (PVM) for normalization. Variables related to absorption in Hounsfield units (HU), effective atomic number (Zeff), iodine concentration (ρI) and spectral CT curves were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to calculate sensitivity and specificity as predictors of malignancy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Reproducibility of measures normalized with PVM was poor. Bivariate analysis showed minimum Zeff and normalized mean Zeff to be statistically significant (p=0.001), with area under the curve (AUC) values: 0.66 (CI 95% 0.54-0.80) and 0.72 (CI 95%, 0.60-0.84), respectively. Logistic regression models showed no differences between raw and normalized measurements. In both models, minimum HU (OR: 0.9) and size (OR: 0.1) were predictive of benign lesions. A quantitative approach to DECT using raw measurements is simpler than logistic regression models. Normalization to PVM was not clinically reliable due to its poor reproducibility. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory and applications of the dual energy technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuang, K.S.K.

1986-01-01

Three important principles in the dual energy technique applied to radiography are studied in this dissertation: the decomposition method, x-ray scatter consideration, and the selection of an optimal energy pair. First, two new methods namely, iso-transmission lines and sub-region direct approximation methods, are proposed for dual energy decomposition calculation. These two methods are compared with two other conventional techniques, i.e. nonlinear equations and direct approximation. The accuracy, efficiency, and smoothness are used as indices for comparison. The authors conclude that the two new proposed methods, iso-transmission lines and sub-region, are superior than the nonlinear equations and direct approximation methods. In this dissertation, a method to perform scatter correction based on the knowledge of scatter primary ratio is presented. First, the relation between scatter primary ratio and attenuation coefficient is determined by a Monte Carlo simulation. The selection of an optimal energy pair for a dual energy system is described in this dissertation. The selection is based on the calculation of an optimum factor which takes into consideration of the noise in the high and low energy images, the radiation dose to the patient, as well as the error produced during the dual energy decomposition process. The calculation of this optimum factor is obtained using monoenergetic radiation sources on various sizes of water phantom. In addition to these three aspects, this dissertation also addresses some clinical applications of the dual energy techniques and shows some of the results

Dual-energy compared to single-energy CT in pediatric imaging: a phantom study for DECT clinical guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Xiaowei; Servaes, Sabah; Darge, Kassa; McCullough, William P.; Mecca, Patricia

2016-01-01

Dual-energy CT technology is available on scanners from several vendors and offers significant advantages over classic single-energy CT technology in multiple clinical applications. Many studies have detailed dual-energy CT applications in adults and several have evaluated the relative radiation dose performance of dual-energy CT in adult imaging. However, little has been published on dual-energy CT imaging in the pediatric population, and the relative dose performance of dual-energy CT imaging in the pediatric population is not well described. When evaluating dual-energy CT technology for implementation into a routine clinical pediatric imaging practice, the radiation dose implications must be considered, and when comparing relative CT dose performance, image quality must also be evaluated. Therefore the purpose of this study is to develop dual-energy CT scan protocols based on our optimized single-energy scan protocols and compare the dose. We scanned the head, chest and abdomen regions of pediatric-size anthropomorphic phantoms with contrast inserts, using our optimized single-energy clinical imaging protocols on a Siemens Flash "r"e"g"i"s"t"e"r"e"d CT scanner. We then scanned the phantoms in dual-energy mode using matching image-quality reference settings. The effective CT dose index volume (CTDI_v_o_l) of the scans was used as a surrogate for relative dose in comparing the single- and dual-energy scans. Additionally, we evaluated image quality using visual assessment and contrast-to-noise ratio. Dual-energy CT scans of the head and abdomen were dose-neutral for all three phantoms. Dual-energy CT scans of the chest showed a relative dose increase over the single-energy scan for 1- and 5-year-old child-based age-equivalent phantoms, ranging 11-20%. Quantitative analysis of image quality showed no statistically significant difference in image quality between the single-energy and dual-energy scans. There was no clinically significant difference in image quality

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced mammography.

Science.gov (United States)

Travieso Aja, M M; Rodríguez Rodríguez, M; Alayón Hernández, S; Vega Benítez, V; Luzardo, O P

2014-01-01

The degree of vascularization in breast lesions is related to their malignancy. For this reason, functional diagnostic imaging techniques have become important in recent years. Dual-energy contrast-enhanced mammography is a new, apparently promising technique in breast cancer that provides information about the degree of vascularization of the lesion in addition to the morphological information provided by conventional mammography. This article describes the state of the art for dual-energy contrast-enhanced mammography. Based on 15 months' clinical experience, we illustrate this review with clinical cases that allow us to discuss the advantages and limitations of this technique. Copyright © 2014 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Initial experience with a prototype dual-crystal (LSO/NaI) dual-head coincidence camera in oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Urvi; Boellaard, Ronald; Comans, Emile F.I.; Raijmakers, Pieter G.H.M.; Pijpers, Rik J.; Teule, Gerrit J.J.; Lingen, Arthur van; Hoekstra, Otto S.; Miller, Steven D.

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo performance of a prototype dual-crystal [lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)/sodium iodide (NaI)] dual-head coincidence camera (DHC) for PET and SPET (LSO-PS), in comparison to BGO-PET with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in oncology. This follows earlier reports that LSO-PS has noise-equivalent counting (NEC) rates comparable to partial ring BGO-PET, i.e. clearly higher than standard NaI DHCs. Twenty-four randomly selected oncological patients referred for whole-body FDG-PET underwent BGO-PET followed by LSO-PS. Four nuclear medicine physicians were randomised to read a single scan modality, in terms of lesion intensity, location and likelihood of malignancy. BGO-PET was considered the gold standard. Forty-eight lesions were classified as positive with BGO-PET, of which LSO-PS identified 73% (95% CI 60-86%). There was good observer agreement for both modalities in terms of intensity, location and interpretation. Lesions were missed by LSO-PS in 13 patients in the chest (n=6), neck (n=3) and abdomen (n=4). The diameter of these lesions was estimated to be 0.5-1 cm. Initial results justify further evaluation of LSO-PS in specific clinical situations, especially if a role as an instrument of triage for PET is foreseen. (orig.)

Accuracy of Dual-Energy Virtual Monochromatic CT Numbers: Comparison between the Single-Source Projection-Based and Dual-Source Image-Based Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueguchi, Takashi; Ogihara, Ryota; Yamada, Sachiko

2018-03-21

To investigate the accuracy of dual-energy virtual monochromatic computed tomography (CT) numbers obtained by two typical hardware and software implementations: the single-source projection-based method and the dual-source image-based method. A phantom with different tissue equivalent inserts was scanned with both single-source and dual-source scanners. A fast kVp-switching feature was used on the single-source scanner, whereas a tin filter was used on the dual-source scanner. Virtual monochromatic CT images of the phantom at energy levels of 60, 100, and 140 keV were obtained by both projection-based (on the single-source scanner) and image-based (on the dual-source scanner) methods. The accuracy of virtual monochromatic CT numbers for all inserts was assessed by comparing measured values to their corresponding true values. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the dependency of measured CT numbers on tissue attenuation, method, and their interaction. Root mean square values of systematic error over all inserts at 60, 100, and 140 keV were approximately 53, 21, and 29 Hounsfield unit (HU) with the single-source projection-based method, and 46, 7, and 6 HU with the dual-source image-based method, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that the interaction between the attenuation and the method had a statistically significant effect on the measured CT numbers at 100 and 140 keV. There were attenuation-, method-, and energy level-dependent systematic errors in the measured virtual monochromatic CT numbers. CT number reproducibility was comparable between the two scanners, and CT numbers had better accuracy with the dual-source image-based method at 100 and 140 keV. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early small-bowel ischemia: dual-energy CT improves conspicuity compared with conventional CT in a swine model.

Science.gov (United States)

Potretzke, Theodora A; Brace, Christopher L; Lubner, Meghan G; Sampson, Lisa A; Willey, Bridgett J; Lee, Fred T

2015-04-01

To compare dual-energy computed tomography (CT) with conventional CT for the detection of small-bowel ischemia in an experimental animal model. The study was approved by the animal care and use committee and was performed in accordance with the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals issued by the National Research Council. Ischemic bowel segments (n = 8) were created in swine (n = 4) by means of surgical occlusion of distal mesenteric arteries and veins. Contrast material-enhanced dual-energy CT and conventional single-energy CT (120 kVp) sequences were performed during the portal venous phase with a single-source fast-switching dual-energy CT scanner. Attenuation values and contrast-to-noise ratios of ischemic and perfused segments on iodine material-density, monospectral dual-energy CT (51 keV, 65 keV, and 70 keV), and conventional 120-kVp CT images were compared. Linear mixed-effects models were used for comparisons. The attenuation difference between ischemic and perfused segments was significantly greater on dual-energy 51-keV CT images than on conventional 120-kVp CT images (mean difference, 91.7 HU vs 47.6 HU; P conventional CT by increasing attenuation differences between ischemic and perfused segments on low-kiloelectron volt and iodine material density images. © RSNA, 2014.

Differentiation of urinary calculi with dual energy CT: effect of spectral shaping by high energy tin filtration.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Christoph; Krauss, Bernhard; Ketelsen, Dominik; Tsiflikas, Ilias; Reimann, Anja; Werner, Matthias; Schilling, David; Hennenlotter, Jörg; Claussen, Claus D; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Heuschmid, Martin

2010-07-01

In dual energy (DE) computed tomography (CT), spectral shaping by additional filtration of the high energy spectrum can theoretically improve dual energy contrast. The aim of this in vitro study was to examine the influence of an additional tin filter for the differentiation of human urinary calculi by dual energy CT. A total of 36 pure human urinary calculi (uric acid, cystine, calciumoxalate monohydrate, calciumoxalate dihydrate, carbonatapatite, brushite, average diameter 10.5 mm) were placed in a phantom and imaged with 2 dual source CT scanners. One scanner was equipped with an additional tin (Sn) filter. Different combinations of tube voltages (140/80 kV, 140/100 kV, Sn140/100 kV, Sn140/80 kV, with Sn140 referring to 140 kV with the tin filter) were applied. Tube currents were adapted to yield comparable dose indices. Low- and high energy images were reconstructed. The calculi were segmented semiautomatically in the datasets and DE ratios (attenuation@low_kV/attenuation@high_kV) and were calculated for each calculus. DE contrasts (DE-ratio_material1/DE-ratio_material2) were computed for uric acid, cystine and calcified calculi and compared between the combinations of tube voltages. Using exclusively DE ratios, all uric acid, cystine and calcified calculi (as a group) could be differentiated in all protocols; the calcified calculi could not be differentiated among each other in any examination protocol. The highest DE ratios and DE contrasts were measured for the Sn140/80 protocol (53%-62% higher DE contrast than in the 140/80 kV protocol without additional filtration). The DE ratios and DE contrasts of the 80/140 kV and 100/Sn140 kV protocols were comparable. Uric acid, cystine and calcified calculi could be reliably differentiated by any of the protocols. A dose-neutral gain of DE contrast was found in the Sn-filter protocols, which might improve the differentiation of smaller calculi (Sn140/80 kV) and improve image quality and calculi differentiation in

Dual-energy attenuation coefficient decomposition with differential filtration and application to a microCT scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taschereau, R; Silverman, R W; Chatziioannou, A F

2010-01-01

Dual-energy x-ray computed tomography (DECT) has the capability to decompose attenuation coefficients using two basis functions and has proved its potential in reducing beam-hardening artifacts from reconstructed images. The method typically involves two successive scans with different x-ray tube voltage settings. This work proposes an approach to dual-energy imaging through x-ray beam filtration that requires only one scan and a single tube voltage setting. It has been implemented in a preclinical microCT tomograph with minor modifications. Retrofitting of the microCT scanner involved the addition of an automated filter wheel and modifications to the acquisition and reconstruction software. Results show that beam-hardening artifacts are reduced to noise level. Acquisition of a μ-Compton image is well suited for attenuation-correction of PET images while dynamic energy selection (4D viewing) offers flexibility in image viewing by adjusting contrast and noise levels to suit the task at hand. All dual-energy and single energy reference scans were acquired at the same soft tissue dose level of 50 mGy.

Dual-energy attenuation coefficient decomposition with differential filtration and application to a microCT scanner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taschereau, R; Silverman, R W; Chatziioannou, A F [Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)], E-mail: rtaschereau@mednet.ucla.edu

2010-02-21

Dual-energy x-ray computed tomography (DECT) has the capability to decompose attenuation coefficients using two basis functions and has proved its potential in reducing beam-hardening artifacts from reconstructed images. The method typically involves two successive scans with different x-ray tube voltage settings. This work proposes an approach to dual-energy imaging through x-ray beam filtration that requires only one scan and a single tube voltage setting. It has been implemented in a preclinical microCT tomograph with minor modifications. Retrofitting of the microCT scanner involved the addition of an automated filter wheel and modifications to the acquisition and reconstruction software. Results show that beam-hardening artifacts are reduced to noise level. Acquisition of a {mu}-Compton image is well suited for attenuation-correction of PET images while dynamic energy selection (4D viewing) offers flexibility in image viewing by adjusting contrast and noise levels to suit the task at hand. All dual-energy and single energy reference scans were acquired at the same soft tissue dose level of 50 mGy.

Acquisition and manipulation of computed tomography images of the maxillofacial region for biomedical prototyping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meurer, Maria Ines; Silva, Jorge Vicente Lopes da; Santa Barbara, Ailton; Nobre, Luiz Felipe; Oliveira, Marilia Gerhardt de; Silva, Daniela Nascimento

2008-01-01

Biomedical prototyping has resulted from a merger of rapid prototyping and imaging diagnosis technologies. However, this process is complex, considering the necessity of interaction between biomedical sciences and engineering. Good results are highly dependent on the acquisition of computed tomography images and their subsequent manipulation by means of specific software. The present study describes the experience of a multidisciplinary group of researchers in the acquisition and manipulation of computed tomography images of the maxillofacial region aiming at biomedical prototyping for surgical purposes. (author)

Spinal dual-energy computed tomography: improved visualisation of spinal tumorous growth with a noise-optimised advanced monoenergetic post-processing algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kraus, Mareen; Weiss, Jakob; Selo, Nadja; Notohamiprodjo, Mike; Bamberg, Fabian; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Othman, Ahmed E. [Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany); Flohr, Thomas [Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen (Germany)

2016-11-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of advanced monoenergetic post-processing (MEI+) on the visualisation of spinal growth in contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT (DE-CT). Twenty-six oncologic patients (age, 61 ± 17 years) with spinal tumorous growth were included. Patients underwent contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT on a third-generation dual-source CT scanner. Image acquisition was in dual-energy mode (100/Sn150kV), and scans were initiated 90 s after contrast agent administration. Virtual monoenergetic images (MEI+) were reconstructed at four different kiloelectron volts (keV) levels (40, 60, 80, 100) and compared to the standard blended portal venous computed tomography (CT{sub pv}). Image quality was assessed qualitatively (conspicuity, delineation, sharpness, noise, confidence; two independent readers; 5-point Likert scale; 5 = excellent) and quantitatively by calculating signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR). For a subgroup of 10 patients with MR imaging within 4 months of the DE-CT, we compared the monoenergetic images to the MRIs qualitatively. Highest contrast of spinal growth was observed in MEI+ at 40 keV, with significant differences to CT{sub pv} and all other keV reconstructions (60, 80, 100; p < 0.01). Highest conspicuity, delineation and sharpness were observed in MEI+ at 40 keV, with significant differences to CT{sub pv} (p < 0.001). Similarly, MEI+ at 40 keV yielded highest diagnostic confidence (4.6 ± 0.6), also with significant differences to CT{sub pv} (3.45 ± 0.9, p < 0.001) and to high keV reconstructions (80, 100; p ≤ 0.001). Similarly, CNR calculations revealed highest scores for MEI+ at 40 keV followed by 60 keV and CT{sub pv}, with significant differences to high keV MEI+ reconstructions. Qualitative analysis scores peaked for MR images followed by the MEI+ 40-keV reconstructions. MEI+ at low keV levels can significantly improve image quality and delineation of spinal growth in patients with portal

Prototype dining hall energy efficiency study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazzucchi, R.P.; Bailey, S.A.; Zimmerman, P.W.

1988-06-01

The energy consumption of food service facilities is among the highest of any commercial building type, owing to the special requirements for food preparation, sanitation, and ventilation. Consequently, the US Air Force Engineering and Services Center (AFESC) contracted with Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to collect and analyze end-use energy consumption data for a prototypical dining hall and make specific recommendations on cost-effective energy conservation options. This information will be used to establish or update criteria for dining hall designs and retrofits as appropriate. 6 refs., 21 figs., 23 tabs.

Quantitative material decomposition using spectral computed tomography with an energy-resolved photon-counting detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seungwan; Choi, Yu-Na; Kim, Hee-Joung

2014-01-01

Dual-energy computed tomography (CT) techniques have been used to decompose materials and characterize tissues according to their physical and chemical compositions. However, these techniques are hampered by the limitations of conventional x-ray detectors operated in charge integrating mode. Energy-resolved photon-counting detectors provide spectral information from polychromatic x-rays using multiple energy thresholds. These detectors allow simultaneous acquisition of data in different energy ranges without spectral overlap, resulting in more efficient material decomposition and quantification for dual-energy CT. In this study, a pre-reconstruction dual-energy CT technique based on volume conservation was proposed for three-material decomposition. The technique was combined with iterative reconstruction algorithms by using a ray-driven projector in order to improve the quality of decomposition images and reduce radiation dose. A spectral CT system equipped with a CZT-based photon-counting detector was used to implement the proposed dual-energy CT technique. We obtained dual-energy images of calibration and three-material phantoms consisting of low atomic number materials from the optimal energy bins determined by Monte Carlo simulations. The material decomposition process was accomplished by both the proposed and post-reconstruction dual-energy CT techniques. Linear regression and normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) analyses were performed to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of decomposition images. The calibration accuracy of the proposed dual-energy CT technique was higher than that of the post-reconstruction dual-energy CT technique, with fitted slopes of 0.97–1.01 and NRMSEs of 0.20–4.50% for all basis materials. In the three-material phantom study, the proposed dual-energy CT technique decreased the NRMSEs of measured volume fractions by factors of 0.17–0.28 compared to the post-reconstruction dual-energy CT technique. It was concluded that the

Network computing infrastructure to share tools and data in global nuclear energy partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Guehee; Suzuki, Yoshio; Teshima, Naoya

2010-01-01

CCSE/JAEA (Center for Computational Science and e-Systems/Japan Atomic Energy Agency) integrated a prototype system of a network computing infrastructure for sharing tools and data to support the U.S. and Japan collaboration in GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership). We focused on three technical issues to apply our information process infrastructure, which are accessibility, security, and usability. In designing the prototype system, we integrated and improved both network and Web technologies. For the accessibility issue, we adopted SSL-VPN (Security Socket Layer - Virtual Private Network) technology for the access beyond firewalls. For the security issue, we developed an authentication gateway based on the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) authentication mechanism to strengthen the security. Also, we set fine access control policy to shared tools and data and used shared key based encryption method to protect tools and data against leakage to third parties. For the usability issue, we chose Web browsers as user interface and developed Web application to provide functions to support sharing tools and data. By using WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) function, users can manipulate shared tools and data through the Windows-like folder environment. We implemented the prototype system in Grid infrastructure for atomic energy research: AEGIS (Atomic Energy Grid Infrastructure) developed by CCSE/JAEA. The prototype system was applied for the trial use in the first period of GNEP. (author)

Image enhancement by spectral-error correction for dual-energy computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kyung-Kook; Oh, Chang-Hyun; Akay, Metin

2011-01-01

Dual-energy CT (DECT) was reintroduced recently to use the additional spectral information of X-ray attenuation and aims for accurate density measurement and material differentiation. However, the spectral information lies in the difference between low and high energy images or measurements, so that it is difficult to acquire accurate spectral information due to amplification of high pixel noise in the resulting difference image. In this work, an image enhancement technique for DECT is proposed, based on the fact that the attenuation of a higher density material decreases more rapidly as X-ray energy increases. We define as spectral error the case when a pixel pair of low and high energy images deviates far from the expected attenuation trend. After analyzing the spectral-error sources of DECT images, we propose a DECT image enhancement method, which consists of three steps: water-reference offset correction, spectral-error correction, and anti-correlated noise reduction. It is the main idea of this work that makes spectral errors distributed like random noise over the true attenuation and suppressed by the well-known anti-correlated noise reduction. The proposed method suppressed noise of liver lesions and improved contrast between liver lesions and liver parenchyma in DECT contrast-enhanced abdominal images and their two-material decomposition.

Phantom-less bone mineral density (BMD) measurement using dual energy computed tomography-based 3-material decomposition

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Philipp; Sedlmair, Martin; Krauss, Bernhard; Wichmann, Julian L.; Bauer, Ralf W.; Flohr, Thomas G.; Mahnken, Andreas H.

2016-03-01

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease usually diagnosed at the manifestation of fragility fractures, which severely endanger the health of especially the elderly. To ensure timely therapeutic countermeasures, noninvasive and widely applicable diagnostic methods are required. Currently the primary quantifiable indicator for bone stability, bone mineral density (BMD), is obtained either by DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) or qCT (quantitative CT). Both have respective advantages and disadvantages, with DEXA being considered as gold standard. For timely diagnosis of osteoporosis, another CT-based method is presented. A Dual Energy CT reconstruction workflow is being developed to evaluate BMD by evaluating lumbar spine (L1-L4) DE-CT images. The workflow is ROI-based and automated for practical use. A dual energy 3-material decomposition algorithm is used to differentiate bone from soft tissue and fat attenuation. The algorithm uses material attenuation coefficients on different beam energy levels. The bone fraction of the three different tissues is used to calculate the amount of hydroxylapatite in the trabecular bone of the corpus vertebrae inside a predefined ROI. Calibrations have been performed to obtain volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) without having to add a calibration phantom or to use special scan protocols or hardware. Accuracy and precision are dependent on image noise and comparable to qCT images. Clinical indications are in accordance with the DEXA gold standard. The decomposition-based workflow shows bone degradation effects normally not visible on standard CT images which would induce errors in normal qCT results.

Preliminary study of single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging using dual-source CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Jin; Zhang Longjiang; Zhou Changsheng; Lu Guangming; Ma Yan; Gu Haifeng

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary applications of single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging using dual-source CT (DSCT). Methods: Thirty patients underwent dual energy heart imaging with DSCT, of which 6 cases underwent SPECT or DSA within one week. Two experienced radiologists assessed image quality of coronary arteries and iodine map of myocardium. and correlated the coronary artery stenosis with the perfusion distribution of iodine map. Results: l00% (300/300) segments reached diagnostic standards. The mean score of image for all patients was 4.68±0.57. Mural coronary artery was present in 10 segments in S cases, atherosclerotic plaques in 32 segments in 12 cases, of which 20 segments having ≥50% stenosis, 12 segments ≤50% stenosis; dual energy CT coronary angiography was consistent with the DSA in 3 patients. 37 segmental perfusion abnormalities on iodine map were found in 15 cases, including 28 coronary blood supply segment narrow segment and 9 no coronary stenosis (including three negative segments in SPECD. Conclusion: Single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging can provide good coronary artery and myocardium perfusion images in the patients with appropriate heart rate, which has a potential to be used in the clinic and further studies are needed. (authors)

Decomposition recovery extension to the Computer Aided Prototyping System (CAPS) change-merge tool.

OpenAIRE

Keesling, William Ronald

1997-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited A promising use of Computer Aided Prototyping System (CAPS) is to support concurrent design. Key to success in this context is the ability to automatically and reliably combine and integrate the prototypes produced in concurrent efforts. Thus, to be of practical use in this as well as most prototyping contexts, a CAPS tool must have a fast, automated, reliable prototype integration capability. The current CAPS Change Merge Tool is fast...

Detection of occult, undisplaced hip fractures with a dual-energy CT algorithm targeted to detection of bone marrow edema.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, T; McLaughlin, P D; Mallinson, P I; Reagan, A C; Munk, P L; Nicolaou, S; Ouellette, H A

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study is to describe our initial clinical experience with dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) virtual non-calcium (VNC) images for the detection of bone marrow (BM) edema in patients with suspected hip fracture following trauma. Twenty-five patients presented to the emergency department at a level 1 trauma center between January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2013 with clinical suspicion of hip fracture and normal radiographs were included. All CT scans were performed on a dual-source, dual-energy CT system. VNC images were generated using prototype software and were compared to regular bone reconstructions by two musculoskeletal radiologists in consensus. Radiological and/or clinical diagnosis of fracture at 30-day follow-up was used as the reference standard. Twenty-one patients were found to have DECT-VNC signs of bone marrow edema. Eighteen of these 21 patients were true positive and three were false positive. A concordant fracture was clearly seen on bone reconstruction images in 15 of the 18 true positive cases. In three cases, DECT-VNC was positive for bone marrow edema where bone reconstruction CT images were negative. Four patients demonstrated no DECT-VNC signs of bone marrow edema: two cases were true negative, two cases were false negative. When compared with the gold standard of hip fracture determined at retrospective follow-up, the sensitivity of DECT-VNC images of the hip was 90 %, specificity was 40 %, positive predictive value was 86 %, and negative predictive value was 50 %. Our initial experience would suggest that DECT-VNC is highly sensitive but poorly specific in the diagnosis of hip fractures in patients with normal radiographs. The value of DECT-VNC primarily lies in its ability to help detect fractures which may be subtle or undetectable on bone reconstruction CT images.

Differentiation of benign and malignant lung lesions: Dual-Energy Computed Tomography findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

González-Pérez, Víctor [Dept Radiophysics, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Arana, Estanislao, E-mail: aranae@uv.es [Dept Radiology, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Barrios, María [Dept Radiology, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Bartrés, Albert [Dept Radiophysics, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Cruz, Julia [Dept Pathology, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Montero, Rafael [GE Healthcare Diagnostic Imaging, Iberia (Spain); González, Manuel; Deltoro, Carlos [Dept Radiology, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); Martínez-Pérez, Encarnación [Dept Pneumology, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain); De Aguiar-Quevedo, Karol; Arrarás, Miguel [Dept Thoracic Surgery, Foundation IVO, Valencia (Spain)

2016-10-15

Purpose: To determine whether parameters generated by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) can distinguish malignant from benign lung lesions. Methods: A prospective review of 125 patients with 126 lung lesions (23 benign and 103 malignant) who underwent lung DECT during arterial phase. All lesions were confirmed by tissue sampling. A radiologist semi-automatically contoured lesions and placed regions of interest (ROIs) in paravertebral muscle (PVM) for normalization. Variables related to absorption in Hounsfield units (HU), effective atomic number (Z{sub eff}), iodine concentration (ρ{sub I}) and spectral CT curves were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to calculate sensitivity and specificity as predictors of malignancy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Reproducibility of measures normalized with PVM was poor. Bivariate analysis showed minimum Z{sub eff} and normalized mean Z{sub eff} to be statistically significant (p = 0.001), with area under the curve (AUC) values: 0.66 (CI 95% 0.54–0.80) and 0.72 (CI 95%, 0.60–0.84), respectively. Logistic regression models showed no differences between raw and normalized measurements. In both models, minimum HU (OR: 0.9) and size (OR: 0.1) were predictive of benign lesions. Conclusions: A quantitative approach to DECT using raw measurements is simpler than logistic regression models. Normalization to PVM was not clinically reliable due to its poor reproducibility. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

A handy motion driven hybrid energy harvester: dual Halbach array based electromagnetic and triboelectric generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salauddin, M; Park, J Y

2016-01-01

In this work, we have proposed and experimentally validated of hybrid electromagnetic and triboelectric energy harvester using dual Halbach magnets array excited by human handy motion. Hybrid electromagnetic (EM) and triboelectric (TE) generator that can deliver an output performance much higher than that of the individual energy-harvesting unit due to the combination operation of EM and TE mechanisms under the same mechanical movements. A Halbach array concentrates the magnetic flux lines on one side of the array while suppressing the flux lines on the other side. Dual Halbach array allows the concentrated magnetic flux lines to interact with the same coil in a way where maximum flux linkage occurs. When an external mechanical vibration is applied to the hybrid structure in the axial direction of the harvester, the suspended mass (two sided dual-Halbach-array frame) starts to oscillate within the magnetic springs and TEG part. Therefore, the TEG part, the Al film and microstructure PDMS film are collected into full contact with each other, generating triboelectric charges due to the various triboelectricities between them. A prototype of the hybrid harvester has been fabricated and tested. The EMG is capable of delivering maximum 11.5mW peak power at 32.5Ω matching load resistance and the TEG delivering 88μW peak power at 10MΩ load resistance. (paper)

Advanced virtual monochromatic reconstruction of dual-energy unenhanced brain computed tomography in children: comparison of image quality against standard mono-energetic images and conventional polychromatic computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Juil [Seoul National University Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Young Hun [Seoul National University Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cheon, Jung-Eun; Kim, Woo Sun; Kim, In-One [Seoul National University Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Pak, Seong Yong [Siemens Healthineers, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Krauss, Bernhard [Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim (Germany)

2017-11-15

Advanced virtual monochromatic reconstruction from dual-energy brain CT has not been evaluated in children. To determine the most effective advanced virtual monochromatic imaging energy level for maximizing pediatric brain parenchymal image quality in dual-energy unenhanced brain CT and to compare this technique with conventional monochromatic reconstruction and polychromatic scanning. Using both conventional (Mono) and advanced monochromatic reconstruction (Mono+) techniques, we retrospectively reconstructed 13 virtual monochromatic imaging energy levels from 40 keV to 100 keV in 5-keV increments from dual-source, dual-energy unenhanced brain CT scans obtained in 23 children. We analyzed gray and white matter noise ratios, signal-to-noise ratios and contrast-to-noise ratio, and posterior fossa artifact. We chose the optimal mono-energetic levels and compared them with conventional CT. For Mono+maximum optima were observed at 60 keV, and minimum posterior fossa artifact at 70 keV. For Mono, optima were at 65-70 keV, with minimum posterior fossa artifact at 75 keV. Mono+ was superior to Mono and to polychromatic CT for image-quality measures. Subjective analysis rated Mono+superior to other image sets. Optimal virtual monochromatic imaging using Mono+ algorithm demonstrated better image quality for gray-white matter differentiation and reduction of the artifact in the posterior fossa. (orig.)

Dosimetric Evaluation of Metal Artefact Reduction using Metal Artefact Reduction (MAR) Algorithm and Dual-energy Computed Tomography (CT) Method

Science.gov (United States)

Laguda, Edcer Jerecho

Purpose: Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the standard diagnostic imaging modalities for the evaluation of a patient's medical condition. In comparison to other imaging modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT is a fast acquisition imaging device with higher spatial resolution and higher contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for bony structures. CT images are presented through a gray scale of independent values in Hounsfield units (HU). High HU-valued materials represent higher density. High density materials, such as metal, tend to erroneously increase the HU values around it due to reconstruction software limitations. This problem of increased HU values due to metal presence is referred to as metal artefacts. Hip prostheses, dental fillings, aneurysm clips, and spinal clips are a few examples of metal objects that are of clinical relevance. These implants create artefacts such as beam hardening and photon starvation that distort CT images and degrade image quality. This is of great significance because the distortions may cause improper evaluation of images and inaccurate dose calculation in the treatment planning system. Different algorithms are being developed to reduce these artefacts for better image quality for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, very limited information is available about the effect of artefact correction on dose calculation accuracy. This research study evaluates the dosimetric effect of metal artefact reduction algorithms on severe artefacts on CT images. This study uses Gemstone Spectral Imaging (GSI)-based MAR algorithm, projection-based Metal Artefact Reduction (MAR) algorithm, and the Dual-Energy method. Materials and Methods: The Gemstone Spectral Imaging (GSI)-based and SMART Metal Artefact Reduction (MAR) algorithms are metal artefact reduction protocols embedded in two different CT scanner models by General Electric (GE), and the Dual-Energy Imaging Method was developed at Duke University. All three

Effects of cross talk on dual energy SPECT imaging between [sup 123]I-BMIPP and [sup 201]Tl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morita, Masato; Narita, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Juro; Fukutake, Naoshige; Ohyanagi, Mitsumasa; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Fukuchi, Minoru (Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya (Japan))

1994-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine how much cross talk influences the visual assessment of dual energy single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) images with iodine 123 beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (I-123 BMIPP) and thallium-201 in 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction. After single SPECT with I-123 BMIPP was undertaken, simultaneous dual SPECT with I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 were undertaken in all patients. Three patients also underwent single SPECT with Tl-201. I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 uptake was graded in four-score for the comparison between single and dual SPECT images. There was good correlation between dual energy SPECT and both single I-123 BMIPP SPECT (pS=0.97) and single Tl-201 SPECT (pS=0.59). Uptake scores were increased on dual energy SPECT, compared with single I-123 SPECT (8 out of 132 segments) and single Tl-201 SPECT (12 out of 36 segments). Overall, there was a comparatively well correlation between single SEPCT with either I-123 BMIPP or Tl-201 and dual energy SPECT images. However, one tracer uptake sometimes increased in the other tracer defect areas. This was noticeable when I-123 BMIPP exerted an effect on Tl-201. (N.K.).

Performance analysis of an energy efficient building prototype by using TRNSYS

OpenAIRE

Lai, Kun; Wang, Wen; Giles, Harry

2014-01-01

Buildings section accouts for a large part of the total primary energy consumption. This paper reports a simulative study on an energy efficient building prototype named MIDMOD by using TRNSYS program. The prototype is a new genre of affordable medium density building concepts that are more adaptable, durable, and energy efficient as whole-life housing typologies than those currently available.The building envelope thermal insulation and air tightness are enhanced to reduce heat loss. Several...

A prototype computer network service for occupational therapists.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallberg, N; Johansson, M; Timpka, T

1999-04-01

Due to recent reforms, the demands on the people working in community-oriented health care service are increasing. The individual providers need professional knowledge and skills to perform their tasks quickly and safely. The individuals are also confronted with new tasks and situations of which they lack experience. At the same time, the resources for education and development are decreasing. The aim of this paper is to describe the implementation of a prototype computer network service to support occupational therapists in their daily work. A customized Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model, including participatory design elements, was used for: (a) identification of the occupational therapists' needs; and (b) for the transformation of these needs to prioritized design attributes. The main purpose of the prototype was to improve the visualization of the design attributes that were found to support the occupational therapists. An additional purpose was to be able to evaluate the design attributes and further improve them. The specific aim of this article is to describe the initial prototype with respect both to the tools and the information content.

The high-energy dual-beam facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaletta, D.

1984-07-01

This proposal presents a new experimental facility at the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (KfK) to study the effects of irradiation on the first wall and blanket materials of a fusion reactor. A special effort is made to demonstrate the advantages of the Dual Beam Technique (DBT) as a future research tool for materials development within the European Fusion Technology Programme. The Dual-Beam-Technique allows the production both of helium and of damage in thick metal and ceramic specimens by simultaneous irradiation with high energy alpha particles and protons produced by the two KfK cyclotrons. The proposal describes the Dual Beam Technique the planned experimental activities and the design features of the Dual Beam Facility presently under construction. (orig.) [de

Dual photon absorptiometry of the spine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guaydier-Souquieres, G.; Sabatier, J.P.

1987-01-01

Dual photon absorptiometry allows quantitative investigation of the vertebral mineral content. The authors report the bone mineralization regression curves they obtained with their prototype in male and female controle subjects. There is a fracture threshold, unconnected with age, between normal and osteoporotic subjects. DPA results correlate well with those of Quantitative Computed Tomography. DPA can be used to monitor patient's mineralization and detect subjects at increased risk for fractures [fr

Prediction of infarction development after endovascular stroke therapy with dual-energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djurdjevic, Tanja; Gizewski, Elke Ruth; Grams, Astrid Ellen; Rehwald, Rafael; Glodny, Bernhard; Knoflach, Michael; Matosevic, Benjamin; Kiechl, Stefan

2017-01-01

After intraarterial recanalisation (IAR), the haemorrhage and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption can be distinguished using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether future infarction development can be predicted from DECT. DECT scans of 20 patients showing 45 BBB disrupted areas after IAR were assessed and compared with follow-up examinations. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses using densities from the iodine map (IM) and virtual non-contrast (VNC) were performed. Future infarction areas are denser than future non-infarction areas on IM series (23.44 ± 24.86 vs. 5.77 ± 2.77; p < 0.0001) and more hypodense on VNC series (29.71 ± 3.33 vs. 35.33 ± 3.50; p < 0.0001). ROC analyses for the IM series showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.99 (cut-off: <9.97 HU; p < 0.05; sensitivity 91.18 %; specificity 100.00 %; accuracy 0.93) for the prediction of future infarctions. The AUC for the prediction of haemorrhagic infarctions was 0.78 (cut-off >17.13 HU; p < 0.05; sensitivity 90.00 %; specificity 62.86 %; accuracy 0.69). The VNC series allowed prediction of infarction volume. Future infarction development after IAR can be reliably predicted with the IM series. The prediction of haemorrhages and of infarction size is less reliable. (orig.)

Prediction of infarction development after endovascular stroke therapy with dual-energy computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Djurdjevic, Tanja; Gizewski, Elke Ruth; Grams, Astrid Ellen [Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Neuroradiology, Innsbruck (Austria); Rehwald, Rafael; Glodny, Bernhard [Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Radiology, Innsbruck (Austria); Knoflach, Michael; Matosevic, Benjamin; Kiechl, Stefan [Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Neurology, Innsbruck (Austria)

2017-03-15

After intraarterial recanalisation (IAR), the haemorrhage and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption can be distinguished using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether future infarction development can be predicted from DECT. DECT scans of 20 patients showing 45 BBB disrupted areas after IAR were assessed and compared with follow-up examinations. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses using densities from the iodine map (IM) and virtual non-contrast (VNC) were performed. Future infarction areas are denser than future non-infarction areas on IM series (23.44 ± 24.86 vs. 5.77 ± 2.77; p < 0.0001) and more hypodense on VNC series (29.71 ± 3.33 vs. 35.33 ± 3.50; p < 0.0001). ROC analyses for the IM series showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.99 (cut-off: <9.97 HU; p < 0.05; sensitivity 91.18 %; specificity 100.00 %; accuracy 0.93) for the prediction of future infarctions. The AUC for the prediction of haemorrhagic infarctions was 0.78 (cut-off >17.13 HU; p < 0.05; sensitivity 90.00 %; specificity 62.86 %; accuracy 0.69). The VNC series allowed prediction of infarction volume. Future infarction development after IAR can be reliably predicted with the IM series. The prediction of haemorrhages and of infarction size is less reliable. (orig.)

In Vivo Differentiation of Complementary Contrast Media at Dual-Energy CT

Science.gov (United States)

Mongan, John; Rathnayake, Samira; Fu, Yanjun; Wang, Runtang; Jones, Ella F.; Gao, Dong-Wei

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of using a commercially available clinical dual-energy computed tomographic (CT) scanner to differentiate the in vivo enhancement due to two simultaneously administered contrast media with complementary x-ray attenuation ratios. Materials and Methods: Approval from the institutional animal care and use committee was obtained, and National Institutes of Health guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were observed. Dual-energy CT was performed in a set of iodine and tungsten solution phantoms and in a rabbit in which iodinated intravenous and bismuth subsalicylate oral contrast media were administered. In addition, a second rabbit was studied after intravenous administration of iodinated and tungsten cluster contrast media. Images were processed to produce virtual monochromatic images that simulated the appearance of conventional single-energy scans, as well as material decomposition images that separate the attenuation due to each contrast medium. Results: Clear separation of each of the contrast media pairs was seen in the phantom and in both in vivo animal models. Separation of bowel lumen from vascular contrast medium allowed visualization of bowel wall enhancement that was obscured by intraluminal bowel contrast medium on conventional CT scans. Separation of two vascular contrast media in different vascular phases enabled acquisition of a perfectly coregistered CT angiogram and venous phase–enhanced CT scan simultaneously in a single examination. Conclusion: Commercially available clinical dual-energy CT scanners can help differentiate the enhancement of selected pairs of complementary contrast media in vivo. © RSNA, 2012 PMID:22778447

Spatial Distribution of Iron Within the Normal Human Liver Using Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Abadia, Andres F; Grant, Katharine L; Carey, Kathleen E; Bolch, Wesley E; Morin, Richard L

2017-11-01

Explore the potential of dual-source dual-energy (DSDE) computed tomography (CT) to retrospectively analyze the uniformity of iron distribution and establish iron concentration ranges and distribution patterns found in healthy livers. Ten mixtures consisting of an iron nitrate solution and deionized water were prepared in test tubes and scanned using a DSDE 128-slice CT system. Iron images were derived from a 3-material decomposition algorithm (optimized for the quantification of iron). A conversion factor (mg Fe/mL per Hounsfield unit) was calculated from this phantom study as the quotient of known tube concentrations and their corresponding CT values. Retrospective analysis was performed of patients who had undergone DSDE imaging for renal stones. Thirty-seven patients with normal liver function were randomly selected (mean age, 52.5 years). The examinations were processed for iron concentration. Multiple regions of interest were analyzed, and iron concentration (mg Fe/mL) and distribution was reported. The mean conversion factor obtained from the phantom study was 0.15 mg Fe/mL per Hounsfield unit. Whole-liver mean iron concentrations yielded a range of 0.0 to 2.91 mg Fe/mL, with 94.6% (35/37) of the patients exhibiting mean concentrations below 1.0 mg Fe/mL. The most important finding was that iron concentration was not uniform and patients exhibited regionally high concentrations (36/37). These regions of higher concentration were observed to be dominant in the middle-to-upper part of the liver (75%), medially (72.2%), and anteriorly (83.3%). Dual-source dual-energy CT can be used to assess the uniformity of iron distribution in healthy subjects. Applying similar techniques to unhealthy livers, future research may focus on the impact of hepatic iron content and distribution for noninvasive assessment in diseased subjects.

Multiscale deformable registration for dual-energy x-ray imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gang, G. J.; Varon, C. A.; Kashani, H.; Richard, S.; Paul, N. S.; Van Metter, R.; Yorkston, J.; Siewerdsen, J. H.

2009-01-01

Dual-energy (DE) imaging of the chest improves the conspicuity of subtle lung nodules through the removal of overlying anatomical noise. Recent work has shown double-shot DE imaging (i.e., successive acquisition of low- and high-energy projections) to provide detective quantum efficiency, spectral separation (and therefore contrast), and radiation dose superior to single-shot DE imaging configurations (e.g., with a CR cassette). However, the temporal separation between high-energy (HE) and low-energy (LE) image acquisition can result in motion artifacts in the DE images, reducing image quality and diminishing diagnostic performance. This has motivated the development of a deformable registration technique that aligns the HE image onto the LE image before DE decomposition. The algorithm reported here operates in multiple passes at progressively smaller scales and increasing resolution. The first pass addresses large-scale motion by means of mutual information optimization, while successive passes (2-4) correct misregistration at finer scales by means of normalized cross correlation. Evaluation of registration performance in 129 patients imaged using an experimental DE imaging prototype demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in image alignment. Specific to the cardiac region, the registration algorithm was found to outperform a simple cardiac-gating system designed to trigger both HE and LE exposures during diastole. Modulation transfer function (MTF) analysis reveals additional advantages in DE image quality in terms of noise reduction and edge enhancement. This algorithm could offer an important tool in enhancing DE image quality and potentially improving diagnostic performance.

Dual-source dual-energy CT for the differentiation of urinary stone composition: preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Qifang; Zhang Wanshi; Meng Limin; Shi Huiping; Wang Dong; Bi Yongmin; Li Xiangsheng; Fang Hong; Guo Heqing; Yan Jingmin

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate dual-source dual-energy CT (DSCT) for the differentiation of' urinary stone composition in vitro. Methods: Ninety-seven urinary stones were obtained by endoscopic lithotripsy and scanned using dual-source dual-energy CT. The stones were divided into six groups according to infrared spectroscopy stone analysis: uric acid (UA) stones (n=10), cystine stones (n=5), struvite stones (n=6), calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones (n=22), mixed UA stones (n=7) and mixed calcium stones (n=47). Hounsfield units (HU) of each stone were recorded for the 80 kV and the 140 kV datasets by hand-drawing method. HU difference, HU ratio and dual energy index (DEI) were calculated and compared among the stone groups with one-way ANOVA. Using dual energy software to determine the composition of all stones, results were compared to infrared spectroscopy analysis. Results: There were statistical differences in HU difference [(-17±13), (229±34), (309±45), (512±97), (201±64) and (530±71) HU respectively], in HU ratio (0.96±0.03, 1.34±0.04, 1.41±0.03, 1.47±0.03, 1.30±0.07, and 1.49±0.03 respectively), and DEI (-0.006±0.004, 0.064±0.007, 0.080± 0.007, 0.108±0.011, 0.055±0.014 and 0.112±0.008 respectively) among different stone groups (F= 124.894, 407.028, 322.864 respectively, P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between UA stones and the other groups (P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between CaOx or mixed calcium stones and the other four groups (P< 0.01). There was statistical difference in HU ratio between cystine and struvite stones (P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between struvite and mixed UA stones (P< 0.05). Dual energy software correctly characterized 10 UA stones, 4 cystine stones, 22 CaOx stones and 6 mixed UA stones. Two struvite stones were considered to contain cystine. One cystine stone, 1 mixed UA stone, 4

SU-F-I-06: Evaluation of Imaging Dose for Modulation Layer Based Dual Energy Cone-Beam CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ju, Eunbin [Department of Medical Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, SoHyun; Cho, Samju; Keum, Ki Chang [Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Yonsei Univeristy, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Rena [Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Dual energy cone beam CT system is finding a variety of promising applications in diagnostic CT, both in imaging of endogenous materials and exogenous materials across a range of body sites. Dual energy cone beam CT system to suggest in this study acquire image by rotating 360 degree with half of the X-ray window covered using copper modulation layer. In the region that covered by modulation layer absorb the low energy X-ray by modulation layer. Relative high energy X-ray passes through the layer and contributes to image reconstruction. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging acquirement technology for clinical use. Methods: For evaluating imaging dose of modulation layer based dual energy cone beam CT system, Prototype cone beam CT that configured X-ray tube (D054SB, Toshiba, Japan) and detector (PaxScan 2520V, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) is used. A range of 0.5–2.0 mm thickness of modulation layer is implemented in Monte Carlo simulation (MCNPX, ver. 2.6.0, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) with half of X-ray window covered. In-house phantom using in this study that has 3 cylindrical phantoms configured water, Teflon air with PMMA covered for verifying the comparability the various material in human body and is implemented in Monte Carlo simulation. The actual dose with 2.0 mm copper covered half of X-ray window is measured using Gafchromic EBT3 film with 5.0 mm bolus for compared with simulative dose. Results: Dose in phantom reduced 33% by copper modulation layer of 2.0 mm. Scattering dose occurred in modulation layer by Compton scattering effect is 0.04% of overall dose. Conclusion: Modulation layer of that based dual energy cone beam CT has not influence on unnecessary scatter dose. This study was supported by the Radiation Safety Research Programs (1305033) through the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

Quantification of breast density using dual-energy mammography with liquid phantom calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, Alfonso R; Ding, Huanjun; Molloi, Sabee

2014-01-01

Breast density is a widely recognized potential risk factor for breast cancer. However, accurate quantification of breast density is a challenging task in mammography. The current use of plastic breast-equivalent phantoms for calibration provides limited accuracy in dual-energy mammography due to the chemical composition of the phantom. We implemented a breast-equivalent liquid phantom for dual-energy calibration in order to improve the accuracy of breast density measurement. To design these phantoms, three liquid compounds were chosen: water, isopropyl alcohol, and glycerol. Chemical compositions of glandular and adipose tissues, obtained from NIST database, were used as reference materials. Dual-energy signal of the liquid phantom at different breast densities (0% to 100%) and thicknesses (1 to 8 cm) were simulated. Glandular and adipose tissue thicknesses were estimated from a higher order polynomial of the signals. Our results indicated that the linear attenuation coefficients of the breast-equivalent liquid phantoms match those of the target material. Comparison between measured and known breast density data shows a linear correlation with a slope close to 1 and a non-zero intercept of 7%, while plastic phantoms showed a slope of 0.6 and a non-zero intercept of 8%. Breast density results derived from the liquid calibration phantoms showed higher accuracy than those derived from the plastic phantoms for different breast thicknesses and various tube voltages. We performed experimental phantom studies using liquid phantoms and then compared the computed breast density with those obtained using a bovine tissue model. The experimental data and the known values were in good correlation with a slope close to 1 (∼1.1). In conclusion, our results indicate that liquid phantoms are a reliable alternative for calibration in dual-energy mammography and better reproduce the chemical properties of the target material. (paper)

10 CFR 434.504 - Use of the prototype building to determine the energy cost budget.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of the prototype building to determine the energy cost... Alternative § 434.504 Use of the prototype building to determine the energy cost budget. 504.1Determine the... Design. 504.2The form, orientation, occupancy and use profiles for the Prototype Building shall be fixed...

Dual-Drive Production Prototype Project

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

This project was an initiative to engineer, develop and build a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle using the Dual-Drive system. The project aimed to build a plug-in hybrid utilitarian vehicle on a light commercial vehicle platform. The hybrid vehicle wi...

The dual sustainability of wind energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Welch, Jonathan B.; Venkateswaran, Anand [413 Hayden Hall, College of Business, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 (United States)

2009-06-15

Academics, practitioners, and policy makers continue to debate the benefits and costs of alternative sources of energy. Environmental and economic concerns have yet to be fully reconciled. One view is that decisions that incorporate both society's concern with the environment and investors' desire for shareholder value maximization are more likely to be truly sustainable. We coin the term dual sustainability to mean the achievement of environmental and financial sustainability simultaneously. Many experts believe that wind energy can help to meet society's needs without harming future generations. It is clean and renewable. Because the fuel is free it provides the ultimate in energy independence. Wind energy has emerged as a leading prospect, in part, because it is considered by many to be environmentally sustainable. However, a key question that remains is whether wind energy is financially sustainable without the extensive government support that has helped to create and nurture this growth industry. Using reliable, proprietary data from field research, our analysis employs a capital budgeting framework to evaluate the financial economics of investments in wind energy. We find that because of the convergence of improved technology, greater efficiency, and with the increasing cost of traditional, competing sources such as oil and natural gas, wind energy is close to becoming self-sustaining financially without the extensive federal government support that exists today. Wind energy can provide the best of both worlds. It is sustainable from an environmental perspective and it is becoming sustainable financially. In short, those companies investing in wind energy will be able to do well by doing good. Perhaps the achievement of dual sustainability is true sustainability. Our research findings and dual sustainability have several interesting and important implications for public policy towards wind energy. All imply that public policy can now be

Development of a dual-energy silicon X-ray diode and its application to gadolinium imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Yuichi; Sato, Eiichi; Ehara, Shigeru; Oda, Yasuyuki; Hagiwara, Osahiko; Matsukiyo, Hiroshi; Enomoto, Toshiyuki; Watanabe, Manabu; Kusachi, Shinya

2015-01-01

To perform dual-energy X-ray imaging, we developed a dual-energy silicon X-ray diode (DE-Si-XD) consisting of two ceramic-substrate silicon X-ray diodes (Si-XD) and a 0.2-mm-thick copper filter. The Si-XD is a high-sensitivity Si photodiode selected for detecting X-rays. In the front Si-XD, X-ray photons from an X-ray tube are directly detected. Because low-energy photons are absorbed by the front Si-XD and the filter, the average photon energy increases when the back Si-XD is used. In the front Si-XD, the photocurrents flowing through the Si-XD are converted into voltages and amplified using current–voltage and voltage–voltage (V–V) amplifiers. The output from the V–V amplifier is input to an analog-digital converter through an integrator for smoothing the voltage. The same amplification method is also used in the back Si-XD. Dual-energy computed tomography (DE–CT) is accomplished by repeated linear scans and rotations of the object, and two projection curves of the object are obtained simultaneously by linear scanning at a tube voltage of 90 kV and a current of 1.0 mA. In the DE–CT, the exposure time for obtaining a tomogram is 10 min with scan steps of 0.5 mm and rotation steps of 1.0°. Using gadolinium-based contrast media, energy subtraction was performed. - Highlights: • Dual-energy X-ray diode consists of two Si diodes and a Cu filter. • Low and high-energy X-rays are detected using front and back diodes. • Two-different-energy tomograms were easily obtained simultaneously. • Gd-K-edge CT was accomplished using the back diode. • Energy subtraction was performed easily to image a target object

Evaluation the potential and energy efficiency of dual stage pressure retarded osmosis process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altaee, Ali; Zaragoza, Guillermo; Drioli, Enrico; Zhou, John

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Single and dual stage PRO was evaluated at different membrane configurations. •Impact of increasing module area or numbers on the power efficiency was studied. •DSPRO reduced the impact of CP & restored the osmotic potential of salinity gradient. •DSPRO outperforms single stage PRO process but depends on salinity gradient type. -- Abstract: Power generation by means of Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) has been proposed for harvesting the energy of a salinity gradient. Energy recovery by the PRO process decreases along the membrane module due to depleting of the chemical potential across the membrane and concentration polarization effects. A dual stage PRO (DSPRO) design can be used to rejuvenate the chemical potential difference and reduce the concentration polarization on feed solution. Several design configurations were suggested for the membrane module arrangements in the first and second stage of the PRO process. PRO performance was evaluated for a number of salinity gradients proposed by coupling Dead Sea water or Reverse Osmosis (RO) brine with seawater or wastewater effluent. Maximum specific energy of inlet and outlet feeds was calculated using a developed computer model to identify the amount of recovered and remaining energy. Initially, specific power generation by the PRO process increased by increasing the number of modules of the first stage. Maximum specific energy is calculated along the PRO module to understand the degradation of the maximum specific energy in each module before introducing a second stage PRO process. Adding a second stage PRO process resulted in a sharp increase of the chemical potential difference and the specific energy yield of the process. Between 10% and 13% increase of the specific power generation was achieved by the DSPRO process for the Dead Sea-seawater salinity gradient depending on the dual stage design configuration. For Dead Sea-RO brine, 12–16% increase of the specific power generation was

Dual-energy CT can detect malignant lymph nodes in rectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Najami, I.; Lahaye, M. J.; Beets-Tan, Regina G H

2017-01-01

a pelvic DECT scan and a standard MRI. The Dual Energy CT quantitative parameters were analyzed: Water and Iodine concentration, Dual-Energy Ratio, Dual Energy Index, and Effective Z value, for the benign and malignant lymph node differentiation. Results DECT scanning showed statistical difference between...... quantitative parameters between benign and malignant lymph nodes. There were no difference in the accuracy of lymph node staging between DECT and MRI....

Dual Energy Tomosynthesis breast phantom imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Koukou, V.; Martini, N.; Fountos, G.; Messaris, G.; Michail, C.; Kandarakis, I.; Nikiforidis, G.

2017-12-01

Dual energy (DE) imaging technique has been applied to many theoretical and experimental studies. The aim of the current study is to evaluate dual energy in breast tomosynthesis using commercial tomosynthesis system in terms of its potential to better visualize microcalcifications (μCs). The system uses a tungsten target X-ray tube and a selenium direct conversion detector. Low-energy (LE) images were acquired at different tube voltages (28, 30, 32 kV), while high-energy images at 49 kV. Fifteen projections, for the low- and high-energy respectively, were acquired without grid while tube scanned continuously. Log-subtraction algorithm was used in order to obtain the DE images with the weighting factor, w, derived empirically. The subtraction was applied to each pair of LE and HE slices after reconstruction. The TORMAM phantom was imaged with the different settings. Four regions-of-interest including μCs were identified in the inhomogeneous part of the phantom. The μCs in DE images were more clearly visible compared to the low-energy images. Initial results showed that DE tomosynthesis imaging is a promising modality, however more work is required.

Attenuation-based kV pair selection in dual source dual energy computed tomography angiography of the chest: impact on radiation dose and image quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Renapurkar, Rahul D.; Azok, Joseph; Lempel, Jason; Karim, Wadih; Graham, Ruffin [Thoracic Imaging, L10, Imaging Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Primak, Andrew [Siemens Medical Solutions, Malvern, PA (United States); Tandon, Yasmeen [Case Western Reserve University-Metro Health Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Bullen, Jennifer [Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Dong, Frank [Section of Medical Physics, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States)

2017-08-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of attenuation-based kilovoltage (kV) pair selection in dual source dual energy (DSDE)-pulmonary embolism (PE) protocol examinations on radiation dose savings and image quality. A prospective study was carried out on 118 patients with suspected PE. In patients in whom attenuation-based kV pair selection selected the 80/140Sn kV pair, the pre-scan 100/140Sn CTDIvol (computed tomography dose index volume) values were compared with the pre-scan 80/140Sn CTDIvol values. Subjective and objective image quality parameters were assessed. Attenuation-based kV pair selection switched to the 80/140Sn kV pair (''switched'' cohort) in 63 out of 118 patients (53%). The mean 100/140Sn pre-scan CTDIvol was 8.8 mGy, while the mean 80/140Sn pre-scan CTDIvol was 7.5 mGy. The average estimated dose reduction for the ''switched'' cohort was 1.3 mGy (95% CI 1.2, 1.4; p < 0.001), representing a 15% reduction in dose. After adjusting for patient weight, mean attenuation was significantly higher in the ''switched'' vs. ''non-switched'' cohorts in all five pulmonary arteries and in all lobes on iodine maps. This study demonstrates that attenuation-based kV pair selection in DSDE examination is feasible and can offer radiation dose reduction without compromising image quality. (orig.)

WE-FG-207B-10: Dual-Energy CT Monochromatic Image Consistency Across Vendors and Platforms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobsen, M; Wood, C; Cody, D [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Although dual-energy CT provides improved sensitivity of HU for certain tissue types at lower simulated energy levels, if these values vary by scanner type they may impact clinical patient management decisions. Each manufacturer has selected a specific dual-energy CT approach (or in one case, three different approaches); understanding HU variability among low monochromatic images may be required when more than one dual-energy CT scanner type is available for use. Methods: A large elliptical dualenergy quality control phantom (Gammex Inc.; Middleton, WI) containing several standard tissue type materials was scanned at least three times on each of the following systems: GE HD750, prototype GE Revolution CT with GSI, Siemens Flash, Siemens Edge, Siemens AS 128, and Philips IQon. Images were generated at 50, 70, and 140 keV. Soft tissue and Iodine HU were measured on a single central 5mm-thick image; NIST constants were used to calculate the ideal HU for each material. Scan acquisitions were approximately dose-matched (∼25mGy CTDIvol) and image parameters were held as consistent as possible (thickness, kernel, no noise reduction). Results: Measured soft tissue (29 HU at 120 kVp) varied from 28 HU to 44 HU at 50 keV (excluding one outlier), from 21 HU to 31 HU at 70 keV, and from 19 HU to 32 HU at 140 keV. Measured iodine (5mg/ml, 106 HU at 120 kVp) varied from 246 HU to 280 HU at 50 keV, from 123 HU to 129 HU at 70 keV, and from 22 HU to 32 HU at 140 keV. Conclusion: Measured HU in standard rods across 3 dual-energy CT manufacturers and 6 scanner models varied directly with monochromatic level, with the most variability was observed at 50 keV and least variability at 70keV. Future work will include additional scanner platforms and how measurement variability impacts radiologists. This research has been supported by funds from Dr. William Murphy, Jr., the John S. Dunn, Sr. Distinguished Chair in Diagnostic Imaging at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Design of parallel dual-energy X-ray beam and its performance for security radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kwang Hyun; Myoung, Sung Min; Chung, Yong Hyun

2011-01-01

A new concept of dual-energy X-ray beam generation and acquisition of dual-energy security radiography is proposed. Erbium (Er) and rhodium (Rh) with a copper filter were positioned in front of X-ray tube to generate low- and high-energy X-ray spectra. Low- and high-energy X-rays were guided to separately enter into two parallel detectors. Monte Carlo code of MCNPX was used to derive an optimum thickness of each filter for improved dual X-ray image quality. It was desired to provide separation ability between organic and inorganic matters for the condition of 140 kVp/0.8 mA as used in the security application. Acquired dual-energy X-ray beams were evaluated by the dual-energy Z-map yielding enhanced performance compared with a commercial dual-energy detector. A collimator for the parallel dual-energy X-ray beam was designed to minimize X-ray beam interference between low- and high-energy parallel beams for 500 mm source-to-detector distance.

Real Time Computer for Plugging Indicator Control of Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manimaran, M.; Manoj, P.; Shanmugam, A.; Murali, N.; Satya Murty, S.A.V.

2013-06-01

Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is in the advanced stage of construction at Kalpakkam, India. Liquid sodium is used as coolant to transfer the heat produced in the reactor core to steam water circuit. Impurities present in the sodium are removed using purification circuit. Plugging indicator is a device used to measure the purity of the sodium. Versa Module Europa bus based Real Time Computer (RTC) system is used for plugging indicator control. Hot standby architecture consisting of dual redundant RTC system with switch over logic system is the configuration adopted to achieve fault tolerance. Plugging indicator can be controlled in two modes namely continuous and discontinuous mode. Software based Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithms are developed for plugging indicator control wherein the set point changes dynamically for every scan interval of the RTC system. Set points and PID constants are kept as configurable in runtime in order to control the process in very efficient manner, which calls for reliable communication between RTC system and control station, hence TCP/IP protocol is adopted. Performance of the RTC system for plugging indicator control was thoroughly studied in the laboratory by simulating the inputs and monitored the control outputs. The control outputs were also monitored for different PID constants. Continuous and discontinuous mode plots were generated. (authors)

Dual energy CT iodine map for delineating inflammation of inflammatory arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukuda, Takeshi; Fukuda, Kunihiko [The Jikei University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Tokyo (Japan); Umezawa, Yoshinori; Asahina, Akihiko; Nakagawa, Hidemi [The Jikei University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Tokyo (Japan); Furuya, Kazuhiro [The Jikei University School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo (Japan)

2017-12-15

Iodine mapping is an image-processing technique used with dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to improve iodine contrast resolution. CT, because of its high spatial resolution and thin slice reconstruction, is well suited to the evaluation of the peripheral joints. Recent developments in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis that require early diagnosis and precise therapeutic assessment encourage radiological evaluation. To facilitate such assessment, we describe DECT iodine mapping as a novel modality for evaluating rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis of the hands and feet. (orig.)

Accuracy of iodine quantification using dual energy CT in latest generation dual source and dual layer CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; Oudkerk, Matthijs [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands, P.O. Box EB44, Groningen (Netherlands); Hamersvelt, Robbert W. van; Willemink, Martin J.; Schilham, Arnold; Leiner, Tim [Utrecht University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands); Schmidt, Bernhard T.; Flohr, Thomas [Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Forchheim (Germany); Milles, Julien [Philips Healthcare, Best (Netherlands); Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands, P.O. Box EB44, Groningen (Netherlands); University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiology, Groningen (Netherlands)

2017-09-15

To determine the accuracy of iodine quantification with dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in two high-end CT systems with different spectral imaging techniques. Five tubes with different iodine concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/ml) were analysed in an anthropomorphic thoracic phantom. Adding two phantom rings simulated increased patient size. For third-generation dual source CT (DSCT), tube voltage combinations of 150Sn and 70, 80, 90, 100 kVp were analysed. For dual layer CT (DLCT), 120 and 140 kVp were used. Scans were repeated three times. Median normalized values and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were calculated for all kVp settings and phantom sizes. Correlation between measured and known iodine concentrations was excellent for both systems (R = 0.999-1.000, p < 0.0001). For DSCT, median measurement errors ranged from -0.5% (IQR -2.0, 2.0%) at 150Sn/70 kVp and -2.3% (IQR -4.0, -0.1%) at 150Sn/80 kVp to -4.0% (IQR -6.0, -2.8%) at 150Sn/90 kVp. For DLCT, median measurement errors ranged from -3.3% (IQR -4.9, -1.5%) at 140 kVp to -4.6% (IQR -6.0, -3.6%) at 120 kVp. Larger phantom sizes increased variability of iodine measurements (p < 0.05). Iodine concentration can be accurately quantified with state-of-the-art DECT systems from two vendors. The lowest absolute errors were found for DSCT using the 150Sn/70 kVp or 150Sn/80 kVp combinations, which was slightly more accurate than 140 kVp in DLCT. (orig.)

Dual energy cardiac CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrascosa, Patricia; Deviggiano, Alejandro; Rodriguez-Granillo, Gastón

2017-06-01

Conventional single energy CT suffers from technical limitations related to the polychromatic nature of X-rays. Dual energy cardiac CT (DECT) shows promise to attenuate and even overcome some of these limitations, and might broaden the scope of patients eligible for cardiac CT towards the inclusion of higher risk patients. This might be achieved as a result of both safety (contrast reduction) and physiopathological (myocardial perfusion and characterization) issues. In this article, we will review the main clinical cardiac applications of DECT, that can be summarized in two core aspects: coronary artery evaluation, and myocardial evaluation.

78 FR 16275 - Extension of the Duration of Programmatic Agreements Based on the Department of Energy Prototype...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-14

... Based on the Department of Energy Prototype Programmatic Agreement for Its Weatherization Assistance... Department of Energy Prototype Programmatic Agreement for its Weatherization Assistance Program, State Energy... under the prototype Programmatic Agreement (PA) for the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental...

A Novel Imaging Technique (X-Map) to Identify Acute Ischemic Lesions Using Noncontrast Dual-Energy Computed Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Noguchi, Kyo; Itoh, Toshihide; Naruto, Norihito; Takashima, Shutaro; Tanaka, Kortaro; Kuroda, Satoshi

2017-01-01

We evaluated whether X-map, a novel imaging technique, can visualize ischemic lesions within 20 hours after the onset in patients with acute ischemic stroke, using noncontrast dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). Six patients with acute ischemic stroke were included in this study. Noncontrast head DECT scans were acquired with 2 X-ray tubes operated at 80 kV and Sn150 kV between 32 minutes and 20 hours after the onset. Using these DECT scans, the X-map was reconstructed based on 3-material decomposition and compared with a simulated standard (120 kV) computed tomography (CT) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The X-map showed more sensitivity to identify the lesions as an area of lower attenuation value than a simulated standard CT in all 6 patients. The lesions on the X-map correlated well with those on DWI. In 3 of 6 patients, the X-map detected a transient decrease in the attenuation value in the peri-infarct area within 1 day after the onset. The X-map is a powerful tool to supplement a simulated standard CT and characterize acute ischemic lesions. However, the X-map cannot replace a simulated standard CT to diagnose acute cerebral infarction. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Customer loyalty program for the dual-energy clientele

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagace, C.

1997-01-01

Hydro-Quebec''s plans to provide a dual energy residential heating program, combining a main electric heating system and a fossil fuel back-up system, were described as an example of a customer loyalty program. It provides a portfolio of products and services answering to the different needs of customers. Dual-energy heating systems were first offered in Quebec as far back as the 1980s. Currently there are 115,000 Quebec households making use of this service. Some 35,000 of them have heat pumps and subscribe to Hydro-Quebec''s DT rate which is based on fuel mode usage being determined by exterior temperatures. The dual-energy system permits a peak-saving of some 600 MW, while maintaining electricity sales of 1,000 GWh in off-peak periods. Experiences with this system and some of the important lessons learned, especially in terms of consumer relations, were summarized. 2 refs., 1 tab

Incidental Findings in Abdominal Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: Correlation Between True Noncontrast and Virtual Noncontrast Images Considering Renal and Liver Cysts and Adrenal Masses.

Science.gov (United States)

Slebocki, Karin; Kraus, Bastian; Chang, De-Hua; Hellmich, Martin; Maintz, David; Bangard, Christopher

To assess correlation between attenuation measurements of incidental findings in abdominal second generation dual-energy computed tomography (CT) on true noncontrast (TNC) and virtual noncontrast (VNC) images. Sixty-three patients underwent arterial dual-energy CT (Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens; pitch factor, 0.75-1.0; gantry rotation time, 0.28 seconds) after endovascular aneurysm repair, consisting of a TNC single energy CT scan (collimation, 128 × 0.6 mm; 120 kVp) and a dual-energy arterial phase scan (collimation, 32 × 0.6 mm, 140 and 100 kVp; blended, 120 kVp data set). Attenuation measurements in Hounsfield units (HU) of liver parenchyma and incidental findings like renal and hepatic cysts and adrenal masses on TNC and VNC images were done by drawing regions of interest. Statistical analysis was performed by paired t test and Pearson correlation. Incidental findings were detected in 56 (89%) patients. There was excellent correlation for both renal (n = 40) and hepatic cysts (n = 12) as well as adrenal masses (n = 6) with a Pearson correlation of 0.896, 0.800, and 0.945, respectively, and mean attenuation values on TNC and VNC images of 10.6 HU ± 12.8 versus 5.1 HU ± 17.5 (attenuation value range from -8.8 to 59.1 HU vs -11.8 to 73.4 HU), 6.4 HU ± 5.8 versus 6.3 HU ± 4.6 (attenuation value range from 2.0 to 16.2 HU vs -3.0 to 15.9 HU), and 12.8 HU ± 11.2 versus 12.4 HU ± 10.2 (attenuation value range from -2.3 to 27.5 HU vs -2.2 to 23.6 HU), respectively. As proof of principle, liver parenchyma measurements also showed excellent correlation between TNC and VNC (n = 40) images with a Pearson correlation of 0.839 and mean attenuation values on TNC and VNC images of 47.2 HU ± 10.5 versus 43.8 HU ± 8.7 (attenuation value range from 21.9 to 60.2 HU vs 4.5 to 65.3 HU). In conclusion, attenuation measurements of incidental findings like renal cysts or adrenal masses on TNC and VNC images derived from second generation dual-energy CT scans show excellent

Dual energy CT inspection of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic composite combined with metal components

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vavřík, Daniel; Jakůbek, J.; Kumpová, Ivana; Pichotka, M.

6, Part B, November (2016), s. 47-55 ISSN 2214-6571 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1219; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-07210S Keywords : dual energy computed tomography * carbon fibre reinforced plastic composite * metal artefact suppression Subject RIV: JI - Composite Material s http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214657116300107

Dual energy x-ray microtomography for development and inspection of advanced aerospace materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez, R.E.; Cao, Q.

1990-01-01

A key step in development of advanced composite materials is to characterize their internal structure and composition in a quantitative manner. In this paper, the authors describe a technique and an instrument that allows the measurements of the interior volume of the material. It has several key advantages over conventional computed tomography. The technique quantitatively measures the mass density and effective atomic number throughout the volume. Further, these measurements are made with microscopic (20 micrometer or better) spatial resolution. The technique is based on ARACOR's Tomoscope computed tomography instrument and on dual energy computed tomography. The authors describe the theory of the technique and show experimental measurements of metal matrix composite materials

Determination of liquid's molecular interference function based on X-ray diffraction and dual-energy CT in security screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Li; YangDai, Tianyi

2016-01-01

A method for deriving the molecular interference function (MIF) of an unknown liquid for security screening is presented. Based on the effective atomic number reconstructed from dual-energy computed tomography (CT), equivalent molecular formula of the liquid is estimated. After a series of optimizations, the MIF and a new effective atomic number are finally obtained from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile. The proposed method generates more accurate results with less sensitivity to the noise and data deficiency of the XRD profile. - Highlights: • EDXRD combined with dual-energy CT has been utilized for deriving the molecular interference function of an unknown liquid. • The liquid's equivalent molecular formula is estimated based on the effective atomic number reconstructed from dual-energy CT. • The proposed method provides two ways to estimate the molecular interference function: the simplified way and accurate way. • A new effective atomic number of the liquid could be obtained.

Computed tomography with energy-resolved detection: a feasibility study

Science.gov (United States)

Shikhaliev, Polad M.

2008-03-01

The feasibility of computed tomography (CT) with energy-resolved x-ray detection has been investigated. A breast CT design with multi slit multi slice (MSMS) data acquisition was used for this study. The MSMS CT includes linear arrays of photon counting detectors separated by gaps. This CT configuration allows for efficient scatter rejection and 3D data acquisition. The energy-resolved CT images were simulated using a digital breast phantom and the design parameters of the proposed MSMS CT. The phantom had 14 cm diameter and 50/50 adipose/glandular composition, and included carcinoma, adipose, blood, iodine and CaCO3 as contrast elements. The x-ray technique was 90 kVp tube voltage with 660 mR skin exposure. Photon counting, charge (energy) integrating and photon energy weighting CT images were generated. The contrast-to-noise (CNR) improvement with photon energy weighting was quantified. The dual energy subtracted images of CaCO3 and iodine were generated using a single CT scan at a fixed x-ray tube voltage. The x-ray spectrum was electronically split into low- and high-energy parts by a photon counting detector. The CNR of the energy weighting CT images of carcinoma, blood, adipose, iodine, and CaCO3 was higher by a factor of 1.16, 1.20, 1.21, 1.36 and 1.35, respectively, as compared to CT with a conventional charge (energy) integrating detector. Photon energy weighting was applied to CT projections prior to dual energy subtraction and reconstruction. Photon energy weighting improved the CNR in dual energy subtracted CT images of CaCO3 and iodine by a factor of 1.35 and 1.33, respectively. The combination of CNR improvements due to scatter rejection and energy weighting was in the range of 1.71-2 depending on the type of the contrast element. The tilted angle CZT detector was considered as the detector of choice. Experiments were performed to test the effect of the tilting angle on the energy spectrum. Using the CZT detector with 20° tilting angle decreased the

Advanced virtual monoenergetic images: improving the contrast of dual-energy CT pulmonary angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, A.; Wurnig, M.; Desbiolles, L.; Leschka, S.; Frauenfelder, T.; Alkadhi, H.

2015-01-01

Aim: To investigate the value of advanced virtual monoenergetic image reconstruction (mono-plus) from dual-energy computed tomography (CT) for improving the contrast of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Materials and methods: Forty consecutive patients (25 women, mean 62.5 years, range 28–87 years) underwent 192-section dual-source CTPA with dual-energy CT (90/150 SnkVp) after the administration of 60 ml contrast media (300 mg iodine/ml). Conventional virtual monochromatic images at 60 keV and 17 mono-plus image datasets from 40–190 keV (in 10 keV steps) were reconstructed. Subjective image quality (artefacts, subjective noise) was rated. Attenuation was measured in the pulmonary trunk and in the right lower lobe pulmonary artery; noise was measured in the periscapular musculature. The signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated for each patient and dataset. Comparisons between monochromatic images and mono-plus images were performed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Bonferroni correction. Results: Interreader agreement was good to excellent for subjective image quality (ICC: 0.616–0.889). As compared to conventional 60 keV images, artefacts occurred less (p=0.001) and subjective noise was rated lower (p<0.001) in mono-plus 40 keV images. Noise was lower (p<0.001), and the SNR and CNR in the pulmonary trunk and right lower lobe pulmonary artery were higher (both, p<0.001) in mono-plus 40 keV images compared to conventional monoenergetic 60 keV images. Transient interruption of contrast (TIC) was found in 14/40 (35%) of patients, with subjective contrast being similar 8/40 (20%) or higher 32/40 (80%) in mono-plus 40 keV as compared to conventional monoenergetic 60 keV images. Conclusions: Compared to conventional virtual monoenergetic imaging, mono-plus images at 40 keV improve the contrast of dual-energy CTPA. - Highlights: • Advanced monoenergetic image reconstruction from dual-energy CT

Design of a prototype gap shaping spiral dipole for a variable energy protontherapy FFAG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Planche, T.; Fourrier, J.; Lancelot, J.L.; Meot, F.; Neuveglise, D.; Pasternak, J.

2009-01-01

The design, fabrication and measurement of a prototype magnet is part of the RACCAM ANR medical FFAG project. This magnet prototyping work, started in early 2006, is being performed in collaboration between the IN2P3/LPSC laboratory team and the magnet engineering firm SIGMAPHI. Magnetic computations and parameters of the magnet prototype will be presented in this paper.

A high performance dual revised simplex solver

OpenAIRE

Hall, Julian; Huangfu, Qi

2012-01-01

When solving families of related linear programming (LP) problems and many classes of single LP problems, the simplex method is the preferred computational technique. Hitherto there has been no efficient parallel implementation of the simplex method that gives good speed-up on general, large sparse LP problems. This paper presents a variant of the dual simplex method and a prototype parallelisation scheme. The resulting implementation, ParISS, is efficient when run in serial and offers modest...

The potential of dual-energy virtual monochromatic imaging in reducing renal cyst pseudoenhancement. A phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Sachiko; Ueguchi, Takashi; Ukai, Isao; Nagai, Yumiko; Yamakawa, Masanobu; Shimosegawa, Eku; Shimazu, Takeshi; Hatazawa, Jun

2012-01-01

Renal cyst pseudoenhancement, an artifactual increase of computed tomography (CT) attenuation for cysts with increased iodine concentrations in the renal parenchyma, complicates the classification of cysts and may thus lead to the mischaracterization of a benign non-enhancing lesion as an enhancing mass. The purpose of this study was to use a phantom model to assess the ability of dual-energy virtual monochromatic imaging to reduce renal pseudoenhancement. A water-filled cylindrical cyst model suspended in varying concentrations of iodine solution, to simulate varying levels of parenchymal enhancement, was scanned with a dual-energy CT scanner using the following three scanning protocols with different combinations of tube voltage: 80 and 140 kV; 80 and 140 kV with tin filter; and 100 and 140 kV with tin filter. Virtual monochromatic images were then synthesized for each dual-energy scan. Single-energy scan with a tube voltage of 120 kV was also performed to obtain polychromatic images as controls. Mean attenuation values (in Hounsfield units) of cyst proxies were measured on both polychromatic and virtual monochromatic images. Pseudoenhancement was considered to be present when the cyst attenuation level increased by more than 10 HU (Hounsfield Unit) as the background iodine concentration increased from 0.0% to 0.4%, 1.5%, or 2.5%. Our results revealed that pseudoenhancement was not observed on any of the monochromatic images, but appeared on polychromatic images at a background iodine concentration of 2.5%. We thus conclude that dual-energy virtual monochromatic images have a potential to reduce renal pseudoenhancement. (author)

Dual-energy CT myelography on detection of spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leaks: initial study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qiaowei; Wang Dan; Zhang Jinhua; Wang Jin; Zhang Shizheng

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess the value of dual-energy computed tomography myelography (CTM) on detecting leaks of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Methods: Six patients with SIH underwent spinal CTM on a 2nd generation dual-source CT with tube voltage set at 100 and 140 kVp (with tin filter). The virtual non-contrast (VNC) and iodine map images were calculated from dual-energy images. The average weighted (AW) CTM images were mixed from two kVp images with mix factor of 0.5. Two radiologists evaluated CSF leak using two sets of images respectively: VNC + iodine map images and AW-CTM images. The results from two reading methods were compared. The level of CSF leaks along the nerve roots, C1-2 retrospinal CSF collections, epidural CSF collections and spinal epidural venous plexus were marked. The consensus about leak sites and CSF collections was made by two radiologists in the third session. Kappa statistics were used to measure the agreement between the two methods. Results: Forty-one leaks were detected using VNC + iodine map images. Forty-three leaks were detected on AW images. The agreement between two methods was excellent (Kappa = 0.997, P<0.01). There were no differences in the detection of C1-2 retrospinal CSF collections (n=2), epidural CSF collections (n=3) or spinal epidural venous plexus (n=1). VNC and iodine map images demonstrated superior visual effects than AW images. Conclusion: Dual-energy CTM can be used to diagnose spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leaks in SIH patient, (authors)

Diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy computed tomography in patients with gout: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young Ho; Song, Gwan Gyu

2017-08-01

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for patients with gout. We searched the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, and performed a meta-analysis on the diagnostic accuracy of DECT in patients with gout. A total of eight studies including 510 patients with gout and 268 controls (patients with non-gout inflammatory arthritis) were available for the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of DECT were 84.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.3-87.7) and 93.7% (93.0-96.3), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 9.882 (6.122-15.95), 0.163 (0.097-0.272), and 78.10 (31.14-195.84), respectively. The area under the curve of DECT was 0.956 and the Q * index was 0.889, indicating a high diagnostic accuracy. Some between-study heterogeneity was found in the meta-analyses. However, there was no evidence of a threshold effect (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.419; p = 0.035). In addition, meta-regression showed that the sample size, study design, and diagnostic criteria were not sources of heterogeneity, and subgroup meta-analyses did not change the overall diagnostic accuracy. Our meta-analysis of published studies demonstrates that DECT has a high diagnostic accuracy and plays an important role in the diagnosis of gout. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accessory spleen versus lymph node: Value of iodine quantification with dual-energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winklhofer, Sebastian; Lin, Wei-Ching; Lambert, Jack W.; Yeh, Benjamin M.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate whether iodine quantification with Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) improves the differentiation of accessory spleens (AS) from lymph nodes (LN) compared to CT number measurements. Methods: Abdominal DECT images of 75 patients with either AS (n = 35) or LN (n = 48) (benign entity) were retrospectively evaluated. Hounsfield Units (HU) and iodine concentrations of AS, LN and the main spleen were measured. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were performed to calculate an optimal threshold for distinguishing AS from LN. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for distinguishing AS from LN by iodine concentration measurements. Results: Mean CT numbers and iodine concentrations were higher for AS (148 ± 29 HU and 48.2 ± 11 × 100 μg/cc) than LN (83 ± 19 HU and 31.5 ± 6.2 × 100 μg/cc, respectively, P < 0.001 each). Mean CT numbers were lower for AS compared to the main spleen (161 ± 29HU, P < 0.01), whereas mean iodine concentrations (47.7 ± 10 × 100 μg/cc) were not significantly different (P = 0.095). An iodine concentration greater than 38 × 100 μg/cc suggested AS with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 91%, 85%, and 88%, respectively (Area under ROC curve 0.941). Conclusions: Iodine measurements might contribute to the differentiation of AS from LN. Iodine concentrations similar to that of the main spleen may help to confirm the diagnosis of AS.

Accessory spleen versus lymph node: Value of iodine quantification with dual-energy computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winklhofer, Sebastian, E-mail: Sebastian.winklhofer@usz.ch [Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Box 0628, M-372, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628 (United States); Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich (Switzerland); Lin, Wei-Ching, E-mail: d7466@mail.cmuh.org.tw [Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Box 0628, M-372, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628 (United States); Department of Radiology, China Medical University Hospital, No. 2, Yuh-Der Rd., Taichung 40447, Taiwan (China); Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological science, China Medical University, No. 91, Syueshih Rd., Taichung 40402, Taiwan (China); Lambert, Jack W., E-mail: Jack.Lambert@ucsf.edu [Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Box 0628, M-372, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628 (United States); Yeh, Benjamin M., E-mail: Benjamin.Yeh@ucsf.edu [Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Box 0628, M-372, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628 (United States)

2017-02-15

Objectives: To evaluate whether iodine quantification with Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) improves the differentiation of accessory spleens (AS) from lymph nodes (LN) compared to CT number measurements. Methods: Abdominal DECT images of 75 patients with either AS (n = 35) or LN (n = 48) (benign entity) were retrospectively evaluated. Hounsfield Units (HU) and iodine concentrations of AS, LN and the main spleen were measured. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were performed to calculate an optimal threshold for distinguishing AS from LN. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for distinguishing AS from LN by iodine concentration measurements. Results: Mean CT numbers and iodine concentrations were higher for AS (148 ± 29 HU and 48.2 ± 11 × 100 μg/cc) than LN (83 ± 19 HU and 31.5 ± 6.2 × 100 μg/cc, respectively, P < 0.001 each). Mean CT numbers were lower for AS compared to the main spleen (161 ± 29HU, P < 0.01), whereas mean iodine concentrations (47.7 ± 10 × 100 μg/cc) were not significantly different (P = 0.095). An iodine concentration greater than 38 × 100 μg/cc suggested AS with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 91%, 85%, and 88%, respectively (Area under ROC curve 0.941). Conclusions: Iodine measurements might contribute to the differentiation of AS from LN. Iodine concentrations similar to that of the main spleen may help to confirm the diagnosis of AS.

Dual-energy CT for the evaluation of urinary calculi: Image interpretation, pitfalls and stone mimics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jepperson, M.A.; Cernigliaro, J.G.; Sella, D.; Ibrahim, E.; Thiel, D.D.; Leng, S.; Haley, W.E.

2013-01-01

Urolithiasis is a common disease with a reported prevalence between 4% and 20% in developed countries. Determination of urinary calculi composition is a key factor in preoperative evaluation, treatment, and stone recurrence prevention. Prior to the introduction of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), available methods for determining urinary stone composition were only available after stone extraction, and thereby unable to aid in optimized stone management prior to intervention. DECT utilizes the attenuation difference produced by two different x-ray energy spectra to quantify urinary calculi composition as uric acid or non-uric acid (with likely further classification in the future) while still providing the information attained with a conventional CT. Knowledge of DECT imaging pitfalls and stone mimics is important, as the added benefit of dual-energy analysis is the determination of stone composition, which in turn affects all aspects of stone management. This review briefly describes DECT principles, scanner types and acquisition protocols for the evaluation of urinary calculi as they relate to imaging pitfalls (inconsistent characterization of small stones, small dual-energy field of view, and mischaracterization from surrounding material) and stone mimics (drainage devices) that may adversely impact clinical decisions. We utilize our clinical experience from scanning over 1200 patients with this new imaging technique to present clinically relevant examples of imaging pitfalls and possible mechanisms for resolution

Dual source and dual detector arrays tetrahedron beam computed tomography for image guided radiotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Joshua; Lu, Weiguo; Zhang, Tiezhi

2014-02-01

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an important online imaging modality for image guided radiotherapy. But suboptimal image quality and the lack of a real-time stereoscopic imaging function limit its implementation in advanced treatment techniques, such as online adaptive and 4D radiotherapy. Tetrahedron beam computed tomography (TBCT) is a novel online imaging modality designed to improve on the image quality provided by CBCT. TBCT geometry is flexible, and multiple detector and source arrays can be used for different applications. In this paper, we describe a novel dual source-dual detector TBCT system that is specially designed for LINAC radiation treatment machines. The imaging system is positioned in-line with the MV beam and is composed of two linear array x-ray sources mounted aside the electrical portal imaging device and two linear arrays of x-ray detectors mounted below the machine head. The detector and x-ray source arrays are orthogonal to each other, and each pair of source and detector arrays forms a tetrahedral volume. Four planer images can be obtained from different view angles at each gantry position at a frame rate as high as 20 frames per second. The overlapped regions provide a stereoscopic field of view of approximately 10-15 cm. With a half gantry rotation, a volumetric CT image can be reconstructed having a 45 cm field of view. Due to the scatter rejecting design of the TBCT geometry, the system can potentially produce high quality 2D and 3D images with less radiation exposure. The design of the dual source-dual detector system is described, and preliminary results of studies performed on numerical phantoms and simulated patient data are presented.

Residential dual energy programs: Tariffs and incentives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doucet, J.A.

1992-01-01

The problem of efficiently pricing electricity has been of concern to economists and policy makers for some time. A natural solution to variable demand is tariffs to smooth demand and reduce the need for excessive reserve margins. An alternative approach is dual energy programs whereby electric space heating systems are equipped with a secondary system (usually oil) which is used during periods of peak demand. Comments are presented on two previous papers (Bergeron and Bernard, 1991; Sollows et al., 1991) published in Energy Studies Review, applying them to Hydro Quebec tariff structure and dual energy programs. The role of tariffs in demand-side management needs to be considered more fully. Hydro-Quebec's bi-energy tariff structure could be modified by using positive incentives to make use of bi-energy attractive below -12 C to give the following benefits. The modified tariff would be easier for consumers to understand, corrects the misallocation problem due to differential pricing in the current tariff, transfers the risk related to price fluctuations of the alternative energy source from the consumer to the utility, and corrects the potential avoidance problem due to the negative incentive of the current tariff. 21 refs

Multimaterial Decomposition Algorithm for the Quantification of Liver Fat Content by Using Fast-Kilovolt-Peak Switching Dual-Energy CT: Experimental Validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyodo, Tomoko; Hori, Masatoshi; Lamb, Peter; Sasaki, Kosuke; Wakayama, Tetsuya; Chiba, Yasutaka; Mochizuki, Teruhito; Murakami, Takamichi

2017-02-01

Purpose To assess the ability of fast-kilovolt-peak switching dual-energy computed tomography (CT) by using the multimaterial decomposition (MMD) algorithm to quantify liver fat. Materials and Methods Fifteen syringes that contained various proportions of swine liver obtained from an abattoir, lard in food products, and iron (saccharated ferric oxide) were prepared. Approval of this study by the animal care and use committee was not required. Solid cylindrical phantoms that consisted of a polyurethane epoxy resin 20 and 30 cm in diameter that held the syringes were scanned with dual- and single-energy 64-section multidetector CT. CT attenuation on single-energy CT images (in Hounsfield units) and MMD-derived fat volume fraction (FVF; dual-energy CT FVF) were obtained for each syringe, as were magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy measurements by using a 1.5-T imager (fat fraction [FF] of MR spectroscopy). Reference values of FVF (FVF ref ) were determined by using the Soxhlet method. Iron concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and divided into three ranges (0 mg per 100 g, 48.1-55.9 mg per 100 g, and 92.6-103.0 mg per 100 g). Statistical analysis included Spearman rank correlation and analysis of covariance. Results Both dual-energy CT FVF (ρ = 0.97; P iron. Phantom size had a significant effect on dual-energy CT FVF after controlling for FVF ref (P iron concentrations, the linear coefficients of dual-energy CT FVF decreased and those of MR spectroscopy FF increased (P iron, dual-energy CT FVF led to underestimateion of FVF ref to a lesser degree than FF of MR spectroscopy led to overestimation of FVF ref . © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Designing of analog computer prototype for linear differential equation. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiyono Wijoyo.

1978-01-01

In this second report, the circuits of the system in the analog computer prototype have been modified and the system of the electromagnetic switches is used to replace the system of the manual switches which was used previously, so that the higher reliability could be achieved. (author)

Quantification of coronary artery calcium on the basis of dual-energy coronary CT angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, Florian; Nance, John W; Ruzsics, Balazs; Bastarrika, Gorka; Sterzik, Alexander; Schoepf, U Joseph

2012-09-01

To evaluate the feasibility of using virtual noncontrast material-enhanced (VNC) computed tomographic (CT) series derived from dual-energy CT imaging studies for coronary artery calcium quantification. This HIPAA-compliant study was institutional review board approved; all patients provided written informed consent. Thirty-six patients prospectively underwent noncontrast-enhanced CT calcium scoring followed by coronary CT angiography performed in dual-energy mode. By using different reconstruction algorithms, three VNC series were generated and evaluated for noise and efficiency of virtual iodine removal. Two readers independently quantified calcium on VNC images and true noncontrast-enhanced conventional calcium scoring series. A leave-one-out cross validation was used to assess the accuracy of calcium score prediction from VNC series by means of linear regression. CT value histograms of the VNC series closely resembled the profile in the true noncontrast-enhanced series. There was excellent correlation between calcium volumes on the VNC series and true noncontrast-enhanced series on a per-patient (r = 0.94, P VNC series was excellent (r = 0.82). Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis rankings that were derived from the predicted calcium scores also showed excellent agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.909). Coronary artery calcium identification and quantification based on dual-energy coronary CT angiographic studies may obviate the need for dedicated CT calcium scoring studies. © RSNA, 2012

A dynamic material discrimination algorithm for dual MV energy X-ray digital radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Liang; Li, Ruizhe; Zhang, Siyuan; Zhao, Tiao; Chen, Zhiqiang

2016-01-01

Dual-energy X-ray radiography has become a well-established technique in medical, industrial, and security applications, because of its material or tissue discrimination capability. The main difficulty of this technique is dealing with the materials overlapping problem. When there are two or more materials along the X-ray beam path, its material discrimination performance will be affected. In order to solve this problem, a new dynamic material discrimination algorithm is proposed for dual-energy X-ray digital radiography, which can also be extended to multi-energy X-ray situations. The algorithm has three steps: α-curve-based pre-classification, decomposition of overlapped materials, and the final material recognition. The key of the algorithm is to establish a dual-energy radiograph database of both pure basis materials and pair combinations of them. After the pre-classification results, original dual-energy projections of overlapped materials can be dynamically decomposed into two sets of dual-energy radiographs of each pure material by the algorithm. Thus, more accurate discrimination results can be provided even with the existence of the overlapping problem. Both numerical and experimental results that prove the validity and effectiveness of the algorithm are presented. - Highlights: • A material discrimination algorithm for dual MV energy X-ray digital radiography is proposed. • To solve the materials overlapping problem of the current dual energy algorithm. • The experimental results with the 4/7 MV container inspection system are shown.

Investigation of naphthofuran moiety as potential dual inhibitor against BACE-1 and GSK-3β: molecular dynamics simulations, binding energy, and network analysis to identify first-in-class dual inhibitors against Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Akhil; Srivastava, Gaurava; Srivastava, Swati; Verma, Seema; Negi, Arvind S; Sharma, Ashok

2017-08-01

BACE-1 and GSK-3β are potential therapeutic drug targets for Alzheimer's disease. Recently, both the targets received attention for designing dual inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease. Until now, only two-scaffold triazinone and curcumin have been reported as BACE-1 and GSK-3β dual inhibitors. Docking, molecular dynamics, clustering, binding energy, and network analysis of triazinone derivatives with BACE-1 and GSK-3β was performed to get molecular insight into the first reported dual inhibitor. Further, we designed and evaluated a naphthofuran series for its ability to inhibit BACE-1 and GSK-3β with the computational approaches. Docking study of naphthofuran series showed a good binding affinity towards both the targets. Molecular dynamics, binding energy, and network analysis were performed to compare their binding with the targets and amino acids responsible for binding. Naphthofuran series derivatives showed good interaction within the active site residues of both of the targets. Hydrogen bond occupancy and binding energy suggested strong binding with the targets. Dual-inhibitor binding was mostly governed by the hydrophobic interactions for both of the targets. Per residue energy decomposition and network analysis identified the key residues involved in the binding and inhibiting BACE-1 and GSK-3β. The results indicated that naphthofuran series derivative 11 may be a promising first-in-class dual inhibitor against BACE-1 and GSK-3β. This naphthofuran series may be further explored to design better dual inhibitors. Graphical abstract Naphthofuran derivative as a dual inhibitor for BACE-1 and GSK-3β.

Dual-energy imaging method to improve the image quality and the accuracy of dose calculation for cone-beam computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Men, Kuo; Dai, Jianrong; Chen, Xinyuan; Li, Minghui; Zhang, Ke; Huang, Peng

2017-04-01

To improve the image quality and accuracy of dose calculation for cone-beam computed tomography (CT) images through implementation of a dual-energy cone-beam computed tomography method (DE-CBCT), and evaluate the improvement quantitatively. Two sets of CBCT projections were acquired using the X-ray volumetric imaging (XVI) system on a Synergy (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) system with 120kV (high) and 70kV (low) X-rays, respectively. Then, the electron density relative to water (relative electron density (RED)) of each voxel was calculated using a projection-based dual-energy decomposition method. As a comparison, single-energy cone-beam computed tomography (SE-CBCT) was used to calculate RED with the Hounsfield unit-RED calibration curve generated by a CIRS phantom scan with identical imaging parameters. The imaging dose was measured with a dosimetry phantom. The image quality was evaluated quantitatively using a Catphan 503 phantom with the evaluation indices of the reproducibility of the RED values, high-contrast resolution (MTF 50% ), uniformity, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Dose calculation of two simulated volumetric-modulated arc therapy plans using an Eclipse treatment-planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) was performed on an Alderson Rando Head and Neck (H&N) phantom and a Pelvis phantom. Fan-beam planning CT images for the H&N and Pelvis phantom were set as the reference. A global three-dimensional gamma analysis was used to compare dose distributions with the reference. The average gamma values for targets and OAR were analyzed with paired t-tests between DE-CBCT and SE-CBCT. In two scans (H&N scan and body scan), the imaging dose of DE-CBCT increased by 1.0% and decreased by 1.3%. It had a better reproducibility of the RED values (mean bias: 0.03 and 0.07) compared with SE-CBCT (mean bias: 0.13 and 0.16). It also improved the image uniformity (57.5% and 30.1%) and SNR (9.7% and 2.3%), but did not affect the MTF 50% . Gamma

Myocardial perfusion assessment by dual-energy computed tomography in patients with intermediate to high likelihood of coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Zam, M.C.; Capunay, C.; Rodriguez Granillo, G.A.; Deviggiano, A.; Campisi, R.; Munain, M. López de; Vallejos, J.; Carrascosa, P.M.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We sought to explore the feasibility and diagnostic performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for the evaluation of myocardial perfusion in patients with intermediate to high likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD), and to assess the impact of beam hardening artifacts (HAE). Methods. The present prospective study involved patients with known or suspected CAD referred for myocardial perfusion imaging by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Twenty patients were included in the study protocol, and scanned using DECT imaging (n = 20). The same pharmacological stress was used for DECT and SPECT scans. Results. A total of 680 left ventricular segments were evaluated by DECT and SPECT. The contrast to noise ratio was 8.8±2.9. The diagnostic performance of DECT was very good in identifying perfusion defects [area under ROC curve (AUC) of DECT 0.90 (0.86-0.94)] compared with SPECT, and remained unaffected when including only segments affected by beam hardening artifacts (BHA) [AUC= DECT 0.90 (0.84-0.96)]. Conclusions. In this pilot investigation, myocardial perfusion assessment by DECT imaging in patients with intermediate to high likelihood of CAD was feasible and remained unaffected by the presence of BHA. (authors) [es

Energy spectrum analysis between single and dual energy source x-ray imaging for PCB non-destructive test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Kyeong Jin; Kim, Myung Soo; Lee, Min Ju; Kang, Dong Uk; Lee, Dae Hee; Kim, Ye Won; Kim, Chan Kyu; Kim, Hyoung Taek; Kim, Gi Yoon; Cho, Gyu Seong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Reliability of printed circuit board (PCB), which is based on high integrated circuit technology, is having been important because of development of electric and self-driving car. In order to answer these demand, automated X-ray inspection (AXI) is best solution for PCB nondestructive test. PCB is consist of plastic, copper, and, lead, which have low to high Z-number materials. By using dual energy X-ray imaging, these materials can be inspected accurately and efficiently. Dual energy X-ray imaging, that have the advantage of separating materials, however, need some solution such as energy separation method and enhancing efficiency because PCB has materials that has wide range of Z-number. In this work, we found out several things by analysis of X-ray energy spectrum. Separating between lead and combination of plastic and copper is only possible with energy range not dose. On the other hand, separating between plastic and copper is only with dose not energy range. Moreover the copper filter of high energy part of dual X-ray imaging and 50 kVp of low energy part of dual X-ray imaging is best for efficiency.

Energy spectrum analysis between single and dual energy source x-ray imaging for PCB non-destructive test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Kyeong Jin; Kim, Myung Soo; Lee, Min Ju; Kang, Dong Uk; Lee, Dae Hee; Kim, Ye Won; Kim, Chan Kyu; Kim, Hyoung Taek; Kim, Gi Yoon; Cho, Gyu Seong

2015-01-01

Reliability of printed circuit board (PCB), which is based on high integrated circuit technology, is having been important because of development of electric and self-driving car. In order to answer these demand, automated X-ray inspection (AXI) is best solution for PCB nondestructive test. PCB is consist of plastic, copper, and, lead, which have low to high Z-number materials. By using dual energy X-ray imaging, these materials can be inspected accurately and efficiently. Dual energy X-ray imaging, that have the advantage of separating materials, however, need some solution such as energy separation method and enhancing efficiency because PCB has materials that has wide range of Z-number. In this work, we found out several things by analysis of X-ray energy spectrum. Separating between lead and combination of plastic and copper is only possible with energy range not dose. On the other hand, separating between plastic and copper is only with dose not energy range. Moreover the copper filter of high energy part of dual X-ray imaging and 50 kVp of low energy part of dual X-ray imaging is best for efficiency

EPCiR prototype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2003-01-01

A prototype of a residential pervasive computing platform based on OSGi involving among other a mock-up of an health care bandage.......A prototype of a residential pervasive computing platform based on OSGi involving among other a mock-up of an health care bandage....

Dual energy CT intracranial angiography: image quality, radiation dose and initial application results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai Xue; Zhang Longjiang; Lu Guangming; Zhou Changsheng

2009-01-01

Objective: To assess the clinical value of dual-energy intracranial CT angiography (CTA). Methods: Forty-one patients suspected of intracranial vascular diseases underwent dual-energy intracranial CT angiography, and 41 patients who underwent conventional subtraction CT were enrolled as the control group. Image quality of intracranial and skull base vessels and radiation dose between dual-energy CTA and conventional subtraction CTA were compared using two independent sample nonparametric test and independent-samples t test, respectively. Prevalence and size of lesions detected by dual-energy CTA and digital subtraction CTA were compared using paired-samples t test and Spearman correlative analysis. Results: The percentage of image quality scored 5 was 70.7% (29/41) for dual-energy CTA and 75.6% (31/41) for conventional subtraction CTA. There was no significant difference between the two groups (Z= -0.455, P=0.650). Image quality of vessels at the skull base in conventional subtraction CTA was superior to that in dual-energy CTA, especially for the petrosal and syphon segment (Z=-4.087, P=0.000). Radiation exposure of dual energy CTA and conventional CTA were (396.54±17.43) and (1090.95±114.29) mGy·cm respectively. Radiation exposure was decreased by 64% (t=-38.52, P=0.000) by dual energy CTA compared with conventional subtraction CTA. Out of the 41 patients, 19 patients were diagnosed as intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients as arteriovenous malformation (AVM), 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and the remaining 17 patients with negative results. Nine patients with intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients with AVM, 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and 2 patients with negative findings underwent DSA or operation, with concordant findings from both techniques. Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by dual-energy CTA was (2.90±1.61), (5.23±1.68) and (3.83±1.69) mm, respectively; Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by DSA was (2.95±1

Simultaneous dual-energy X-ray stereo imaging

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mokso, R.; Oberta, Peter

2015-01-01

Roč. 22, Jul (2015), 1078-1082 ISSN 0909-0495 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : optics * crystal * imaging * dual-energy Subject RIV: BH - Optics , Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 2.736, year: 2014

Process computer system for the prototype ATR 'Fugen'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oteru, Shigeru

1979-01-01

In recent nuclear power plants, computers are regarded as one of component equipments, and data processing, plant monitoring and performance calculation tend to be carried out with one on-line computer. As plants become large and complex, and the operational conditions become strict, the system having the function of performance calculation and reflecting the results immediately to operation is introduced. In the process computer for the prototype ATR ''Fugen'', the function of prediction to simulate the state after operation before the operation accompanied by the change of reactivity in a core, such as the operation of control rods and the control of liquid poison during operation, was given in addition to the functions of data processing, plant monitoring and detailed performance calculation. Core periodic monitoring program, core operational aid program, core any time data collecting program, and core periodic data collecting program, and their application programs are explained. Core performance calculation is the calculation of thermal output distribution in the core and the various accompanying characteristics and the monitoring of thermal limiting values. The computer used is a Hitachi control computer HIDIC-500, and typewriters, a process colored display, an operating console and other peripheral equipments are connected to it. (Kako, I.)

Unikabeton Prototype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Asbjørn; Dombernowsky, Per

2011-01-01

The Unikabeton prototype structure was developed as the finalization of the cross-disciplinary research project Unikabeton, exploring the architectural potential in linking the computational process of topology optimisation with robot fabrication of concrete casting moulds. The project was elabor......The Unikabeton prototype structure was developed as the finalization of the cross-disciplinary research project Unikabeton, exploring the architectural potential in linking the computational process of topology optimisation with robot fabrication of concrete casting moulds. The project...... of Architecture was to develop a series of optimisation experiments, concluding in the design and optimisation of a full scale prototype concrete structure....

Dual field theories of quantum computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanchurin, Vitaly

2016-01-01

Given two quantum states of N q-bits we are interested to find the shortest quantum circuit consisting of only one- and two- q-bit gates that would transfer one state into another. We call it the quantum maze problem for the reasons described in the paper. We argue that in a large N limit the quantum maze problem is equivalent to the problem of finding a semiclassical trajectory of some lattice field theory (the dual theory) on an N+1 dimensional space-time with geometrically flat, but topologically compact spatial slices. The spatial fundamental domain is an N dimensional hyper-rhombohedron, and the temporal direction describes transitions from an arbitrary initial state to an arbitrary target state and so the initial and final dual field theory conditions are described by these two quantum computational states. We first consider a complex Klein-Gordon field theory and argue that it can only be used to study the shortest quantum circuits which do not involve generators composed of tensor products of multiple Pauli Z matrices. Since such situation is not generic we call it the Z-problem. On the dual field theory side the Z-problem corresponds to massless excitations of the phase (Goldstone modes) that we attempt to fix using Higgs mechanism. The simplest dual theory which does not suffer from the massless excitation (or from the Z-problem) is the Abelian-Higgs model which we argue can be used for finding the shortest quantum circuits. Since every trajectory of the field theory is mapped directly to a quantum circuit, the shortest quantum circuits are identified with semiclassical trajectories. We also discuss the complexity of an actual algorithm that uses a dual theory prospective for solving the quantum maze problem and compare it with a geometric approach. We argue that it might be possible to solve the problem in sub-exponential time in 2 N , but for that we must consider the Klein-Gordon theory on curved spatial geometry and/or more complicated (than N

Spectral and dual-energy X-ray imaging for medical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Fredenberg, Erik

2018-01-01

Spectral imaging is an umbrella term for energy-resolved X-ray imaging in medicine. The technique makes use of the energy dependence of X-ray attenuation to either increase the contrast-to-noise ratio, or to provide quantitative image data and reduce image artefacts by so-called material decomposition. Spectral imaging is not new, but has gained interest in recent years because of rapidly increasing availability of spectral and dual-energy CT and the dawn of energy-resolved photon-counting detectors. This review examines the current technological status of spectral and dual-energy imaging and a number of practical applications of the technology in medicine.

Evaluation of Computer-Based Procedure System Prototype

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johanna Oxstrand; Katya Le Blanc; Seth Hays

2012-09-01

This research effort is a part of the Light-Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program, which is a research and development (R&D) program sponsored by Department of Energy (DOE), performed in close collaboration with industry R&D programs, to provide the technical foundations for licensing and managing the long-term, safe, and economical operation of current nuclear power plants. The LWRS program serves to help the U.S. nuclear industry adopt new technologies and engineering solutions that facilitate the continued safe operation of the plants and extension of the current operating licenses. The introduction of advanced technology in existing nuclear power plants may help to manage the effects of aging systems, structures, and components. In addition, the incorporation of advanced technology in the existing LWR fleet may entice the future workforce, who will be familiar with advanced technology, to work for these utilities rather than more newly built nuclear power plants. Advantages are being sought by developing and deploying technologies that will increase safety and efficiency. One significant opportunity for existing plants to increase efficiency is to phase out the paper-based procedures (PBPs) currently used at most nuclear power plants and replace them, where feasible, with computer-based procedures (CBPs). PBPs have ensured safe operation of plants for decades, but limitations in paper-based systems do not allow them to reach the full potential for procedures to prevent human errors. The environment in a nuclear power plant is constantly changing depending on current plant status and operating mode. PBPs, which are static by nature, are being applied to a constantly changing context. This constraint often results in PBPs that are written in a manner that is intended to cover many potential operating scenarios. Hence, the procedure layout forces the operator to search through a large amount of irrelevant information to locate the pieces of information

Dual source and dual detector arrays tetrahedron beam computed tomography for image guided radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Joshua; Zhang, Tiezhi; Lu, Weiguo

2014-01-01

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an important online imaging modality for image guided radiotherapy. But suboptimal image quality and the lack of a real-time stereoscopic imaging function limit its implementation in advanced treatment techniques, such as online adaptive and 4D radiotherapy. Tetrahedron beam computed tomography (TBCT) is a novel online imaging modality designed to improve on the image quality provided by CBCT. TBCT geometry is flexible, and multiple detector and source arrays can be used for different applications. In this paper, we describe a novel dual source–dual detector TBCT system that is specially designed for LINAC radiation treatment machines. The imaging system is positioned in-line with the MV beam and is composed of two linear array x-ray sources mounted aside the electrical portal imaging device and two linear arrays of x-ray detectors mounted below the machine head. The detector and x-ray source arrays are orthogonal to each other, and each pair of source and detector arrays forms a tetrahedral volume. Four planer images can be obtained from different view angles at each gantry position at a frame rate as high as 20 frames per second. The overlapped regions provide a stereoscopic field of view of approximately 10–15 cm. With a half gantry rotation, a volumetric CT image can be reconstructed having a 45 cm field of view. Due to the scatter rejecting design of the TBCT geometry, the system can potentially produce high quality 2D and 3D images with less radiation exposure. The design of the dual source–dual detector system is described, and preliminary results of studies performed on numerical phantoms and simulated patient data are presented. (paper)

Characterization of a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Di; Yan, Aimin; Li, Yuhua; Wong, Molly D; Zheng, Bin; Wu, Xizeng; Liu, Hong

2015-05-01

In this research, a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype was developed and characterized through quantitative investigations and phantom studies. The prototype system consists of an x-ray source, a motorized rotation stage, and a CMOS detector with a pixel pitch of 0.05 mm. The x-ray source was operated at 120 kVp for this study, and the objects were mounted on the rotation stage 76.2 cm (R1) from the source and 114.3 cm (R2) from the detector. The large air gap between the object and detector guarantees sufficient phase-shift effects. The quantitative evaluation of this prototype included modulation transfer function and noise power spectrum measurements conducted under both projection mode and tomosynthesis mode. Phantom studies were performed including three custom designed phantoms with complex structures: a five-layer bubble wrap phantom, a fishbone phantom, and a chicken breast phantom with embedded fibrils and mass structures extracted from an ACR phantom. In-plane images of the phantoms were acquired to investigate their image qualities through observation, intensity profile plots, edge enhancement evaluations, and/or contrast-to-noise ratio calculations. In addition, the robust phase-attenuation duality (PAD)-based phase retrieval method was applied to tomosynthesis for the first time in this research. It was utilized as a preprocessing method to fully exhibit phase contrast on the angular projection before reconstruction. The resolution and noise characteristics of this high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype were successfully investigated and demonstrated. The phantom studies demonstrated that this imaging prototype can successfully remove the structure overlapping in phantom projections, obtain delineate interfaces, and achieve better contrast-to-noise ratio after applying phase retrieval to the angular projections. This research successfully demonstrated a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis

Multiple energy computed tomography for neuroradiology with monochromatic x-rays from the National Synchrotron Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dilmanian, F.A.; Garrett, R.F.; Thomlinson, W.C.; Berman, L.E.; Chapman, L.D.; Gmuer, N.F.; Lazarz, N.M.; Moulin, H.R.; Oversluizen, T.; Slatkin, D.N.; Stojanoff, V.; Volkow, N.D.; Zeman, H.D.; Luke, P.N.; Thompson, A.C.

1990-01-01

Monochromatic and tunable 33--100 keV x-rays from the X17 superconducting wiggler of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) will be used for computed tomography (CT) of the human head and neck. The CT configuration will be one of a fixed horizontal fan-shaped beam and a seated rotating subject. The system, which is under development, will employ a two-crystal monochromator with an energy bandwidth of about 0.1%, and high-purity germanium linear array detector with 0.5 mm element width and 200 mm total width. Narrow energy bands not only eliminate beam hardening but are ideal for carrying out the following dial-energy methods: (a) dual-photon absorptiometry CT, that provides separate images of the low-Z and the intermediate-Z elements; and (b) K-edge subtraction CT of iodine and perhaps of heavier contrast elements. As a result, the system should provide ∼10-fold improvement in image contrast resolution and in quantitative precision over conventional CT. A prototype system for a 45 mm subject diameter will be ready in 1991, which will be used for studies with phantoms and small animals. The human imaging system will have a field of view of 200 mm. The in-plane spatial resolution in both systems will be 0.5 mm FWHM. 34 refs., 6 figs

Prototype Testing of the Wave Energy Converter Wave Dragon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Jens Peter; Frigaard, Peter; Friis-Madsen, Erik

2006-01-01

The Wave Dragon is an offshore wave energy converter of the overtopping type. It consists of two wave reflectors focusing the incoming waves towards a ramp, a reservoir for collecting the overtopping water and a number of hydro turbines for converting the pressure head into power. In the period...... from 1998 to 2001 extensive wave tank testing on a scale model was carried at Aalborg University. Then, a 57!27 m wide and 237 tonnes heavy (incl. ballast) prototype of the Wave Dragon, placed in Nissum Bredning, Denmark, was grid connected in May 2003 as the world’s first offshore wave energy...... converter. The prototype is fully equipped with hydro turbines and automatic control systems, and is instrumented in order to monitor power production, wave climate, forces in mooring lines, stresses in the structure and movements of the Wave Dragon. In the period May 2003 to January 2005 an extensive...

Prototype Testing of the Wave Energy Converter Wave Dragon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Jens Peter; Frigaard, Peter Bak; Friis-Madsen, Erik

2004-01-01

The Wave Dragon is an offshore wave energy converter of the overtopping type. It consists of two wave reflectors focusing the incoming waves towards a ramp, a reservoir for collecting the overtopping water and a number of hydro turbines for converting the pressure head into power. In the period...... from 1998 to 2001 extensive wave tank testing on a scale model was carried at Aalborg University. Then, a 57 x 27 m wide and 237 tonnes heavy (incl. ballast) prototype of the Wave Dragon, placed in Nissum Bredning, Denmark, was grid connected in May 2003 as the world's first offshore wave energy...... converter. The prototype is fully equipped with hydro turbines and automatic control systems, and is instrumented in order to monitor power production, wave climate, forces in mooring lines, stresses in the structure and movements of the Wave Dragon. During the last months, extensive testing has started...

Dose optimization for dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography based on an energy-resolved photon-counting detector: A Monte Carlo simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Youngjin; Lee, Seungwan; Kang, Sooncheol; Eom, Jisoo

2017-03-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) has been used to decompose breast images and improve diagnostic accuracy for tumor detection. However, this technique causes an increase of radiation dose and an inaccuracy in material decomposition due to the limitations of conventional X-ray detectors. In this study, we simulated the dual-energy CEDM with an energy-resolved photon-counting detector (ERPCD) for reducing radiation dose and improving the quantitative accuracy of material decomposition images. The ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM was compared to the conventional dual-energy CEDM in terms of radiation dose and quantitative accuracy. The correlation between radiation dose and image quality was also evaluated for optimizing the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM technique. The results showed that the material decomposition errors of the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM were 0.56-0.67 times lower than those of the conventional dual-energy CEDM. The imaging performance of the proposed technique was optimized at the radiation dose of 1.09 mGy, which is a half of the MGD for a single view mammogram. It can be concluded that the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM with an optimal exposure level is able to improve the quality of material decomposition images as well as reduce radiation dose.

Single-source dual-energy spectral multidetector CT of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Optimization of energy level viewing significantly increases lesion contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, B.N.; Thomas, J.V.; Lockhart, M.E.; Berland, L.L.; Morgan, D.E.

2013-01-01

Aim: To evaluate lesion contrast in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients using spectral multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) analysis. Materials and methods: The present institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)-compliant retrospective study evaluated 64 consecutive adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma examined using a standardized, multiphasic protocol on a single-source, dual-energy MDCT system. Pancreatic phase images (35 s) were acquired in dual-energy mode; unenhanced and portal venous phases used standard MDCT. Lesion contrast was evaluated on an independent workstation using dual-energy analysis software, comparing tumour to non-tumoural pancreas attenuation (HU) differences and tumour diameter at three energy levels: 70 keV; individual subject-optimized viewing energy level (based on the maximum contrast-to-noise ratio, CNR); and 45 keV. The image noise was measured for the same three energies. Differences in lesion contrast, diameter, and noise between the different energy levels were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Quantitative differences in contrast gain between 70 keV and CNR-optimized viewing energies, and between CNR-optimized and 45 keV were compared using the paired t-test. Results: Thirty-four women and 30 men (mean age 68 years) had a mean tumour diameter of 3.6 cm. The median optimized energy level was 50 keV (range 40–77). The mean ± SD lesion contrast values (non-tumoural pancreas – tumour attenuation) were: 57 ± 29, 115 ± 70, and 146 ± 74 HU (p = 0.0005); the lengths of the tumours were: 3.6, 3.3, and 3.1 cm, respectively (p = 0.026); and the contrast to noise ratios were: 24 ± 7, 39 ± 12, and 59 ± 17 (p = 0.0005) for 70 keV, the optimized energy level, and 45 keV, respectively. For individuals, the mean ± SD contrast gain from 70 keV to the optimized energy level was 59 ± 45 HU; and the mean ± SD contrast gain from the optimized energy level to 45 ke

Detection of parathyroid adenomas using a monophasic dual-energy computed tomography acquisition: diagnostic performance and potential radiation dose reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leiva-Salinas, Carlos; Flors, Lucia; Durst, Christopher R.; Hou, Qinghua; Mukherjee, Sugoto; Patrie, James T.; Wintermark, Max

2016-01-01

The aims of the study were to compare the diagnostic performance of a combination of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images and arterial images obtained from a single-phase dual-energy CT (DECT) acquisition and standard non-contrast and arterial images from a biphasic protocol and to study the potential radiation dose reduction of the former approach. All DECT examinations performed for evaluation of parathyroid adenomas during a 13-month period were retrospectively reviewed. An initial single-energy unenhanced acquisition was followed by a dual-energy arterial phase acquisition. ''Virtual non-contrast images'' were generated from the dual-energy acquisition. Two independent and blinded radiologists evaluated three different sets of images during three reading sessions: single arterial phase, single-phase DECT (virtual non-contrast and arterial phase), and standard biphasic protocol (true non-contrast and arterial phase). The accuracy of interpretation in lateralizing an adenoma to the side of the neck and localizing it to a quadrant in the neck was evaluated. Sixty patients (mean age, 65.5 years; age range, 38-87 years) were included in the study. The lateralization and localization accuracy, sensitivity, and positive predicted value (PPV) and negative predicted value (NPV) of the different image datasets were comparable. The combination of VNC and arterial images was more specific than arterial images alone to lateralize a parathyroid lesion (OR = 1.93, p = 0.043). The use of the single-phase protocol resulted in a calculated radiation exposure reduction of 52.8 %. Virtual non-contrast and arterial images from a single DECT acquisition showed similar diagnostic accuracy than a biphasic protocol, providing a significant dose reduction. (orig.)

Detection of parathyroid adenomas using a monophasic dual-energy computed tomography acquisition: diagnostic performance and potential radiation dose reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leiva-Salinas, Carlos; Flors, Lucia; Durst, Christopher R.; Hou, Qinghua; Mukherjee, Sugoto [University of Virginia, Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Patrie, James T. [University of Virginia, Department of Public Health Sciences, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Wintermark, Max [Stanford University, Department of Radiology, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

2016-11-15

The aims of the study were to compare the diagnostic performance of a combination of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images and arterial images obtained from a single-phase dual-energy CT (DECT) acquisition and standard non-contrast and arterial images from a biphasic protocol and to study the potential radiation dose reduction of the former approach. All DECT examinations performed for evaluation of parathyroid adenomas during a 13-month period were retrospectively reviewed. An initial single-energy unenhanced acquisition was followed by a dual-energy arterial phase acquisition. ''Virtual non-contrast images'' were generated from the dual-energy acquisition. Two independent and blinded radiologists evaluated three different sets of images during three reading sessions: single arterial phase, single-phase DECT (virtual non-contrast and arterial phase), and standard biphasic protocol (true non-contrast and arterial phase). The accuracy of interpretation in lateralizing an adenoma to the side of the neck and localizing it to a quadrant in the neck was evaluated. Sixty patients (mean age, 65.5 years; age range, 38-87 years) were included in the study. The lateralization and localization accuracy, sensitivity, and positive predicted value (PPV) and negative predicted value (NPV) of the different image datasets were comparable. The combination of VNC and arterial images was more specific than arterial images alone to lateralize a parathyroid lesion (OR = 1.93, p = 0.043). The use of the single-phase protocol resulted in a calculated radiation exposure reduction of 52.8 %. Virtual non-contrast and arterial images from a single DECT acquisition showed similar diagnostic accuracy than a biphasic protocol, providing a significant dose reduction. (orig.)

Pulmonary ventilation and perfusion imaging with dual-energy CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thieme, Sven F. [Klinikum Grosshadern, Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Muenchen (Germany); Klinikum Grosshadern, Institut fuer Klinische Radiologie, LMU Muenchen, Muenchen (Germany); Hoegl, Sandra; Fisahn, Juergen; Irlbeck, Michael [Klinikum Grosshadern, Department of Anesthesiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Muenchen (Germany); Nikolaou, Konstantin; Maxien, Daniel; Reiser, Maximilian F.; Becker, Christoph R.; Johnson, Thorsten R.C. [Klinikum Grosshadern, Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Muenchen (Germany)

2010-12-15

To evaluate the feasibility of dual-energy CT (DECT) ventilation imaging in combination with DE perfusion mapping for a comprehensive assessment of ventilation, perfusion, morphology and structure of the pulmonary parenchyma. Two dual-energy CT acquisitions for xenon-enhanced ventilation and iodine-enhanced perfusion mapping were performed in patients under artificial respiration. Parenchymal xenon and iodine distribution were mapped and correlated with structural or vascular abnormalities. In all datasets, image quality was sufficient for a comprehensive image reading of the pulmonary CTA images, lung window images and pulmonary functional parameter maps and led to expedient results in each patient. With dual-source CT systems, DECT of the lung with iodine or xenon administration is technically feasible and makes it possible to depict the regional iodine or xenon distribution representing the local perfusion and ventilation. (orig.)

THOR-a commodity component prototype for the ATLAS Event Filter

CERN Document Server

Davis, R; MacKinnon, S; Pinfold, James L

1999-01-01

The ATLAS Event Filter prototype developed at the University of Alberta (the THOR project) is being used in the context of the DAQ-1 project to study issues related to the implementation of the sub-farm model using commodity components and open source software. The prototype consists of seven dual Pentium II 450 MHz machines connected via a fast Ethernet switch and will soon be upgraded to nine dual Pentium 450 MHz machines connected in a 3*3 array using Scalable Coherent Interconnect (SCI). The entire prototype is placed behind a firewall machine which serves as the control centre for the processor farm. (8 refs).

A dual-parameter multichannel analyzer using a personal computer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimoto, T.; Murai, I.; Chaki, S.; Ogawa, Y.; Shoji, I.

1989-01-01

The design of a practical system for measuring two-parameter signals is reported. To obtain constantly changing energy spectra of nuclear reactor assemblies due to repeated insertion of pulsed neutron sources, the simultaneous acquisition of time and energy data are needed. A computer-based dual-parameter multichannel pulse-height analyzer (MCA) has been developed; it employs a personal computer, two analog-to-digital converters (ADC's), and a parallel interface board for handling these signals. The system showed excellent performance characteristics with a minimum data processing time of about 14 μs; a maximum conversion gain of 2 18 channels (for example, 512 x 512 ch); a count capacity of 2 32 -1/ch(2 16 -1/ch at 512 x 512 ch); and the time required for graphic display of approximately 3 s/2 16 dots (contour display) or about 0.1 s/(2 16 /16) dots (isometric display). Large data arrays were handled dynamically with a segment register. The data processing speed was improved by transferring the data from the ADC to the central processing unit (CPU) in 16-bit words and simultaneously reading the status flag and the data. The graphic display process was speeded up by writing the data bit corresponding to the locations directly into the graphic video random access memory (VRAM). The system is simple to operate, and by changing the memory size and coincidence resolution time by software operations, it is highly flexible

Prototype superconducting magnet for the FFAG accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obana, T.; Ogitsu, T.; Yamamoto, A.; Yoshimoto, M.; Mori, Y.; Fujii, T.; Iwasa, M.; Orikasa, T.

2006-01-01

A study of a superconducting magnet for the Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator has been performed. The FFAG accelerator requires static magnetic field, and it is suitable for superconducting magnet applications, because problems associated with time varying magnetic field such as eddy current loss can be eliminated. The superconducting magnet, which can generate high magnetic field, is possible to realize a higher beam energy with a given accelerator size or the size to be smaller for a given beam energy. The FFAG accelerator magnet is demanded to have a complicated nonlinear magnetic field with high accuracy. As a first prototype superconducting coil, the coil configuration which consists of left-right asymmetric cross-section and large aperture has been designed. The prototype coil has been successfully developed by using a 6-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) winding machine. The magnetic field of the prototype coil has been demonstrated in warm measurement. As a consequence, the technical feasibility has been verified with the prototype coil development and the performance test. In addition, the technology components developed in the prototype coil have a possibility to transfer to a fusion magnet

A novel technique for presurgical nasoalveolar molding using computer-aided reverse engineering and rapid prototyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Quan; Gong, Xin; Wang, Guo-Min; Yu, Zhe-Yuan; Qian, Yu-Fen; Shen, Gang

2011-01-01

To establish a new method of presurgical nasoalveolar molding (NAM) using computer-aided reverse engineering and rapid prototyping technique in infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Five infants (2 males and 3 females with mean age of 1.2 w) with complete UCLP were recruited. All patients were subjected to NAM before the cleft lip repair. The upper denture casts were recorded using a three-dimensional laser scanner within 2 weeks after birth in UCLP infants. A digital model was constructed and analyzed to simulate the NAM procedure with reverse engineering software. The digital geometrical data were exported to print the solid model with rapid prototyping system. The whole set of appliances was fabricated based on these solid models. Laser scanning and digital model construction simplified the NAM procedure and estimated the treatment objective. The appliances were fabricated based on the rapid prototyping technique, and for each patient, the complete set of appliances could be obtained at one time. By the end of presurgical NAM treatment, the cleft was narrowed, and the malformation of nasoalveolar segments was aligned normally. We have developed a novel technique of presurgical NAM based on a computer-aided design. The accurate digital denture model of UCLP infants could be obtained with laser scanning. The treatment design and appliance fabrication could be simplified with a computer-aided reverse engineering and rapid prototyping technique.

Dual-energy X-ray radiography for automatic high-Z material detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Gongyin; Bennett, Gordon; Perticone, David

2007-01-01

There is an urgent need for high-Z material detection in cargo. Materials with Z > 74 can indicate the presence of fissile materials or radiation shielding. Dual (high) energy X-ray material discrimination is based on the fact that different materials have different energy dependence in X-ray attenuation coefficients. This paper introduces the basic physics and analyzes the factors that affect dual-energy material discrimination performance. A detection algorithm is also discussed

SU-F-T-407: Artifact Reduction with Dual Energy Or IMAR: Who’s Winning?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, E; Schreibmann, E; Dhabaan, A

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this abstract was to evaluate the performance of commercial strategies for artifact reduction in radiation oncology settings. The iterative metal artifact reduction (Siemens iMAR) algorithm and monoenergetic virtual datasets reconstructed from dual energy scans are compared side-by-side in their ability to image in the presence of metal inserts. Methods: A CIRS ATOM Dosimetry Verification Phantom was scanned with and without a metal insert on a SOMATOM Definition AS dual energy scanner. Images with the metal insert were reconstructed with (a) a tradition single energy CT scan with the iMAR option implemented, using different artifact reduction settings and (b) a monoenergetic scan calculated from dual energy scans by recovering differences in the energy-dependence of the attenuation coefficients of different materials and then creating a virtual monoenergetic scan from these coefficients. The iMAR and monoenergetic scans were then compared with the metal-free scan to assess changes in HU numbers and noise within a region around the metal insert. Results: Both the iMAR and dual energy scans reduced artifacts produced by the metal insert. However the iMAR results are dependent of the selected algorithm settings, with a mean HU difference ranging from 0.65 to 90.40 for different options. The mean differences without the iMAR correction were 38.74. When using the dual energy scan, the mean differences were 4.53, that is however attributed to increased noise and not artifacts, as the dual energy scan had the lowest skewness (2.52) compared to the iMAR scans (ranging from 3.90 to 4.88) and the lowest kurtosis (5.72 for dual energy, range of 18.19 to 27.36 for iMAR). Conclusion: Both approaches accurately recovered HU numbers, however the dual energy method provided smaller residual artifacts.

SU-F-T-407: Artifact Reduction with Dual Energy Or IMAR: Who’s Winning?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elder, E; Schreibmann, E; Dhabaan, A [Department of Radiation Oncology and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University Atlanta, GA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The purpose of this abstract was to evaluate the performance of commercial strategies for artifact reduction in radiation oncology settings. The iterative metal artifact reduction (Siemens iMAR) algorithm and monoenergetic virtual datasets reconstructed from dual energy scans are compared side-by-side in their ability to image in the presence of metal inserts. Methods: A CIRS ATOM Dosimetry Verification Phantom was scanned with and without a metal insert on a SOMATOM Definition AS dual energy scanner. Images with the metal insert were reconstructed with (a) a tradition single energy CT scan with the iMAR option implemented, using different artifact reduction settings and (b) a monoenergetic scan calculated from dual energy scans by recovering differences in the energy-dependence of the attenuation coefficients of different materials and then creating a virtual monoenergetic scan from these coefficients. The iMAR and monoenergetic scans were then compared with the metal-free scan to assess changes in HU numbers and noise within a region around the metal insert. Results: Both the iMAR and dual energy scans reduced artifacts produced by the metal insert. However the iMAR results are dependent of the selected algorithm settings, with a mean HU difference ranging from 0.65 to 90.40 for different options. The mean differences without the iMAR correction were 38.74. When using the dual energy scan, the mean differences were 4.53, that is however attributed to increased noise and not artifacts, as the dual energy scan had the lowest skewness (2.52) compared to the iMAR scans (ranging from 3.90 to 4.88) and the lowest kurtosis (5.72 for dual energy, range of 18.19 to 27.36 for iMAR). Conclusion: Both approaches accurately recovered HU numbers, however the dual energy method provided smaller residual artifacts.

Initial use of fast switched dual energy CT for coronary artery disease

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlicek, William; Panse, Prasad; Hara, Amy; Boltz, Thomas; Paden, Robert; Yamak, Didem; Licato, Paul; Chandra, Naveen; Okerlund, Darin; Dutta, Sandeep; Bhotika, Rahul; Langan, David

2010-04-01

Coronary CT Angiography (CTA) is limited in patients with calcified plaque and stents. CTA is unable to confidently differentiate fibrous from lipid plaque. Fast switched dual energy CTA offers certain advantages. Dual energy CTA removes calcium thereby improving visualization of the lumen and potentially providing a more accurate measure of stenosis. Dual energy CTA directly measures calcium burden (calcium hydroxyapatite) thereby eliminating a separate non-contrast series for Agatston Scoring. Using material basis pairs, the differentiation of fibrous and lipid plaques is also possible. Patency of a previously stented coronary artery is difficult to visualize with CTA due to resolution constraints and localized beam hardening artifacts. Monochromatic 70 keV or Iodine images coupled with Virtual Non-stent images lessen beam hardening artifact and blooming. Virtual removal of stainless steel stents improves assessment of in-stent re-stenosis. A beating heart phantom with 'cholesterol' and 'fibrous' phantom coronary plaques were imaged with dual energy CTA. Statistical classification methods (SVM, kNN, and LDA) distinguished 'cholesterol' from 'fibrous' phantom plaque tissue. Applying this classification method to 16 human soft plaques, a lipid 'burden' may be useful for characterizing risk of coronary disease. We also found that dual energy CTA is more sensitive to iodine contrast than conventional CTA which could improve the differentiation of myocardial infarct and ischemia on delayed acquisitions. These phantom and patient acquisitions show advantages with using fast switched dual energy CTA for coronary imaging and potentially extends the use of CT for addressing problem areas of non-invasive evaluation of coronary artery disease.

Multiphase Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray combination performance in NUEX flow loop; Desempenho no flowloop do NUEX da medicao multifasica Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreiros, Claudio; Taranto, Cleber; Costa, Alcemir [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pinguet, Bruno; Heluey, Vitor; Bessa, Fabiano; Loicq, Olivier [Schlumberger Servicos de Petroleo Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The Multiphase Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray Combination, Vx* technology, arrived in Brazil in 2000. PETROBRAS, Brazilian Oil Company, has been putting big efforts in its production business and also has demonstrated a large interest in having a multiphase meter approved by ANP for back allocation purposes. The oil industry was looking for ways to improve the back allocation process using an approved on line multiphase flow measurement device, thus replacing punctual test done today by a permanent monitoring device. Considering this scenario, a partnership project between PETROBRAS and Schlumberger was created in Brazil. The main objective of this project, which was held in NUEX flow loop, was to demonstrate to INMETRO (Brazilian Metrology Institute) that the Multiphase Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray Combination meter is able to be used for back allocation purpose. PETROBRAS and Schlumberger elaborated a complete methodology in the NUEX flow loop to demonstrate the results and benefits of the Multiphase Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray Combination meter. The test was witnessed by INMETRO and had a very good performance at the end. The results were within what was expected by Schlumberger, PETROBRAS and INMETRO. These results has been very useful to PETROBRAS in order to start using the Venturi Dual Energy Gamma Ray technology for well allocation purposes. (author)

Material Separation Using Dual-Energy CT: Current and Emerging Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Patino, Manuel; Prochowski, Andrea; Agrawal, Mukta D; Simeone, Frank J; Gupta, Rajiv; Hahn, Peter F; Sahani, Dushyant V

2016-01-01

Dual-energy (DE) computed tomography (CT) offers the opportunity to generate material-specific images on the basis of the atomic number Z and the unique mass attenuation coefficient of a particular material at different x-ray energies. Material-specific images provide qualitative and quantitative information about tissue composition and contrast media distribution. The most significant contribution of DE CT-based material characterization comes from the capability to assess iodine distribution through the creation of an image that exclusively shows iodine. These iodine-specific images increase tissue contrast and amplify subtle differences in attenuation between normal and abnormal tissues, improving lesion detection and characterization in the abdomen. In addition, DE CT enables computational removal of iodine influence from a CT image, generating virtual noncontrast images. Several additional materials, including calcium, fat, and uric acid, can be separated, permitting imaging assessment of metabolic imbalances, elemental deficiencies, and abnormal deposition of materials within tissues. The ability to obtain material-specific images from a single, contrast-enhanced CT acquisition can complement the anatomic knowledge with functional information, and may be used to reduce the radiation dose by decreasing the number of phases in a multiphasic CT examination. DE CT also enables generation of energy-specific and virtual monochromatic images. Clinical applications of DE CT leverage both material-specific images and virtual monochromatic images to expand the current role of CT and overcome several limitations of single-energy CT. (©)RSNA, 2016.

Multimaterial Decomposition Algorithm for the Quantification of Liver Fat Content by Using Fast-Kilovolt-Peak Switching Dual-Energy CT: Clinical Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyodo, Tomoko; Yada, Norihisa; Hori, Masatoshi; Maenishi, Osamu; Lamb, Peter; Sasaki, Kosuke; Onoda, Minori; Kudo, Masatoshi; Mochizuki, Teruhito; Murakami, Takamichi

2017-04-01

Purpose To assess the clinical accuracy and reproducibility of liver fat quantification with the multimaterial decomposition (MMD) algorithm, comparing the performance of MMD with that of magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy by using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Materials and Methods This prospective study was approved by the institutional ethics committee, and patients provided written informed consent. Thirty-three patients suspected of having hepatic steatosis underwent non-contrast material-enhanced and triple-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced dual-energy computed tomography (CT) (80 and 140 kVp) and single-voxel proton MR spectroscopy within 30 days before liver biopsy. Percentage fat volume fraction (FVF) images were generated by using the MMD algorithm on dual-energy CT data to measure hepatic fat content. FVFs determined by using dual-energy CT and percentage fat fractions (FFs) determined by using MR spectroscopy were compared with histologic steatosis grade (0-3, as defined by the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score system) by using Jonckheere-Terpstra trend tests and were compared with each other by using Bland-Altman analysis. Real non-contrast-enhanced FVFs were compared with triple-phase contrast-enhanced FVFs to determine the reproducibility of MMD by using Bland-Altman analyses. Results Both dual-energy CT FVF and MR spectroscopy FF increased with increasing histologic steatosis grade (trend test, P algorithm quantifying hepatic fat in dual-energy CT images is accurate and reproducible across imaging phases. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Comparison of dual photon and dual energy X-ray bone densitometers in a clinic setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, D.A.; Shaffer, S.; Brown, E.B.; Flynn, M.J.; Cody, D.D.

1991-01-01

Two separate studies were conducted. We evaluated the relationships between results of lumbar spine measurements using two dual photon absorptiometry (DPA1 and DPA2) instruments and one dual energy X-ray (DXA) instrument with the same subject (49 volunteers), and also in 65 patients who were measured on the DPA1 and DXA machines. Second, we measured the lumbar spine and the proximal femur in three groups of 12 female volunteers three times on one instrument within 1 week. We purposely simulated a busy clinic setting with different technologists, older radioactive sources, and a heterogeneous patient group. The comparison study indicated a significant difference between the mean bone density values reported by the machines, but the results were highly correlated (R 2 = 0.89-0.96). This study emphasizes the differences between instruments, the potential for greater error in busy clinic environments, and the apparent superiority of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry under these less than ideal conditions. (orig./GDG)

Dual-Energy Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging of Radiation-Induced Vascular Changes in Primary Mouse Sarcomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moding, Everett J.; Clark, Darin P.; Qi, Yi; Li, Yifan; Ma, Yan; Ghaghada, Ketan; Johnson, G. Allan; Kirsch, David G.; Badea, Cristian T.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of radiation therapy on primary tumor vasculature using dual-energy (DE) micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Methods and Materials: Primary sarcomas were generated with mutant Kras and p53. Unirradiated tumors were compared with tumors irradiated with 20 Gy. A liposomal-iodinated contrast agent was administered 1 day after treatment, and mice were imaged immediately after injection (day 1) and 3 days later (day 4) with DE micro-CT. CT-derived tumor sizes were used to assess tumor growth. After DE decomposition, iodine maps were used to assess tumor fractional blood volume (FBV) at day 1 and tumor vascular permeability at day 4. For comparison, tumor vascularity and vascular permeability were also evaluated histologically by use of CD31 immunofluorescence and fluorescently-labeled dextrans. Results: Radiation treatment significantly decreased tumor growth from day 1 to day 4 (P 2 =0.53) and dextran accumulation (R 2 =0.63) on day 4, respectively. Despite no change in MVD measured by histology, tumor FBV significantly increased after irradiation as measured by DE micro-CT (0.070 vs 0.091, P<.05). Both dextran and liposomal-iodine accumulation in tumors increased significantly after irradiation, with dextran fractional area increasing 5.2-fold and liposomal-iodine concentration increasing 4.0-fold. Conclusions: DE micro-CT is an effective tool for noninvasive assessment of vascular changes in primary tumors. Tumor blood volume and vascular permeability increased after a single therapeutic dose of radiation treatment

Diagnostic performance of calcification-suppressed coronary CT angiography using rapid kilovolt-switching dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Yunaga, Hiroto; Ohta, Yasutoshi; Kaetsu, Yasuhiro; Kitao, Shinichiro; Watanabe, Tomomi; Furuse, Yoshiyuki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Ogawa, Toshihide

2017-07-01

Multi-detector-row computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) plays an important role in the assessment of patients with suspected coronary artery disease. However, MDCTA tends to overestimate stenosis in calcified coronary artery lesions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of calcification-suppressed material density (MD) images produced by using a single-detector single-source dual-energy computed tomography (ssDECT). We enrolled 67 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease who underwent ssDECT with rapid kilovolt-switching (80 and 140 kVp). Coronary artery stenosis was evaluated on the basis of MD images and virtual monochromatic (VM) images. The diagnostic performance of the two methods for detecting coronary artery disease was compared with that of invasive coronary angiography as a reference standard. We evaluated 239 calcified segments. In all the segments, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for detecting significant stenosis were respectively 88%, 88%, 75%, 95% and 88% for the MD images, 91%, 71%, 56%, 95% and 77% for the VM images. PPV was significantly higher on the MD images than on the VM images (P < 0.0001). Calcification-suppressed MD images improved PPV and diagnostic performance for calcified coronary artery lesions. • Computed tomography angiography tends to overestimate stenosis in calcified coronary artery. • Dual-energy CT enables us to suppress calcification of coronary artery lesions. • Calcification-suppressed material density imaging reduces false-positive diagnosis of calcified lesion.

Operating characteristics of a prototype high energy gamma-ray telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, T.L.; Frye, G.M.; Hall, C.J.; Owens, A.; Pendleton, G.N.; Carter, J.N.; Ramsden, D.; Agrinier, B.; Bonfand, E.; Refloch, A.; Tabary, A.

1985-08-01

We have operated a prototype coded aperture telescope in a tagged photon beam ranging in energy from 23 to 123 MeV. The purpose of the experiment was to demonstrate the feasibility of operating a coded aperture mask telescope in this energy region. This paper reports some preliminary results and conclusions drawn from some of the data resulting from this experiment

Dose optimization for dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography based on an energy-resolved photon-counting detector: A Monte Carlo simulation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Youngjin; Lee, Seungwan; Kang, Sooncheol; Eom, Jisoo

2017-01-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) has been used to decompose breast images and improve diagnostic accuracy for tumor detection. However, this technique causes an increase of radiation dose and an inaccuracy in material decomposition due to the limitations of conventional X-ray detectors. In this study, we simulated the dual-energy CEDM with an energy-resolved photon-counting detector (ERPCD) for reducing radiation dose and improving the quantitative accuracy of material decomposition images. The ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM was compared to the conventional dual-energy CEDM in terms of radiation dose and quantitative accuracy. The correlation between radiation dose and image quality was also evaluated for optimizing the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM technique. The results showed that the material decomposition errors of the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM were 0.56–0.67 times lower than those of the conventional dual-energy CEDM. The imaging performance of the proposed technique was optimized at the radiation dose of 1.09 mGy, which is a half of the MGD for a single view mammogram. It can be concluded that the ERPCD-based dual-energy CEDM with an optimal exposure level is able to improve the quality of material decomposition images as well as reduce radiation dose. - Highlights: • Dual-energy mammography based on a photon-counting detector was simulated. • Radiation dose and image quality were evaluated for optimizing the proposed technique. • The proposed technique reduced radiation dose as well as improved image quality. • The proposed technique was optimized at the radiation dose of 1.09 mGy.

TU-F-18A-01: Preliminary Results of a Prototype Quality Control Process for Spectral CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nute, J; Jacobsen, M; Pennington, J; Cody, D; Chandler, A; Imai, Y; Baiu, C

2014-01-01

Purpose: A prototype quality control (QC) phantom and analysis process has been designed specifically to monitor dual-energy CT and address the current lack of quantitative oversight of the spectral capabilities of these scanners. Methods: A prototype solid water phantom was designed with multiple material inserts, and to support both head and body protocols. Inserts included tissue equivalent and material rods (iodine, iron, calcium) at various concentrations. The oval body phantom, measuring 30cm×40cm×15cm, was scanned using four dual-energy protocols with CTDIvol ranges of 19.6–62mGy (0.516 pitch) and 10.3–32.5mGy (0.984 pitch), and rotation times ranging from 0.5-1sec. The circular head phantom, measuring 22cm in diameter by 15cm, was scanned using three dual-energy protocols with CTDIvol ranges of 67–132.6mGy (0.531 pitch) and 36.7–72.7mGy (0.969 pitch), and rotation times ranging from 0.5–0.9sec. All images were reconstructed at 50, 70, 110 and 140 keV, and using a water-iodine material basis pair. The images were evaluated for iodine quantification accuracy and stability of monoenergetic reconstructions. The phantom was scanned twice on ten GE 750HD CT scanners to evaluate inter-scanner agreement, as well as ten times on a single scanner over a oneweek period to evaluate intra-scanner repeatability. Results: Preliminary analysis revealed consistent (inter- and intra-scanner) iodine quantification accuracy within 10% was only achieved for protocols in the upper half of dose levels assessed when grouped by pitch. Although all scanners undergo rigorous daily single-energy QC, iodine quantification accuracy from one scanner unexpectedly deviated from the other nine substantially. In general, inter-scanner agreement and intra-scanner repeatability varied with dose, rotation time and reconstructed keV. Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate the need for a dual-energy QC process to ensure inter-scanner agreement and intra-scanner repeatability. In

Results from a prototype chicane-based energy spectrometer for a linear collider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyapin, A. [Univ. College London (United Kingdom); London Univ., Egham (United Kingdom). Royal Holloway; Schreiber, H.J.; Viti, M. [Deutsches Electronen Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg (Germany); Deutsches Electronen Synchrotron DESY, Zeuthen (DE)] (and others)

2010-11-15

The International Linear Collider (ILC) and other proposed high energy e{sup +}e{sup -} machines aim to measure with unprecedented precision Standard Model quantities and new, not yet discovered phenomena. One of the main requirements for achieving this goal is a measurement of the incident beam energy with an uncertainty close to 10{sup -4}. This article presents the analysis of data from a prototype energy spectrometer commissioned in 2006-2007 in SLAC's End Station A beamline. The prototype was a 4-magnet chicane equipped with beam position monitors measuring small changes of the beam orbit through the chicane at different beam energies. A single bunch energy resolution close to 5 . 10{sup -4} was measured, which is satisfactory for most scenarios. We also report on the operational experience with the chicane-based spectrometer and suggest ways of improving its performance. (orig.)

Rapid prototyping of an EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI).

Science.gov (United States)

Guger, C; Schlögl, A; Neuper, C; Walterspacher, D; Strein, T; Pfurtscheller, G

2001-03-01

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is modified by motor imagery and can be used by patients with severe motor impairments (e.g., late stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) to communicate with their environment. Such a direct connection between the brain and the computer is known as an EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI). This paper describes a new type of BCI system that uses rapid prototyping to enable a fast transition of various types of parameter estimation and classification algorithms to real-time implementation and testing. Rapid prototyping is possible by using Matlab, Simulink, and the Real-Time Workshop. It is shown how to automate real-time experiments and perform the interplay between on-line experiments and offline analysis. The system is able to process multiple EEG channels on-line and operates under Windows 95 in real-time on a standard PC without an additional digital signal processor (DSP) board. The BCI can be controlled over the Internet, LAN or modem. This BCI was tested on 3 subjects whose task it was to imagine either left or right hand movement. A classification accuracy between 70% and 95% could be achieved with two EEG channels after some sessions with feedback using an adaptive autoregressive (AAR) model and linear discriminant analysis (LDA).

Comparison of neutron and high-energy X-ray dual-beam radiography for air cargo inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Y.; Sowerby, B.D.; Tickner, J.R.

2008-01-01

Dual-beam radiography techniques utilising various combinations of high-energy X-rays and neutrons are attractive for screening bulk cargo for contraband such as narcotics and explosives. Dual-beam radiography is an important enhancement to conventional single-beam X-ray radiography systems in that it provides additional information on the composition of the object being imaged. By comparing the attenuations of transmitted dual high-energy beams, it is possible to build a 2D image, colour coded to indicate material. Only high-energy X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrons have the required penetration to screen cargo containers. This paper reviews recent developments and applications of dual-beam radiography for air cargo inspection. These developments include dual high-energy X-ray techniques as well as fast neutron and gamma-ray (or X-ray) radiography systems. High-energy X-ray systems have the advantage of generally better penetration than neutron systems, depending on the material being interrogated. However, neutron systems have the advantage of much better sensitivity to material composition compared to dual high-energy X-ray techniques. In particular, fast neutron radiography offers the potential to discriminate between various classes of organic material, unlike dual energy X-ray techniques that realistically only offer the ability to discriminate between organic and metal objects

The color of X-rays: Spectral X-ray computed tomography using energy sensitive pixel detectors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schioppa, E.J.

2014-01-01

Energy sensitive X-ray imaging detectors are produced by connecting a semiconductor sensor to a spectroscopic pixel readout chip. In this thesis, the applicability of such detectors to X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is studied. A prototype Medipix based silicon detector is calibrated using X-ray

Preclinical validation of automated dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography-based body composition measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DEVRIESE, Joke; Pottel, Hans; BEELS, Laurence; VAN DE WIELE, Christophe; MAES, Alex; GHEYSENS, Olivier

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine and validate a set of Hounsfield unit (HU) ranges to segment computed tomography (CT) images into tissue types and to test the validity of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) tissue segmentation on pure, unmixed porcine tissues. This preclinical prospective study was approved by the local ethical committee. Different quantities of porcine bone tissue (BT), lean tissue (LT) and adipose tissue (AT) were scanned using DXA and CT. Tissue type segmentation in DXA was performed via the standard clinical protocol and in CT through different sets of HU ranges. Percent coefficients of variation (%CV) were used to assess precision while % differences of observed masses were tested against zero using the Wilcoxon signed-rank Test. Total mass DXA measurements differ little but significantly (P=0.016) from true mass, while total mass CT measurements based on literature values show non-significant (P=0.69) differences of 1.7% and 2.0%. BT mass estimates with DXA differed more from true mass (median -78.2 to -75.8%) than other tissue types (median -11.3 to -8.1%). Tissue mass estimates with CT and literature HU ranges showed small differences from true mass for every tissue type (median -10.4 to 8.8%). The most suited method for automated tissue segmentation is CT and can become a valuable tool in quantitative nuclear medicine.

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Gemstone Spectral Imaging: A Novel Technique to Determine Human Cardiac Calculus Composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Ching-Li; Chang, Hsiao-Huang; Ko, Shih-Chi; Huang, Pei-Jung; Lin, Shan-Yang

2016-01-01

Understanding the chemical composition of any calculus in different human organs is essential for choosing the best treatment strategy for patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the capability of determining the chemical composition of a human cardiac calculus using gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) mode on a single-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in vitro. The cardiac calculus was directly scanned on the Discovery CT750 HD FREEdom Edition using GSI mode, in vitro. A portable fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy was also applied to verify the quantitative accuracy of the DECT measurements. The results of spectral DECT measurements indicate that effective Z values in 3 designated positions located in this calculus were 15.02 to 15.47, which are close to values of 15.74 to 15.86, corresponding to the effective Z values of calcium apatite and hydroxyapatite. The Raman spectral data were also reflected by the predominant Raman peak at 960 cm for hydroxyapatite and the minor peak at 875 cm for calcium apatite. A potential single-source DECT with GSI mode was first used to examine the morphological characteristics and chemical compositions of a giant human cardiac calculus, in vitro. The CT results were consistent with the Raman spectral data, suggesting that spectral CT imaging techniques could be accurately used to diagnose and characterize the compositional materials in the cardiac calculus.

Implementation of dual energy CT scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, W.; Hall, E.; Doost-Hoseini, A.; Alvarez, R.; Macovski, A.; Cassel, D.

1984-01-01

A prereconstruction method for dual energy (PREDECT) analysis of CT scans is described. In theory, this method can (a) eliminate beam hardening and produce an accuracy comparable with monoenergetic scans and (b) provide the effective atomic number and electron density of any voxel scanned. The implementation proves these statements and eliminates some of the objectionable noise. A phantom was constructed with a cylindrical sleeve-like compartment containing known amounts of high atomic number material simulating a removable skull. Conventional scans, with and without this beam hardener, were done of a water bath containing tubes of high electron and high atomic number material. Dual energy scans were then done for PREDECT. To increase the effective separation of the low and high energy beams by using more appropriate tube filtration, a beam filter changer was fabricated containing erbium, tungsten, aluminum, and steel. Erbium, tungsten, and steel were used at high energy and aluminum, steel, and erbium at low energy for data acquisition. The reconstructions were compared visually and numerically for noise levels with the original steel only filtration. A decrease was found in noise down to approximately one-half the prior level when erbium/aluminum or tungsten/aluminum replaced the steel/steel filter. Erbium and tungsten were equally effective. Steel/erbium and steel/aluminum also significantly reduced image noise. The noise in the photoelectric (P) and Compton (C) images is negatively correlated. At any pixel, if the noise is positive in the P image, it is most probably negative in the C. Using this fact, the noise was reduced by postreconstruction processing

Volume-based quantification using dual-energy computed tomography in the differentiation of thymic epithelial tumours: an initial experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Suyon; Hur, Jin; Im, Dong Jin; Suh, Young Joo; Hong, Yoo Jin; Lee, Hye-Jeong; Kim, Young Jin; Choi, Byoung Wook [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Han, Kyunghwa [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dae Joon; Lee, Chang Young [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Ha Young [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-05-15

To investigate the diagnostic value of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in differentiating between low- and high-risk thymomas and thymic carcinomas. Our institutional review board approved this study, and patients provided informed consent. We prospectively enrolled 37 patients (20 males, mean age: 55.6 years) with thymic epithelial tumour. All patients underwent DECT. For quantitative analysis, two reviewers measured the following tumour parameters: CT attenuation value in contrast Hounsfield units (CHU), iodine-related HU and iodine concentration (mg/ml). Pathological results confirmed the final diagnosis. Of the 37 thymic tumours, 23 (62.2 %) were low-risk thymomas, five (13.5 %) were high-risk thymomas and nine (24.3 %) were thymic carcinomas. According to quantitative analysis, iodine-related HU and iodine concentration were significantly different among low-risk thymomas, high-risk thymomas and thymic carcinomas (median: 29.78 HU vs. 14.55 HU vs. 19.95 HU, p = 0.001 and 1.92 mg/ml vs. 0.99 mg/ml vs. 1.18 mg/ml, p < 0.001, respectively). DECT using a quantitative analytical method based on iodine concentration measurement can be used to differentiate among thymic epithelial tumours using single-phase scanning. (orig.)

Optimization of a flat-panel based real time dual-energy system for cardiac imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducote, Justin L.; Xu Tong; Molloi, Sabee

2006-01-01

A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the effects of high-energy beam filtration, dual-gain operation and noise reduction on dual-energy images using a digital flat-panel detector. High-energy beam filtration increases image contrast through greater beam separation and tends to reduce total radiation exposure and dose per image pair. It is also possible to reduce dual-energy image noise by acquiring low and high-energy images at two different detector gains. In addition, dual-energy noise reduction algorithms can further reduce image noise. The cumulative effect of these techniques applied in series was investigated in this study. The contrast from a small thickness of calcium was simulated over a step phantom of tissue equivalent material with a CsI phosphor as the image detector. The dual-energy contrast-to-noise ratio was calculated using values of energy absorption and energy variance. A figure-of-merit (FOM) was calculated from dual-energy contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and patient effective dose estimated from values of entrance exposure. Filter atomic numbers in the range of 1-100 were considered with thicknesses ranging from 0-2500 mg/cm 2 . The simulation examined combinations of the above techniques which maximized the FOM. The application of a filter increased image contrast by as much as 45%. Near maximal increases were seen for filter atomic numbers in the range of 40-60 and 85-100 with masses above 750 mg/cm 2 . Increasing filter thickness beyond 1000 mg/cm 2 increased tube loading without further significant contrast enhancement. No additional FOM improvements were seen with dual gain before or after the application of any noise reduction algorithm. Narrow beam experiments were carried out to verify predictions. The measured FOM increased by more than a factor of 3.5 for a silver filter thickness of 800 μm, equal energy weighting and application of a noise clipping algorithm. The main limitation of dynamic high-energy filtration is increased

Single-source dual-energy spectral multidetector CT of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: optimization of energy level viewing significantly increases lesion contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, B N; Thomas, J V; Lockhart, M E; Berland, L L; Morgan, D E

2013-02-01

To evaluate lesion contrast in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients using spectral multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) analysis. The present institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)-compliant retrospective study evaluated 64 consecutive adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma examined using a standardized, multiphasic protocol on a single-source, dual-energy MDCT system. Pancreatic phase images (35 s) were acquired in dual-energy mode; unenhanced and portal venous phases used standard MDCT. Lesion contrast was evaluated on an independent workstation using dual-energy analysis software, comparing tumour to non-tumoural pancreas attenuation (HU) differences and tumour diameter at three energy levels: 70 keV; individual subject-optimized viewing energy level (based on the maximum contrast-to-noise ratio, CNR); and 45 keV. The image noise was measured for the same three energies. Differences in lesion contrast, diameter, and noise between the different energy levels were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Quantitative differences in contrast gain between 70 keV and CNR-optimized viewing energies, and between CNR-optimized and 45 keV were compared using the paired t-test. Thirty-four women and 30 men (mean age 68 years) had a mean tumour diameter of 3.6 cm. The median optimized energy level was 50 keV (range 40-77). The mean ± SD lesion contrast values (non-tumoural pancreas - tumour attenuation) were: 57 ± 29, 115 ± 70, and 146 ± 74 HU (p = 0.0005); the lengths of the tumours were: 3.6, 3.3, and 3.1 cm, respectively (p = 0.026); and the contrast to noise ratios were: 24 ± 7, 39 ± 12, and 59 ± 17 (p = 0.0005) for 70 keV, the optimized energy level, and 45 keV, respectively. For individuals, the mean ± SD contrast gain from 70 keV to the optimized energy level was 59 ± 45 HU; and the mean ± SD contrast gain from the optimized energy level to 45 keV was 31 ± 25 HU (p = 0

Automated materials discrimination using 3D dual energy X ray images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ta Wee

2002-01-01

The ability of a human observer to identify an explosive device concealed in complex arrangements of objects routinely encountered in the 2D x-ray screening of passenger baggage at airports is often problematic. Standard dual-energy x-ray techniques enable colour encoding of the resultant images in terms of organic, inorganic and metal substances. This transmission imaging technique produces colour information computed from a high-energy x-ray signal and a low energy x-ray signal (80keV eff ≤ 13) to be automatically discriminated from many layers of overlapping substances. This is achieved by applying a basis materials subtraction technique to the data provided by a wavelet image segmentation algorithm. This imaging technique is reliant upon the image data for the masking substances to be discriminated independently of the target material. Further work investigated the extraction of depth data from stereoscopic images to estimate the mass density of the target material. A binocular stereoscopic dual-energy x-ray machine previously developed by the Vision Systems Group at The Nottingham Trent University in collaboration with The Home Office Science and Technology Group provided the image data for the empirical investigation. This machine utilises a novel linear castellated dual-energy x-ray detector recently developed by the Vision Systems Group. This detector array employs half the number of scintillator-photodiode sensors in comparison to a conventional linear dual-energy sensor. The castellated sensor required the development of an image enhancement algorithm to remove the spatial interlace effect in the resultant images prior to the calibration of the system for materials discrimination. To automate the basis materials subtraction technique a wavelet image segmentation and classification algorithm was developed. This enabled overlapping image structures in the x-rayed baggage to be partitioned. A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the

A Novel Dual-Rotor Turbine for Increased Wind Energy Capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenberg, A; Selvaraj, S; Sharma, A

2014-01-01

Horizontal axis wind turbines suffer from aerodynamic inefficiencies in the blade root region (near the hub) due to several non-aerodynamic constraints. Aerodynamic interactions between turbines in a wind farm also lead to significant loss of wind farm efficiency. A new dual-rotor wind turbine (DRWT) concept is proposed that aims at mitigating these two losses. A DRWT is designed that uses an existing turbine rotor for the main rotor, while the secondary rotor is designed using a high lift-to-drag ratio airfoil. Reynolds Averaged Navier- Stokes computational fluid dynamics simulations are used to optimize the design. Large eddy simulations confirm the increase energy capture potential of the DRWT. Wake comparisons however do not show enhanced entrainment of axial momentum

Dual-energy mammography: simulation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bliznakova, K; Kolitsi, Z; Pallikarakis, N

2006-01-01

This paper presents a mammography simulator and demonstrates its applicability in feasibility studies in dual-energy (DE) subtraction mammography. This mammography simulator is an evolution of a previously presented x-ray imaging simulation system, which has been extended with new functionalities that are specific for DE simulations. The new features include incident exposure and dose calculations, the implementation of a DE subtraction algorithm as well as amendments to the detector and source modelling. The system was then verified by simulating experiments and comparing their results against published data. The simulator was used to carry out a feasibility study of the applicability of DE techniques in mammography, and more precisely to examine whether this modality could result in better visualization and detection of microcalcifications. Investigations were carried out using a 3D breast software phantom of average thickness, monoenergetic and polyenergetic beam spectra and various detector configurations. Dual-shot techniques were simulated. Results showed the advantage of using monoenergetic in comparison with polyenergetic beams. Optimization studies with monochromatic sources were carried out to obtain the optimal low and high incident energies, based on the assessment of the figure of merit of the simulated microcalcifications in the subtracted images. The results of the simulation study with the optimal energies demonstrated that the use of the DE technique can improve visualization and increase detectability, allowing identification of microcalcifications of sizes as small as 200 μm. The quantitative results are also verified by means of a visual inspection of the synthetic images

Comparative study between rib imaging of DR dual energy subtraction technology and chest imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Jianming; Lei Ziqiao; Kong Xiangchuang

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the application value of DR dual energy subtraction technology in rib lesions. Methods: 200 patients were performed with chest DR dual energy subtraction, comparing the rib imaging between DR of thorax and chest imaging using ROC analysis. Results: Among the total of 200 patients, there are 50 cases of rib calcification, 7 cases of rib destruction, 22 cases of rib fracture. The calcification, destruction and fracture were displayed respectively by ribs below diaphragm and rib markings. The analytic parameter of rib imaging of DR dual energy subtraction Az is 0.9367, while that of rib imaging of chest Az is 0.6830. Conclusion: DR dual energy subtraction technology is superior to chest imaging in the displaying of rib lesion and ribs below diaphragm. (authors)

Processing of interlaced images in 4–10 MeV dual energy customs system for material recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ogorodnikov

2002-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to demonstrate the practical value of radioscopic differentiation of materials in the 1–10 MeV energy range to the work of customs services. The proposed method for achieving singling out and identifying four basic groups of materials according to an atomic number is complex. Atomic numbers are identified using high- and low-energy profiles obtained through the irradiation of materials on an alternate pulse-by-pulse basis. This is done using a bremsstrahlung beam with 8   MeV/4   MeV dual boundary energies and by using scintillating crystals coupled with silicon photodiodes as detecting elements. An image segmentation technique is then used to discern the distribution of an atomic number on any given image. The color visualization of integral absorption and a material’s atomic composition is carried out according to the intensity hue saturation (IHS colorization scheme. The experiments were carried out on a full-scale prototype of an 8 MeV customs inspection system developed by the Efremov Research Institute.

Estimation of bone Calcium-to-Phosphorous mass ratio using dual-energy nonlinear polynomial functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotiropoulou, P; Koukou, V; Martini, N; Nikiforidis, G; Michail, C; Kandarakis, I; Fountos, G; Kounadi, E

2015-01-01

In this study an analytical approximation of dual-energy inverse functions is presented for the estimation of the calcium-to-phosphorous (Ca/P) mass ratio, which is a crucial parameter in bone health. Bone quality could be examined by the X-ray dual-energy method (XDEM), in terms of bone tissue material properties. Low- and high-energy, log- intensity measurements were combined by using a nonlinear function, to cancel out the soft tissue structures and generate the dual energy bone Ca/P mass ratio. The dual-energy simulated data were obtained using variable Ca and PO 4 thicknesses on a fixed total tissue thickness. The XDEM simulations were based on a bone phantom. Inverse fitting functions with least-squares estimation were used to obtain the fitting coefficients and to calculate the thickness of each material. The examined inverse mapping functions were linear, quadratic, and cubic. For every thickness, the nonlinear quadratic function provided the optimal fitting accuracy while requiring relative few terms. The dual-energy method, simulated in this work could be used to quantify bone Ca/P mass ratio with photon-counting detectors. (paper)

Single- and dual energy QCT around acetabular cups in total hip arthroplasty using 3-dimensional segmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mussmann, Bo Redder; Andersen, Poul Erik; Torfing, Trine

of segmentation software and to compare bone mineral density (BMD) measurements in single- and dual energy CT (SECT and DECT) Materials and Methods: 24 male patients with total hip arthroplasty (12 cemented and 12 uncemented) were scanned and rescanned using SECT and virtual monochromatic DECT images. 3D- ROIs......Background: Bone density measurements around hip implants are challenged by artifacts and the complex anatomy of the acetabulum. We developed 3D segmentation software and used dual energy CT to reduce artifacts. Purpose / Aim of Study: To test the between-scan agreement and reliability...... the cemented cup the mean BMD for SECT was 523 mg/ccm with a between-scan difference of 14 mg/ccm, p=0.25 and 186 mg/ccm in DECT with a difference of 6 mg/ccm, p=0.15. ICC was >0.95 with more narrow limits of agreement in DECT compared with SECT. Computed tomography dose index (CTDI) was 25% higher with DECT...

Single/Dual-Polarized Infrared Rectenna for Solar Energy Harvesting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. H. Zainud-Deen

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Single and dual linearly-polarized receiving mode nanoantennas are designed for solar energy harvesting at 28.3 THz. The infrared rectennas are used to harvest the solar energy and converting it to electrical energy.  The proposed infrared rectenna is a thin dipole made of gold and printed on a silicon dioxide substrate. Different shapes of the dipole arms have been investigated for maximum collected energy. The two poles of the dipole have been determined in a rectangular, circular and rhombus shapes. The rectenna dipole is used to concentrate the electromagnetic energy into a small localized area at the inner tips of the gap between the dipole arms. The dimensions of the different dipole shapes are optimized for maximum near electric field intensity at a frequency of 28.3 THz. A Metal Insulator Metal (MIM diode is incorporated with the nanoantenna dipole to rectify the received energy. The receiving efficiency of the solar energy collector with integrated MIM diode has been investigated. A dual-polarized, four arms, rhombus shaped nanoantenna dipole for solar energy harvesting has been designed and optimized for 28.3 THz applications.

Preliminary research on dual-energy X-ray phase-contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hua-Jie; Wang, Sheng-Hao; Gao, Kun; Wang, Zhi-Li; Zhang, Can; Yang, Meng; Zhang, Kai; Zhu, Pei-Ping

2016-04-01

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) has been widely applied to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) and soft-tissue composition of the human body. However, the use of DEXA is greatly limited for low-Z materials such as soft tissues due to their weak absorption, while X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) shows significantly improved contrast in comparison with the conventional standard absorption-based X-ray imaging for soft tissues. In this paper, we propose a novel X-ray phase-contrast method to measure the area density of low-Z materials, including a single-energy method and a dual-energy method. The single-energy method is for the area density calculation of one low-Z material, while the dual-energy method aims to calculate the area densities of two low-Z materials simultaneously. Comparing the experimental and simulation results with the theoretical ones, the new method proves to have the potential to replace DEXA in area density measurement. The new method sets the prerequisites for a future precise and low-dose area density calculation method for low-Z materials. Supported by Major State Basic Research Development Program (2012CB825800), Science Fund for Creative Research Groups (11321503) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (11179004, 10979055, 11205189, 11205157)

Dual-energy CT for detection of endoleaks after endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair: usefulness of colored iodine overlay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ascenti, Giorgio; Mazziotti, Silvio; Lamberto, Salvatore; Bottari, Antonio; Caloggero, Simona; Racchiusa, Sergio; Mileto, Achille; Scribano, Emanuele

2011-06-01

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the value of dual-source dual-energy CT with colored iodine overlay for detection of endoleaks after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. We also calculated the potential dose reduction by using a dual-energy CT single-phase protocol. From November 2007 to November 2009, 74 patients underwent CT angiography 2-7 days after endovascular repair during single-energy unenhanced and dual-energy venous phases. By using dual-energy software, the iodine overlay was superimposed on venous phase images with different percentages ranging between 0 (virtual unenhanced images) and 50-75% to show the iodine in an orange color. Two blinded readers evaluated the data for diagnosis of endoleaks during standard unenhanced and venous phase images (session 1, standard of reference) and virtual unenhanced and venous phase images with colored iodine overlay images (session 2). We compared the effective dose radiation of a single-energy biphasic protocol with that of a single-phase dual-energy protocol. The diagnostic accuracy of session 2 was calculated. The mean dual-energy effective dose was 7.27 mSv. By using a dual-energy single-phase protocol, we obtained a mean dose reduction of 28% with respect to a single-energy biphasic protocol. The diagnostic accuracy of session 2 was: 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% negative predictive value, and 100% positive predictive value. Statistically significant differences in the level of confidence for endoleak detection between the two sessions were found by reviewers for scores 3-5. Dual-energy CT with colored iodine overlay is a useful diagnostic tool in endoleak detection. The use of a dual-energy single-phase study protocol will lower radiation exposure to patients.

Jet energy measurements with the ZEUS prototype calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kroeger, W.

1993-01-01

The uranium scintillator calorimeter of the ZEUS detector is designed to achieve an excellent energy calibration and the best possible energy resolution for jets. Therefore the response of the prototype calorimeter to jets has been measured using an interaction trigger. The mean response and energy resolution was measured for jets of 50 GeV - 100 GeV and compared to the one for pions. Within the ZEUS detector dead material is placed in front of the calorimeter. The influence of 4 cm and 10 cm thick aluminium absorbers in front of the calorimeter was measured. The charged multiplicity was measured in front and behind the aluminium absorber. With these multiplicities the energy loss in the absorber is corrected. The correction has been done so that the mean response with absorber is equal to the mean response without absorber. The improvement of the energy resolution is investigated. The measured results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations. (orig.) [de

Methodology for attainment of density and effective atomic number through dual energy technique using microtomographic images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, H.; Lima, I.; Lopes, R.T.

2014-01-01

Dual energy technique for computerized microtomography shows itself as a promising method for identification of mineralogy on geological samples of heterogeneous composition. It can also assist with differentiating very similar objects regarding the attenuation coefficient, which are usually not separable during image processing and analysis of microtomographic data. Therefore, the development of a feasible and applicable methodology of dual energy in the analysis of microtomographic images was sought. - Highlights: • Dual energy technique is promising for identification of distribution of minerals. • A feasible methodology of dual energy in analysis of tomographic images was sought. • The dual energy technique is efficient for density and atomic number identification. • Simulation showed that the proposed methodology agrees with theoretical data. • Nondestructive characterization of distribution of density and chemical composition

Using dual-energy x-ray imaging to enhance automated lung tumor tracking during real-time adaptive radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menten, Martin J., E-mail: martin.menten@icr.ac.uk; Fast, Martin F.; Nill, Simeon; Oelfke, Uwe, E-mail: uwe.oelfke@icr.ac.uk [Joint Department of Physics at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London SM2 5NG (United Kingdom)

2015-12-15

Purpose: Real-time, markerless localization of lung tumors with kV imaging is often inhibited by ribs obscuring the tumor and poor soft-tissue contrast. This study investigates the use of dual-energy imaging, which can generate radiographs with reduced bone visibility, to enhance automated lung tumor tracking for real-time adaptive radiotherapy. Methods: kV images of an anthropomorphic breathing chest phantom were experimentally acquired and radiographs of actual lung cancer patients were Monte-Carlo-simulated at three imaging settings: low-energy (70 kVp, 1.5 mAs), high-energy (140 kVp, 2.5 mAs, 1 mm additional tin filtration), and clinical (120 kVp, 0.25 mAs). Regular dual-energy images were calculated by weighted logarithmic subtraction of high- and low-energy images and filter-free dual-energy images were generated from clinical and low-energy radiographs. The weighting factor to calculate the dual-energy images was determined by means of a novel objective score. The usefulness of dual-energy imaging for real-time tracking with an automated template matching algorithm was investigated. Results: Regular dual-energy imaging was able to increase tracking accuracy in left–right images of the anthropomorphic phantom as well as in 7 out of 24 investigated patient cases. Tracking accuracy remained comparable in three cases and decreased in five cases. Filter-free dual-energy imaging was only able to increase accuracy in 2 out of 24 cases. In four cases no change in accuracy was observed and tracking accuracy worsened in nine cases. In 9 out of 24 cases, it was not possible to define a tracking template due to poor soft-tissue contrast regardless of input images. The mean localization errors using clinical, regular dual-energy, and filter-free dual-energy radiographs were 3.85, 3.32, and 5.24 mm, respectively. Tracking success was dependent on tumor position, tumor size, imaging beam angle, and patient size. Conclusions: This study has highlighted the influence of

Using dual-energy x-ray imaging to enhance automated lung tumor tracking during real-time adaptive radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menten, Martin J.; Fast, Martin F.; Nill, Simeon; Oelfke, Uwe

2015-01-01

Purpose: Real-time, markerless localization of lung tumors with kV imaging is often inhibited by ribs obscuring the tumor and poor soft-tissue contrast. This study investigates the use of dual-energy imaging, which can generate radiographs with reduced bone visibility, to enhance automated lung tumor tracking for real-time adaptive radiotherapy. Methods: kV images of an anthropomorphic breathing chest phantom were experimentally acquired and radiographs of actual lung cancer patients were Monte-Carlo-simulated at three imaging settings: low-energy (70 kVp, 1.5 mAs), high-energy (140 kVp, 2.5 mAs, 1 mm additional tin filtration), and clinical (120 kVp, 0.25 mAs). Regular dual-energy images were calculated by weighted logarithmic subtraction of high- and low-energy images and filter-free dual-energy images were generated from clinical and low-energy radiographs. The weighting factor to calculate the dual-energy images was determined by means of a novel objective score. The usefulness of dual-energy imaging for real-time tracking with an automated template matching algorithm was investigated. Results: Regular dual-energy imaging was able to increase tracking accuracy in left–right images of the anthropomorphic phantom as well as in 7 out of 24 investigated patient cases. Tracking accuracy remained comparable in three cases and decreased in five cases. Filter-free dual-energy imaging was only able to increase accuracy in 2 out of 24 cases. In four cases no change in accuracy was observed and tracking accuracy worsened in nine cases. In 9 out of 24 cases, it was not possible to define a tracking template due to poor soft-tissue contrast regardless of input images. The mean localization errors using clinical, regular dual-energy, and filter-free dual-energy radiographs were 3.85, 3.32, and 5.24 mm, respectively. Tracking success was dependent on tumor position, tumor size, imaging beam angle, and patient size. Conclusions: This study has highlighted the influence of

Using dual-energy x-ray imaging to enhance automated lung tumor tracking during real-time adaptive radiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Menten, Martin J; Fast, Martin F; Nill, Simeon; Oelfke, Uwe

2015-12-01

Real-time, markerless localization of lung tumors with kV imaging is often inhibited by ribs obscuring the tumor and poor soft-tissue contrast. This study investigates the use of dual-energy imaging, which can generate radiographs with reduced bone visibility, to enhance automated lung tumor tracking for real-time adaptive radiotherapy. kV images of an anthropomorphic breathing chest phantom were experimentally acquired and radiographs of actual lung cancer patients were Monte-Carlo-simulated at three imaging settings: low-energy (70 kVp, 1.5 mAs), high-energy (140 kVp, 2.5 mAs, 1 mm additional tin filtration), and clinical (120 kVp, 0.25 mAs). Regular dual-energy images were calculated by weighted logarithmic subtraction of high- and low-energy images and filter-free dual-energy images were generated from clinical and low-energy radiographs. The weighting factor to calculate the dual-energy images was determined by means of a novel objective score. The usefulness of dual-energy imaging for real-time tracking with an automated template matching algorithm was investigated. Regular dual-energy imaging was able to increase tracking accuracy in left-right images of the anthropomorphic phantom as well as in 7 out of 24 investigated patient cases. Tracking accuracy remained comparable in three cases and decreased in five cases. Filter-free dual-energy imaging was only able to increase accuracy in 2 out of 24 cases. In four cases no change in accuracy was observed and tracking accuracy worsened in nine cases. In 9 out of 24 cases, it was not possible to define a tracking template due to poor soft-tissue contrast regardless of input images. The mean localization errors using clinical, regular dual-energy, and filter-free dual-energy radiographs were 3.85, 3.32, and 5.24 mm, respectively. Tracking success was dependent on tumor position, tumor size, imaging beam angle, and patient size. This study has highlighted the influence of patient anatomy on the success rate of real

Dual resonant structure for energy harvesting from random vibration sources at low frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shanshan Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We introduce a design with dual resonant structure which can harvest energy from random vibration sources at low frequency range. The dual resonant structure consists of two spring-mass subsystems with different frequency responses, which exhibit strong coupling and broad bandwidth when the two masses collide with each other. Experiments with piezoelectric elements show that the energy harvesting device with dual resonant structure can generate higher power output than the sum of the two separate devices from random vibration sources.

Nonlinear analysis for dual-frequency concurrent energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Zhimiao; Lei, Hong; Tan, Ting; Sun, Weipeng; Huang, Wenhu

2018-05-01

The dual-frequency responses of the hybrid energy harvester undergoing the base excitation and galloping were analyzed numerically. In this work, an approximate dual-frequency analytical method is proposed for the nonlinear analysis of such a system. To obtain the approximate analytical solutions of the full coupled distributed-parameter model, the forcing interactions is first neglected. Then, the electromechanical decoupled governing equation is developed using the equivalent structure method. The hybrid mechanical response is finally separated to be the self-excited and forced responses for deriving the analytical solutions, which are confirmed by the numerical simulations of the full coupled model. The forced response has great impacts on the self-excited response. The boundary of Hopf bifurcation is analytically determined by the onset wind speed to galloping, which is linearly increased by the electrical damping. Quenching phenomenon appears when the increasing base excitation suppresses the galloping. The theoretical quenching boundary depends on the forced mode velocity. The quenching region increases with the base acceleration and electrical damping, but decreases with the wind speed. Superior to the base-excitation-alone case, the existence of the aerodynamic force protects the hybrid energy harvester at resonance from damages caused by the excessive large displacement. From the view of the harvested power, the hybrid system surpasses the base-excitation-alone system or the galloping-alone system. This study advances our knowledge on intrinsic nonlinear dynamics of the dual-frequency energy harvesting system by taking advantage of the analytical solutions.

Ultra-High-Resolution Computed Tomography of the Lung: Image Quality of a Prototype Scanner

OpenAIRE

Kakinuma, Ryutaro; Moriyama, Noriyuki; Muramatsu, Yukio; Gomi, Shiho; Suzuki, Masahiro; Nagasawa, Hirobumi; Kusumoto, Masahiko; Aso, Tomohiko; Muramatsu, Yoshihisa; Tsuchida, Takaaki; Tsuta, Koji; Maeshima, Akiko Miyagi; Tochigi, Naobumi; Watanabe, Shun-ichi; Sugihara, Naoki

2015-01-01

Purpose: The image noise and image quality of a prototype ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) scanner was evaluated and compared with those of conventional high-resolution CT (C-HRCT) scanners. Materials and Methods: This study was approved by the institutional review board. A U-HRCT scanner prototype with 0.25 mm × 4 rows and operating at 120 mAs was used. The C-HRCT images were obtained using a 0.5 mm × 16 or 0.5 mm × 64 detector-row CT scanner operating at 150 mAs. Images fr...

Diagnostic accuracy of virtual non-contrast enhanced dual-energy CT for diagnosis of adrenal adenoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connolly, Michael J.; McInnes, Matthew D.F.; Schieda, Nicola [University of Ottawa Department of Radiology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON (United States); El-Khodary, Mohamed [McMaster University Department of Radiology, Hamilton, ON (Canada); McGrath, Trevor A. [University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

2017-10-15

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy (DE) virtual non-contrast computed tomography (vNCT) to non-contrast CT (NCT) for the diagnosis of adrenal adenomas. Search of multiple databases and grey literature was performed. Two reviewers independently applied inclusion criteria and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed using QUADAS-2. Summary estimates of diagnostic accuracy were generated and sources of heterogeneity were assessed. Five studies (170 patients; 192 adrenal masses) were included for diagnostic accuracy assessment; all used dual-source dual-energy CT. Pooled sensitivity for adrenal adenoma on vNCT was 54% (95% CI: 47-62%). Pooled sensitivity for NCT was 57% (95% CI: 45-69%). Pooling of specificity was not performed since no false positives were reported. There was a trend for overestimation of HU density on vNCT as compared to NCT which appeared related to contrast timing. Potential sources of bias were seen regarding the index test and reference standard for the included studies. Potential sources of heterogeneity between studies were seen in adenoma prevalence and intravenous contrast timing. vNCT images generated from dual-energy CT demonstrated comparable sensitivity to NCT for the diagnosis of adenomas; however the included studies are heterogeneous and at high risk for some types of bias. (orig.)

Low-energy beam test results of a calorimeter prototype for the CREAM experiment

CERN Document Server

Bagliesi, M G; Ganel, O; Kim, K C; Lee, M H; Lomtadze, T A; Lutz, L; Maestro, P; Marrocchesi, P S; Meucci, M; Millucci, V; Morsani, F; Seo, E S; Valle, G D

2003-01-01

CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass) is an experiment under construction for a direct measurement of high energy cosmic rays (10 /sup 12/ to >5.10/sup 14/ eV) over the elemental range from proton to iron. The first flight of CREAM is intended to demonstrate the new ultra long duration balloon (ULDB) capability under development by NASA. A prototype of a tungsten-SciFi imaging calorimeter designed for CREAM has been tested at CERN with electron beam energies ranging from 5 to 100 GeV. Although the calorimeter module is optimized for cosmic-ray spectral measurements in the multiTeV region, the response of its electromagnetic section to low energy electrons has been studied with this dedicated prototype. Results show good agreement with the expected behaviour in terms of linearity and energy resolution.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lundin, Margareta; Liden, Mats; Geijer, Haakan; Andersson, Torbjoern [Dept. of Radiology, Oerebro Univ. Hospital, Oerebro Univ., Oerebro (Sweden)], E-mail: margareta.lundin@orebroll.se; Magnuson, Anders [Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistic Unit, Oerebro Univ. Hospital, Oerebro (Sweden); Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah [Dept. of Radiology, Linkoeping Univ. Hospital, Linkoeping (Sweden); Persson, Anders [CMIV Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization, Linkoeping (Sweden)

2012-07-15

Background. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. Purpose. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Material and Methods. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. Results. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Conclusion. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundin, Margareta; Lidén, Mats; Magnuson, Anders; Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah; Geijer, Håkan; Andersson, Torbjörn; Persson, Anders

2012-07-01

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundin, Margareta; Liden, Mats; Geijer, Haakan; Andersson, Torbjoern; Magnuson, Anders; Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah; Persson, Anders

2012-01-01

Background. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. Purpose. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Material and Methods. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. Results. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Conclusion. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system

Development and prototype testing of MgCl 2 /graphite foam latent heat thermal energy storage system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Dileep; Yu, Wenhua; Zhao, Weihuan; Kim, Taeil; France, David M.; Smith, Roger K.

2018-01-01

Composites of graphite foam infiltrated with a magnesium chloride phase-change material have been developed as high-temperature thermal energy storage media for concentrated solar power applications. This storage medium provides a high thermal energy storage density, a narrow operating temperature range, and excellent heat transfer characteristics. In this study, experimental investigations were conducted on laboratory-scale prototypes with magnesium chloride/graphite foam composite as the latent heat thermal energy storage system. Prototypes were designed and built to monitor the melt front movement during the charging/discharging tests. A test loop was built to ensure the charging/discharging of the prototypes at temperatures > 700 degrees C. Repeated thermal cycling experiments were carried out on the fabricated prototypes, and the experimental temperature profiles were compared to the predicted results from numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Experimental results were found to be in good agreement with the simulations to validate the thermal models.

Quantitative evaluation of dual-energy digital mammography for calcification imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kappadath, S Cheenu; Shaw, Chris C

2004-01-01

Dual-energy digital mammography (DEDM), where separate low- and high-energy images are acquired and synthesized to cancel the tissue structures, may improve the ability to detect and visualize microcalcifications. Under ideal imaging conditions, when the mammography image data are free of scatter and other biases, DEDM could be used to determine the thicknesses of the imaged calcifications. We present quantitative evaluation of a DEDM technique for calcification imaging. The phantoms used in the evaluation were constructed by placing aluminium strips of known thicknesses (to simulate calcifications) across breast-tissue-equivalent materials of different glandular-tissue compositions. The images were acquired under narrow-beam geometry and high exposures to suppress the detrimental effects of scatter and random noise. The measured aluminium thicknesses were found to be approximately linear with the true aluminium thicknesses and independent of the underlying glandular-tissue composition. However, the dual-energy images underestimated the true aluminium thickness due to the presence of scatter from adjacent regions. Regions in the DEDM image that contained no aluminium yielded very low aluminium thicknesses (<0.07 mm). The aluminium contrast-to-noise ratio in the dual-energy images increased with the aluminium thickness and decreased with the glandular-tissue composition. The changes to the aluminium contrast-to-noise ratio and the contrast of the tissue structures between the low-energy and DEDM images are also presented

Energy Efficient Hybrid Dual Axis Solar Tracking System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rashid Ahammed Ferdaus

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the design and implementation of an energy efficient solar tracking system from a normal mechanical single axis to a hybrid dual axis. For optimizing the solar tracking mechanism electromechanical systems were evolved through implementation of different evolutional algorithms and methodologies. To present the tracker, a hybrid dual-axis solar tracking system is designed, built, and tested based on both the solar map and light sensor based continuous tracking mechanism. These light sensors also compare the darkness and cloudy and sunny conditions assisting daily tracking. The designed tracker can track sun’s apparent position at different months and seasons; thereby the electrical controlling device requires a real time clock device for guiding the tracking system in seeking solar position for the seasonal motion. So the combination of both of these tracking mechanisms made the designed tracker a hybrid one. The power gain and system power consumption are compared with a static and continuous dual axis solar tracking system. It is found that power gain of hybrid dual axis solar tracking system is almost equal to continuous dual axis solar tracking system, whereas the power saved in system operation by the hybrid tracker is 44.44% compared to the continuous tracking system.

Iodine concentration calculated by dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) as a functional parameter to evaluate thyroid metabolism in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Binh, Duong Duc; Nakajima, Takahito; Otake, Hidenori; Higuchi, Tetsuya; Tsushima, Yoshito

2017-07-19

Thyroid function in patients with Grave's disease is usually evaluated by thyroid scintigraphy with radioactive iodine. Recently, dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) with two different energy X-rays can calculate iodine concentrations and can be applied for iodine measurements in thyroid glands. This study aimed to assess the potential use of DECT for the functional assessment of the thyroid gland. Thirteen patients with Grave's disease treated at our hospital from May to September 2015 were included in this retrospective study. Before treatments, all subjects had undergone both iodine scintigraphy [three and 24 h after oral administration of 123 I (20 μCi)] and non-enhanced DECT. The region of interests (ROIs) were placed in both lobes of the thyroid glands, and CT values (HU: Hounsfield unit) and iodine concentrations (mg/mL) calculated from DECT images were measured. The correlation between CT values and iodine concentrations from DECT in the thyroid gland was evaluated and then the iodine concentrations were compared with radioactive iodine uptake ratios by thyroid scintigraphy. Mean (±SD) 123 I uptake increased from 46.3 (±22.2) % (range, 11.1-80.1) at 3 h, to 66.5 (±15.2) % (range, 40.0-86.1) at 24 h (p hyperthyroid patients.

Dual-energy x-ray image decomposition by independent component analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yifeng; Jiang, Dazong; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Dengfu; Lin, Gang

2001-09-01

The spatial distributions of bone and soft tissue in human body are separated by independent component analysis (ICA) of dual-energy x-ray images. It is because of the dual energy imaging modelí-s conformity to the ICA model that we can apply this method: (1) the absorption in body is mainly caused by photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering; (2) they take place simultaneously but are mutually independent; and (3) for monochromatic x-ray sources the total attenuation is achieved by linear combination of these two absorption. Compared with the conventional method, the proposed one needs no priori information about the accurate x-ray energy magnitude for imaging, while the results of the separation agree well with the conventional one.

Predictive value of low tube voltage and dual-energy CT for successful shock wave lithotripsy: an in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Largo, Remo; Stolzmann, Paul; Fankhauser, Christian D; Poyet, Cédric; Wolfsgruber, Pirmin; Sulser, Tullio; Alkadhi, Hatem; Winklhofer, Sebastian

2016-06-01

This study investigates the capabilities of low tube voltage computed tomography (CT) and dual-energy CT (DECT) for predicting successful shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) of urinary stones in vitro. A total of 33 urinary calculi (six different chemical compositions; mean size 6 ± 3 mm) were scanned using a dual-source CT machine with single- (120 kVp) and dual-energy settings (80/150, 100/150 Sn kVp) resulting in six different datasets. The attenuation (Hounsfield Units) of calculi was measured on single-energy CT images and the dual-energy indices (DEIs) were calculated from DECT acquisitions. Calculi underwent SWL and the number of shock waves for successful disintegration was recorded. The prediction of required shock waves regarding stone attenuation/DEI was calculated using regression analysis (adjusted for stone size and composition) and the correlation between CT attenuation/DEI and the number of shock waves was assessed for all datasets. The median number of shock waves for successful stone disintegration was 72 (interquartile range 30-361). CT attenuation/DEI of stones was a significant, independent predictor (P waves with the best prediction at 80 kVp (β estimate 0.576) (P waves ranged between ρ = 0.31 and 0.68 showing the best correlation at 80 kVp (P < 0.001). The attenuation of urinary stones at low tube voltage CT is the best predictor for successful stone disintegration, being independent of stone composition and size. DECT shows no added value for predicting the success of SWL.

Dual fan, dual-duct system meets air quality, energy-efficiency needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuler, M. [Pageau Morel and Associates, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

1996-03-01

Canada`s Space Centre in Saint-Hubert Quebec is a 300,000 ft{sup 2} (27,871 m{sup 2}) complex that houses the headquarters of the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Astronaut Training Centre, mission ground control installations, research facilities, offices and the required support facilities. A comfortable, pleasant research environment was a primary concern for the Space Centre, given its elite clientele. The objectives were high indoor-air quality, design flexibility, energy efficiency and low capital costs. Dual duct systems which are the heart of the mechanical concept allowed the designers to meet these objectives. The Space Centre`s offices, laboratories and conference center are all served by dual-duct systems. All operate using an air economizer cycle. Gas boilers provide them with hot water for heating and steam for humidification while centrifugal chillers provide chilled water for cooling. This article describes the design.

Virginia Power's computer-based interactive videodisc training: a prototype for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seigler, G.G.; Adams, R.H.

1987-01-01

Virginia Power has developed a system and internally produced a prototype for computer-based interactive videodisc (CBIV) training. Two programs have been developed using the CBIV instructional methodology: Fire Team Retraining and General Employee Training (practical factors). In addition, the company developed a related program for conducting a videodisc tour of their nuclear power stations using a videodisc information management system (VIMS)

[Quantitative image of bone mineral content--dual energy subtraction in a single exposure].

Science.gov (United States)

Katoh, T

1990-09-25

A dual energy subtraction system was constructed on an experimental basis for the quantitative image of bone mineral content. The system consists of a radiography system and an image processor. Two radiograms were taken with dual x-ray energy in a single exposure using an x-ray beam dichromized by a tin filter. In this system, a film cassette was used where a low speed film-screen system, a copper filter and a high speed film-screen system were layered on top of each other. The images were read by a microdensitometer and processed by a personal computer. The image processing included the corrections of the film characteristics and heterogeneity in the x-ray field, and the dual energy subtraction in which the effect of the high energy component of the dichromized beam on the tube side image was corrected. In order to determine the accuracy of the system, experiments using wedge phantoms made of mixtures of epoxy resin and bone mineral-equivalent materials in various fractions were performed for various tube potentials and film processing conditions. The results indicated that the relative precision of the system was within +/- 4% and that the propagation of the film noise was within +/- 11 mg/cm2 for the 0.2 mm pixels. The results also indicated that the system response was independent of the tube potential and the film processing condition. The bone mineral weight in each phalanx of the freshly dissected hand of a rhesus monkey was measured by this system and compared with the ash weight. The results showed an error of +/- 10%, slightly larger than that of phantom experiments, which is probably due to the effect of fat and the variation of focus-object distance. The air kerma in free air at the object was approximately 0.5 mGy for one exposure. The results indicate that this system is applicable to clinical use and provides useful information for evaluating a time-course of localized bone disease.

Dual energy CTA of the supraaortic arteries: Technical improvements with a novel dual source CT system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lell, Michael M.; Hinkmann, Fabian; Nkenke, Emeka; Schmidt, Bernhard; Seidensticker, Peter; Kalender, Willi A.; Uder, Michael; Achenbach, Stephan

2010-01-01

Objectives: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a well-accepted imaging modality to evaluate the supraaortic vessels. Initial reports have suggested that dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) can enhance diagnosis by creating bone-free data sets, which can be visualized in 3D, but a number of limitations of this technique have also been addressed. We sought to describe the performance of DE-CTA of the supraaortic vessels with a novel dual source CT system with special emphasis on image quality and post-processing related artifacts. Materials and methods: Thirty-three patients underwent carotid CT angiography on a second generation dual source CT system. Simultaneous acquisitions of 100 and 140 kV data sets in arterial phase were performed. Two examiners evaluated overall bone suppression with a 3-point scale (1 = poor; 3 = excellent) and image quality regarding integrity of the vessel lumen of different vessel segments (n = 26) with a 5-point scale (1 = poor; 5 = excellent), CTA source data served as the reference. Results: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved in the head and neck. Only minor bone remnants occurred, mean score for bone removal was 2.9. Mean score for vessel integrity was 4.3. Eight hundred fifty-seven vessel segments could be evaluated. Six hundred thirty-five segments (74%) showed no lumen alteration, 65 segments (7.6%) lumen alterations 10% resulting in a total luminal reduction 50%, and 113 segments (13.2%) showed a gap in the vessel course (100% total lumen reduction). Artificial gaps of the vessel lumen occurred in 28 vessel segments due to artifacts caused by dental hardware and in all but one (65) ophthalmic arteries. Conclusions: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved, DE imaging with 100 and 140 kV lead to improved image quality and vessel integrity in the shoulder region than previously reported. The ophthalmic artery still cannot be adequately visualized.

Clinical evaluation of dual-energy bone removal in CT angiography of the head and neck: comparison with conventional bone-subtraction CT angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, K.; Liu, C.; Ma, R.; Sun, C.; Wang, X.-M.; Ma, Z.-T.; Sun, X.-L.

2009-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the bone-subtraction effect of dual-energy bone removal in computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the head and neck in comparison with conventional bone-subtraction CTA. Material and Methods: The study comprised 52 patients who were divided into two groups at random, and examined using dual-source CT for head and neck CTA. Dual-energy bone removal CTA and conventional bone-subtraction CTA were applied to each of the two groups, respectively. The bone subtraction was performed automatically in both methods. Vascular structures, as well as brain tissue remained visible. The subtracted images were further processed with maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume-rendering technique (VRT) for image evaluation. Two experienced radiologists reviewed the resulting subtracted and non-subtracted volume data with respect to the delineation and detection of image quality and vascular pathology. Results: The means of the weighted CT dose index (CTDIvol) for bone-removal dual-energy CTA and conventional bone-subtraction CTA were 20.56 ± 0.01 mGy and 25.57 ± 0.56 mGy, respectively. There was a significant difference between them. The percentage of carotid and vertebral arteries and all other vessels that could be successfully assessed with these two methods were 87.8, 68, and 83%, and 93.5, 91.8, and 92.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the visualization of the carotid arteries; however, there were significant differences in the visualization of the vertebral arteries. Conclusion: Compared with conventional bone-subtraction CTA, dual-energy bone-removal CTA had a lower radiation dose. It eliminated most bones in the head and neck successfully; however, the bone subtraction effect around the vertebral artery was unsatisfactory. Dual-energy bone-removal CTA provides a new method for detecting vascular diseases in routine clinical work.

Dual-Energy Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging of Radiation-Induced Vascular Changes in Primary Mouse Sarcomas

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Moding, Everett J. [Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Clark, Darin P.; Qi, Yi [Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Li, Yifan; Ma, Yan [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Ghaghada, Ketan [The Edward B. Singleton Department of Pediatric Radiology, Texas Children' s Hospital, Houston, Texas (United States); Johnson, G. Allan [Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Kirsch, David G. [Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Badea, Cristian T., E-mail: cristian.badea@duke.edu [Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States)

2013-04-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of radiation therapy on primary tumor vasculature using dual-energy (DE) micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Methods and Materials: Primary sarcomas were generated with mutant Kras and p53. Unirradiated tumors were compared with tumors irradiated with 20 Gy. A liposomal-iodinated contrast agent was administered 1 day after treatment, and mice were imaged immediately after injection (day 1) and 3 days later (day 4) with DE micro-CT. CT-derived tumor sizes were used to assess tumor growth. After DE decomposition, iodine maps were used to assess tumor fractional blood volume (FBV) at day 1 and tumor vascular permeability at day 4. For comparison, tumor vascularity and vascular permeability were also evaluated histologically by use of CD31 immunofluorescence and fluorescently-labeled dextrans. Results: Radiation treatment significantly decreased tumor growth from day 1 to day 4 (P<.05). There was a positive correlation between CT measurement of tumor FBV on day 1 and extravasated iodine on day 4 with microvascular density (MVD) on day 4 (R{sup 2}=0.53) and dextran accumulation (R{sup 2}=0.63) on day 4, respectively. Despite no change in MVD measured by histology, tumor FBV significantly increased after irradiation as measured by DE micro-CT (0.070 vs 0.091, P<.05). Both dextran and liposomal-iodine accumulation in tumors increased significantly after irradiation, with dextran fractional area increasing 5.2-fold and liposomal-iodine concentration increasing 4.0-fold. Conclusions: DE micro-CT is an effective tool for noninvasive assessment of vascular changes in primary tumors. Tumor blood volume and vascular permeability increased after a single therapeutic dose of radiation treatment.

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in Stroke Imaging: Technical and Clinical Considerations of Virtual Noncontrast Images for Detection of the Hyperdense Artery Sign.

Science.gov (United States)

Winklhofer, Sebastian; Vittoria De Martini, Ilaria; Nern, Chrisitian; Blume, Iris; Wegener, Susanne; Pangalu, Athina; Valavanis, Antonios; Alkadhi, Hatem; Guggenberger, Roman

The technical feasibility of virtual noncontrast (VNC) images from dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for the detection of the hyperdense artery sign (HAS) in ischemic stroke patients was investigated. True noncontrast (TNC) scans of 60 patients either with or without HAS (n = 30 each) were investigated. Clot presence and characteristics were assessed on VNC images from DECT angiography and compared with TNC images. Clot characterization included the level of confidence for diagnosing HAS, a qualitative clot burden score, and quantitative attenuation (Hounsfield unit [HU]) measurements. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of VNC for diagnosing HAS were 97%, 90%, and 93%, respectively. No significant differences were found regarding the diagnostic confidence (P = 0.18) and clot burden score (P = 0.071). No significant HU differences were found among vessels with HAS in VNC (56 ± 7HU) and TNC (57 ± 8HU) (P = 0.691) images. Virtual noncontrast images derived from DECT enable an accurate detection and characterization of HAS.

A Solar Powered Wireless Computer Mouse: Design, Assembly and Preliminary Testing of 15 Prototypes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Sark, W.G.J.H.M.; Reich, N.H.; Alsema, E.A.; Netten, M.P.; Veefkind, M.; Silvester, S.; Elzen, B.; Verwaal, M.

2007-01-01

The concept and design of a solar powered wireless computer mouse has been completed, and 15 prototypes have been successfully assembled. After necessary cutting, the crystalline silicon cells show satisfactory efficiency: up to 14% when implemented into the mouse device. The implemented voltage

A quantitative theory of the Hounsfield unit and its application to dual energy scanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, R A

1977-10-01

A standard definition is proposed for the Hounsfield number. Any number in computed tomography can be converted to the Hounsfield scale after performing a simple calibration using air and water. The energy dependence of the Hounsfield number, H, is given by the expression H = (Hc + Hp Q)/(1 + Q), where Hc and Hp are the Compton and photoelectric coefficients of the material being measured, expressed in Hounsfield units, and Q is the "quality factor" of the scanner. Q can be measured by performing a scan of a single calibrating material, such as a potassium iodine solution. By applying this analysis to dual energy scans, the Compton and photoelectric coefficients of an unknown substance may easily be obtained. This can lead to a limited degree of chemical identification.

The clinical determination of absolute density in bone utilizing single and dual energy compton scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huddleston, A.L.; Weaver, J.

1980-01-01

Several methods important in the clinical diagnosis of skeletal diseases have been proposed for the determination of bone mass, such as photon absorptiometry, computed tomography, and neutron activation. None of these present methods provides for the determination of the physical density of bone. In the Radiological Physics Research Laboratory at the University of Virginia, the principles of Compton scattering are being investigated with the intent of determining the electron density and the physical density of human bone. A Compton-scatter densitometer has been constructed for the in vivo density determination of the femoral head. This technique utilizes of collimated low energy gamma source and detector system. The method has been tested in cadavers and in known density samples and has an accuracy of 2 %. A second densitometer has been designed for the in vivo determination of electron density of the vertebrae based upon a new technique which employs dual energy Compton scattering in the spinal column. These systems will be discussed; and the principles of dual energy Compton scatter densitometry will be presented. The importance of these isotope techniques and the feasibility of in vivo density determination in the vertebrae and femoral head will be discussed as they relate to clinical diagnosis and research. (author)

Dual-Source Linear Energy Prediction (LINE-P) Model in the Context of WSNs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Faisal; Tamberg, Gert; Le Moullec, Yannick; Annus, Paul

2017-07-20

Energy harvesting technologies such as miniature power solar panels and micro wind turbines are increasingly used to help power wireless sensor network nodes. However, a major drawback of energy harvesting is its varying and intermittent characteristic, which can negatively affect the quality of service. This calls for careful design and operation of the nodes, possibly by means of, e.g., dynamic duty cycling and/or dynamic frequency and voltage scaling. In this context, various energy prediction models have been proposed in the literature; however, they are typically compute-intensive or only suitable for a single type of energy source. In this paper, we propose Linear Energy Prediction "LINE-P", a lightweight, yet relatively accurate model based on approximation and sampling theory; LINE-P is suitable for dual-source energy harvesting. Simulations and comparisons against existing similar models have been conducted with low and medium resolutions (i.e., 60 and 22 min intervals/24 h) for the solar energy source (low variations) and with high resolutions (15 min intervals/24 h) for the wind energy source. The results show that the accuracy of the solar-based and wind-based predictions is up to approximately 98% and 96%, respectively, while requiring a lower complexity and memory than the other models. For the cases where LINE-P's accuracy is lower than that of other approaches, it still has the advantage of lower computing requirements, making it more suitable for embedded implementation, e.g., in wireless sensor network coordinator nodes or gateways.

Macro Micro Studio: A Prototype Energy Autonomous Laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neil Burford

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In 2011, the Departments of Architecture, Physics and Engineering began the development of a small Passivhaus standard, renewable energy self-sufficient studio at the University Botanical Gardens in Dundee. The prototype was conceived as an experimental, integrated technical platform to monitor the performance of an ultra-low-energy consumption, energy positive building in the Scottish climate, and understand user behaviour in relation to managing energy in-use and reducing occupant’s energy consumption. The building fabric has been constructed using regional sustainable materials, including a low-thermal bridging timber kit relying on Scottish small cross-section timber and a novel foam concrete (air entrained slab foundation. While further work is required to complete the installation of the renewable energy system, predictive modelling indicates that energy autonomy can be largely achieved. With the recent introduction of the new Passivhaus 2009 criteria in October 2015, this project provides an insight into the practical application of an autarkic energy system in a northern European climate. The following paper describes the research rationale, the processes and decision making in the development of the formal and technical design of the building and discusses our current thinking in the design and quantification of the energy system.

Low-dose dual-energy cone-beam CT using a total-variation minimization algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Jong Hwan

2011-02-01

Dual-energy cone-beam CT is an important imaging modality in diagnostic applications, and may also find its use in other application such as therapeutic image guidance. Despite of its clinical values, relatively high radiation dose of dual-energy scan may pose a challenge to its wide use. In this work, we investigated a low-dose, pre-reconstruction type of dual-energy cone-beam CT (CBCT) using a total-variation minimization algorithm for image reconstruction. An empirical dual-energy calibration method was used to prepare material-specific projection data. Raw data at high and low tube voltages are converted into a set of basis functions which can be linearly combined to produce material-specific data using the coefficients obtained through the calibration process. From much fewer views than are conventionally used, material specific images are reconstructed by use of the total-variation minimization algorithm. An experimental study was performed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method using a micro-CT system. We have reconstructed images of the phantoms from only 90 projections acquired at tube voltages of 40 kVp and 90 kVp each. Aluminum-only and acryl-only images were successfully decomposed. We evaluated the quality of the reconstructed images by use of contrast-to-noise ratio and detectability. A low-dose dual-energy CBCT can be realized via the proposed method by greatly reducing the number of projections

Rapid prototyping and stereolithography in dentistry

Science.gov (United States)

Nayar, Sanjna; Bhuminathan, S.; Bhat, Wasim Manzoor

2015-01-01

The word rapid prototyping (RP) was first used in mechanical engineering field in the early 1980s to describe the act of producing a prototype, a unique product, the first product, or a reference model. In the past, prototypes were handmade by sculpting or casting, and their fabrication demanded a long time. Any and every prototype should undergo evaluation, correction of defects, and approval before the beginning of its mass or large scale production. Prototypes may also be used for specific or restricted purposes, in which case they are usually called a preseries model. With the development of information technology, three-dimensional models can be devised and built based on virtual prototypes. Computers can now be used to create accurately detailed projects that can be assessed from different perspectives in a process known as computer aided design (CAD). To materialize virtual objects using CAD, a computer aided manufacture (CAM) process has been developed. To transform a virtual file into a real object, CAM operates using a machine connected to a computer, similar to a printer or peripheral device. In 1987, Brix and Lambrecht used, for the first time, a prototype in health care. It was a three-dimensional model manufactured using a computer numerical control device, a type of machine that was the predecessor of RP. In 1991, human anatomy models produced with a technology called stereolithography were first used in a maxillofacial surgery clinic in Viena. PMID:26015715

Rapid prototyping and stereolithography in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayar, Sanjna; Bhuminathan, S; Bhat, Wasim Manzoor

2015-04-01

The word rapid prototyping (RP) was first used in mechanical engineering field in the early 1980s to describe the act of producing a prototype, a unique product, the first product, or a reference model. In the past, prototypes were handmade by sculpting or casting, and their fabrication demanded a long time. Any and every prototype should undergo evaluation, correction of defects, and approval before the beginning of its mass or large scale production. Prototypes may also be used for specific or restricted purposes, in which case they are usually called a preseries model. With the development of information technology, three-dimensional models can be devised and built based on virtual prototypes. Computers can now be used to create accurately detailed projects that can be assessed from different perspectives in a process known as computer aided design (CAD). To materialize virtual objects using CAD, a computer aided manufacture (CAM) process has been developed. To transform a virtual file into a real object, CAM operates using a machine connected to a computer, similar to a printer or peripheral device. In 1987, Brix and Lambrecht used, for the first time, a prototype in health care. It was a three-dimensional model manufactured using a computer numerical control device, a type of machine that was the predecessor of RP. In 1991, human anatomy models produced with a technology called stereolithography were first used in a maxillofacial surgery clinic in Viena.

Dual-energy CT characteristics of colon and rectal cancer allows differentiation from stool by dual-source CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Özdeniz, İlknur; İdilman, İlkay S; Köklü, Seyfettin; Hamaloğlu, Erhan; Özmen, Mustafa; Akata, Deniz; Karçaaltıncaba, Muşturay

2017-01-01

We aimed to determine dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) characteristics of colorectal cancer and investigate effectiveness of DECT method in differentiating tumor from stool in patients with colorectal cancer. Fifty consecutive patients with colorectal tumors were enrolled. Staging was performed by DECT (80-140 kV) using dual-source CT after rectal air insufflation and without bowel preparation. Both visual and quantitative analyses were performed at 80 kV and 140 kV, on iodine map and virtual noncontrast (VNC) images. All colorectal tumors had homogeneous pattern on iodine map. Stools demonstrated heterogeneous pattern in 86% (43/50) and homogeneous pattern in 14% (7/50) on iodine maps and were less visible on VNC images. Median density of tumors was 54 HU (18-100 HU) on iodine map and 28 HU (11-56 HU) on VNC images. Median density of stool was 36.5 HU (8-165 HU) on iodine map and -135.5 HU (-438 HU to -13 HU) on VNC images. The density of stools was significantly lower than tumors on both iodine map and VNC images (P VNC images was -1 HU with area under the curve of 1 and a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Density or visual analysis of iodine map and VNC DECT images allow accurate differentiation of tumor from stool.

Dual-energy computed tomography for characterizing urinary calcified calculi and uric acid calculi: A meta-analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Xingju; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Mou; Wang, Qiyan; Song, Bin

2016-01-01

Objective: A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the accuracy of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for differentiating urinary uric acid and calcified calculi. Methods: The databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to May 2016 for relevant original studies. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (OR), positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR), and areas under summary receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves for analysis. Results: Nine studies (609 stones in 415 patients) were included. For differentiating uric acid (UA) and non-UA calculi with DECT, the analysis indicated: pooled weighted sensitivity, 0.955 (95% CI, 0.888–0.987); specificity, 0.985 (95% CI, 0.970–0.993); PLR, 0.084 (95% CI, 0.041–0.170); NLR 33.327 (95% CI, 18.516–59.985); and diagnostic OR 538.18 (95% CI, 195.50–1478.5). The AUROC value was 0.9901. For calcified stones, the analysis indicated: pooled weighted sensitivity, 0.994 (95% CI, 0.969–1); specificity, 0.973 (95% CI, 0.906–0.997); PLR, 11.200 (95% CI, 4.922–25.486); NLR 0.027 (95% CI, 0.010–0.072); and diagnostic OR 654.89 (95% CI, 151.31–2834.4). The AUROC value was 0.9915. Conclusion: This meta-analysis found that DECT is a highly accurate noninvasive method for characterizing urinary uric acid and calcified calculi.

Dual-energy computed tomography for characterizing urinary calcified calculi and uric acid calculi: A meta-analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Xingju; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Mou; Wang, Qiyan; Song, Bin, E-mail: binsong65@yahoo.com

2016-10-15

Objective: A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the accuracy of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for differentiating urinary uric acid and calcified calculi. Methods: The databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to May 2016 for relevant original studies. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (OR), positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR), and areas under summary receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves for analysis. Results: Nine studies (609 stones in 415 patients) were included. For differentiating uric acid (UA) and non-UA calculi with DECT, the analysis indicated: pooled weighted sensitivity, 0.955 (95% CI, 0.888–0.987); specificity, 0.985 (95% CI, 0.970–0.993); PLR, 0.084 (95% CI, 0.041–0.170); NLR 33.327 (95% CI, 18.516–59.985); and diagnostic OR 538.18 (95% CI, 195.50–1478.5). The AUROC value was 0.9901. For calcified stones, the analysis indicated: pooled weighted sensitivity, 0.994 (95% CI, 0.969–1); specificity, 0.973 (95% CI, 0.906–0.997); PLR, 11.200 (95% CI, 4.922–25.486); NLR 0.027 (95% CI, 0.010–0.072); and diagnostic OR 654.89 (95% CI, 151.31–2834.4). The AUROC value was 0.9915. Conclusion: This meta-analysis found that DECT is a highly accurate noninvasive method for characterizing urinary uric acid and calcified calculi.

A monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Mankos, Marian; Shadman, Khashayar

2013-07-01

The monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscope (MAD-LEEM) is a novel instrument aimed at imaging of nanostructures and surfaces at sub-nanometer resolution that includes a monochromator, aberration corrector and dual beam illumination. The monochromator reduces the energy spread of the illuminating electron beam, which significantly improves spectroscopic and spatial resolution. The aberration corrector utilizes an electron mirror with negative aberrations that can be used to compensate the aberrations of the LEEM objective lens for a range of electron energies. Dual flood illumination eliminates charging generated when a conventional LEEM is used to image insulating specimens. MAD-LEEM is designed for the purpose of imaging biological and insulating specimens, which are difficult to image with conventional LEEM, Low-Voltage SEM, and TEM instruments. The MAD-LEEM instrument can also be used as a general purpose LEEM with significantly improved resolution. The low impact energy of the electrons is critical for avoiding beam damage, as high energy electrons with keV kinetic energies used in SEMs and TEMs cause irreversible change to many specimens, in particular biological materials. A potential application for MAD-LEEM is in DNA sequencing, which demands imaging techniques that enable DNA sequencing at high resolution and speed, and at low cost. The key advantages of the MAD-LEEM approach for this application are the low electron impact energies, the long read lengths, and the absence of heavy-atom DNA labeling. Image contrast simulations of the detectability of individual nucleotides in a DNA strand have been developed in order to refine the optics blur and DNA base contrast requirements for this application. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvement of material decomposition and image quality in dual-energy radiography by reducing image noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.; Choi, S.; Kim, H.; Kim, H.-J.; Kim, Y.-S.; Choi, S.; Lee, H.; Jo, B.D.; Jeon, P.-H.; Kim, H.; Kim, D.

2016-01-01

Although digital radiography has been widely used for screening human anatomical structures in clinical situations, it has several limitations due to anatomical overlapping. To resolve this problem, dual-energy imaging techniques, which provide a method for decomposing overlying anatomical structures, have been suggested as alternative imaging techniques. Previous studies have reported several dual-energy techniques, each resulting in different image qualities. In this study, we compared three dual-energy techniques: simple log subtraction (SLS), simple smoothing of a high-energy image (SSH), and anti-correlated noise reduction (ACNR) with respect to material thickness quantification and image quality. To evaluate dual-energy radiography, we conducted Monte Carlo simulation and experimental phantom studies. The Geant 4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE) v 6.0 and tungsten anode spectral model using interpolation polynomials (TASMIP) codes were used for simulation studies and digital radiography, and human chest phantoms were used for experimental studies. The results of the simulation study showed improved image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and coefficient of variation (COV) values and bone thickness estimation accuracy by applying the ACNR and SSH methods. Furthermore, the chest phantom images showed better image quality with the SSH and ACNR methods compared to the SLS method. In particular, the bone texture characteristics were well-described by applying the SSH and ACNR methods. In conclusion, the SSH and ACNR methods improved the accuracy of material quantification and image quality in dual-energy radiography compared to SLS. Our results can contribute to better diagnostic capabilities of dual-energy images and accurate material quantification in various clinical situations.

Effects of Dual Monitor Computer Work Versus Laptop Work on Cervical Muscular and Proprioceptive Characteristics of Males and Females.

Science.gov (United States)

Farias Zuniga, Amanda M; Côté, Julie N

2017-06-01

The effects of performing a 90-minute computer task with a laptop versus a dual monitor desktop workstation were investigated in healthy young male and female adults. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common among computer (especially female) users. Laptops have surpassed desktop computer sales, and working with multiple monitors has also become popular. However, few studies have provided objective evidence on how they affect the musculoskeletal system in both genders. Twenty-seven healthy participants (mean age = 24.6 years; 13 males) completed a 90-minute computer task while using a laptop or dual monitor (DualMon) desktop. Electromyography (EMG) from eight upper body muscles and visual strain were measured throughout the task. Neck proprioception was tested before and after the computer task using a head-repositioning test. EMG amplitude (root mean square [RMS]), variability (coefficients of variation [CV]), and normalized mutual information (NMI) were computed. Visual strain ( p computer workstation designs.

Reduced iodinated contrast media for abdominal imaging by dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography for patients with kidney disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirokazu Saito, MD

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Contrast-enhanced computed tomography using iodinated contrast media is useful for diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. However, contrast-induced nephropathy remains problematic for kidney diseases patients. Although current guidelines recommended the use of a minimal dose of contrast media necessary to obtain adequate images for diagnosis, obtaining adequate images with sufficient contrast enhancement is difficult with conventional computed tomography using reduced contrast media. Dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography enables the simultaneous acquisition of low- and high-energy data and the reconstruction of virtual monochromatic images ranging from 40 to 200 keV, retrospectively. Low-energy virtual monochromatic images can enhance the contrast of images, thereby facilitating reduced contrast media. In case 1, abdominal computed tomography angiography at 50 keV using 40% of the conventional dose of contrast media revealed the artery that was the source of diverticular bleeding in the ascending colon. In case 2, ischemia of the transverse colon was diagnosed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and iodine-selective imaging using 40% of the conventional dose of contrast media. In case 3, advanced esophagogastric junctional cancer was staged and preoperative abdominal computed tomography angiography could be obtained with 30% of the conventional dose of contrast media. However, the texture of virtual monochromatic images may be a limitation at low energy. Keywords: Virtual monochromatic images, Contrast-induced nephropathy

Application of dual-energy scanning technique with dual-source CT in pulmonary mass lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jie; Xu Yiming; He Bo; Xie Xiaojie; Han Dan

2012-01-01

Objective: To explore the feasibility of DSCT dual-energy technique in pulmonary mass lesions. Methods: A total of 100 patients with pulmonary masses underwent conventional plain CT scan and dual-energy enhanced CT scan. The virtual non-contrast (VNC) images were obtained at post-processing workstation.The mean CT value,enhancement value,signal to noise ratio (SNR), image quality and radiation dose of pulmonary masses were compared between the two scan techniques using F or t test and the detectability of lesions was compared using Wilcoxon test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference among VNC (A) (32.89 ± 12.58) HU,VNC (S) (30.86 ± 9.60) HU and conventional plain images (35.89 ± 9.99) HU in mean CT value of mass (F =2.08, P>0.05). There was statistically significant difference among VNC (A) (3.29 ± 1.45), VNC (S) (3.93 ± 1.49) and conventional plain image (4.61 ± 1.50) in SNR (F =6.01, P<0.05), which of conventional plain scan was higher than that of VNC.The enhancement value of mass in conventional enhanced scan (60.74 ± 13.9) HU and distribution of iodine from VNC (A) (58.26 ± 31.99) HU was no statistically significant difference (t=0.48, P>0.05), but there was a significant difference between conventional enhanced scan (56.51 ± 17.94) HU and distribution of iodine from VNC (S) (52.65 ± 16.78) HU (t=4.45, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among conventional plain scan (4.69 ± 0.06) and VNC (A) (4.60 ± 0.09), VNC (S) (4.61 ±0.11) in image quality at mediastinal window (F=3.014, P>0.05). The appearance, size, internal features of mass (such as necrosis, calcification and cavity) were showed the same in conventional plain scan, VNC (A) and VNC (S). Of 41 patients with hilar mass, 18 patients were found to have lobular and segmental perfusion decrease or defect. Perfusion defect area was found in 59 patients with peripheral lung mass. The radiation dose of dual-energy enhanced scan was lower than that of

Assessment of lobar perfusion in smokers according to the presence and severity of emphysema: preliminary experience with dual-energy CT angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pansini, Vittorio; Remy-Jardin, Martine; Faivre, Jean-Baptiste; Remy, Jacques; Schmidt, Bernhard; Dejardin-Bothelo, Alexis; Perez, Thierry; Delannoy, Valerie; Duhamel, Alain

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess pulmonary perfusion on a lobar level in smokers using dual-energy computed tomography (CT). Forty-seven smokers and ten non-smokers underwent a dual-energy multi-detector CT angiogram of the chest that allowed automatic quantification of emphysema and determination of the iodine content at the level of the microcirculation (i.e. ''perfusion imaging''). Emphysema was present in 37 smokers and absent in ten smokers. Smokers with an upper lobe predominance of emphysema (n = 8) had: (1) significantly lower attenuation enhancement values in the upper lobes compared with smokers without emphysema; (2) the lobes with the most severe emphysematous changes had a statistically significantly higher percentage of emphysema (p = 0.0001) and lower mean attenuation enhancement values (p = 0.0001) than the ipsilateral lobes with less severe emphysema, matching parenchymal destruction; (3) a correlation was found between the difference in percentage of emphysema between the upper and lower lobes and the difference in attenuation attenuation enhancement values in the corresponding lobes (p = 0.0355; r = -0.54). Regional alterations of lung perfusion can be depicted by dual-energy CT in smokers with predominant emphysema. (orig.)

Can dual-energy CT replace perfusion CT for the functional evaluation of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma?

Science.gov (United States)

Mulé, Sébastien; Pigneur, Frédéric; Quelever, Ronan; Tenenhaus, Arthur; Baranes, Laurence; Richard, Philippe; Tacher, Vania; Herin, Edouard; Pasquier, Hugo; Ronot, Maxime; Rahmouni, Alain; Vilgrain, Valérie; Luciani, Alain

2018-05-01

To determine the degree of relationship between iodine concentrations derived from dual-energy CT (DECT) and perfusion CT parameters in patients with advanced HCC under treatment. In this single-centre IRB approved study, 16 patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib or radioembolization who underwent concurrent dynamic perfusion CT and multiphase DECT using a single source, fast kV switching DECT scanner were included. Written informed consent was obtained for all patients. HCC late-arterial and portal iodine concentrations, blood flow (BF)-related and blood volume (BV)-related perfusion parameters maps were calculated. Mixed-effects models of the relationship between iodine concentrations and perfusion parameters were computed. An adjusted p value (Bonferroni method) statistic (F)=28.52, padvanced HCC lesions, DECT-derived late-arterial iodine concentration is strongly related to both aBF and BV, while portal iodine concentration mainly reflects BV, offering DECT the ability to evaluate both morphological and perfusion changes. • Late-arterial iodine concentration is highly related to arterial BF and BV. • Portal iodine concentration mainly reflects tumour blood volume. • Dual-energy CT offers significantly decreased radiation dose compared with perfusion CT.

Multiple energy computed tomography with monochromatic x rays from the NSLS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dilmanian, F.A.; Nachaliel, E.; Garrett, R.F.; Thomlinson, W.C.; Chapman, L.D.; Moulin, H.R.; Oversluizen, T.; Rarback, H.M.; Rivers, M.; Spanne, P.; Thompson, A.C.; Zeman, H.D.

1991-01-01

We used monochromatic x rays from the X17 superconducting wiggler beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), Brookhaven National Laboratory, for dual-energy quantitative computed tomography (CT) of a 27 mm-diameter phantom containing solutions of different KOH concentrations in cylindrical holes of 5-mm diameter. The CT configuration was a fixed horizontal fan-shaped beam of 1.5 mm height and 30 mm width, and a subject rotating around a vertical axis. The transmitted x rays were detected by a linear-array Si(Li) detector with 120 elements of 0.25 mm width each. We used a two-crystal Bragg-Bragg fixed-exit monochromator with Si crystals. Dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) CT data were taken at 20 and 38 keV. The reconstructed phantom images show the potential of the system for quantitative CT

Evaluation of an exposed-radiation dose on a dual-source cardiac computed tomography examination with a prospective electrocardiogram-gated fast dual spiral scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsubara, Kosuke; Koshida, Kichiro; Koshida, Haruka; Sakuta, Keita; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Takata, Tadanori; Horii, Junsei; Kawai, Keiichi; Yamamoto, Tomoyuki

2012-01-01

We evaluated exposed-radiation doses on dual-source cardiac computed tomography (CT) examinations with prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated fast dual spiral scans. After placing dosimeters at locations corresponding to each of the thoracic organs, prospective ECG-gated fast dual spirals and retrospective ECG-gated dual spiral scans were performed to measure the absorbed dose of each organ. In the prospective ECG-gated fast dual spiral scans, the average absorbed doses were 5.03 mGy for the breast, 9.96 mGy for the heart, 6.60 mGy for the lung, 6.48 mGy for the bone marrow, 9.73 mGy for the thymus, and 4.58 mGy for the skin. These values were about 5% of the absorbed doses for the retrospective ECG-gated dual spiral scan. However, the absorbed dose differed greatly at each scan, especially in the external organs such as the breast. For effective and safe use of the prospective ECG-gated fast dual spiral scan, it is necessary to understand these characteristics sufficiently. (author)

Dual-energy computed tomography in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma: Comparison of noise-optimized and traditional virtual monoenergetic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Simon S; Wichmann, Julian L; Weyer, Hendrik; Albrecht, Moritz H; D'Angelo, Tommaso; Leithner, Doris; Lenga, Lukas; Booz, Christian; Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Bodelle, Boris; Vogl, Thomas J; Hammerstingl, Renate

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of noise-optimized virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI+) reconstructions on quantitative and qualitative image parameters in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma at thoracoabdominal dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). Seventy-six patients (48 men; 66.6±13.8years) with metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma underwent DECT of the thorax and abdomen. Images were post-processed with standard linear blending (M_0.6), traditional virtual monoenergetic (VMI), and VMI+ technique. VMI and VMI+ images were reconstructed in 10-keV intervals from 40 to 100keV. Attenuation measurements were performed in cutaneous melanoma lesions, as well as in regional lymph node, subcutaneous and in-transit metastases to calculate objective signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios. Five-point scales were used to evaluate overall image quality and lesion delineation by three radiologists with different levels of experience. Objective indices SNR and CNR were highest at 40-keV VMI+ series (5.6±2.6 and 12.4±3.4), significantly superior to all other reconstructions (all Ptraditional VMI in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma at thoracoabdominal DECT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A hydrophone prototype for ultra high energy neutrino acoustic detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotrufo, A.; Plotnikov, A.; Yershova, O.; Anghinolfi, M.; Piombo, D.

2009-01-01

The design of an air-backed fiber-optic hydrophone is presented. With respect to the previous models this prototype is optimized to provide a bandwidth sufficiently large to detect acoustic signals produced by high energy hadronic showers in water. In addiction to the geometrical configuration and to the choice of the materials, the preliminary results of the measured performances in air are presented.

A hydrophone prototype for ultra high energy neutrino acoustic detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cotrufo, A. [University of Genoa, Department of Physics, Via Dodecaneso 33, I-16146 (Italy)], E-mail: cotrufo@ge.infn.it; Plotnikov, A.; Yershova, O. [GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, GmbH Planckstrasse1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Anghinolfi, M.; Piombo, D. [INFN, University of Genoa, Department of Physics, Via Dodecaneso 33, I-16146 (Italy)

2009-06-01

The design of an air-backed fiber-optic hydrophone is presented. With respect to the previous models this prototype is optimized to provide a bandwidth sufficiently large to detect acoustic signals produced by high energy hadronic showers in water. In addiction to the geometrical configuration and to the choice of the materials, the preliminary results of the measured performances in air are presented.

Computation of the Short-Time Linear Canonical Transform with Dual Window

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Huang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The short-time linear canonical transform (STLCT, which maps the time domain signal into the joint time and frequency domain, has recently attracted some attention in the area of signal processing. However, its applications are still limited due to the fact that selection of coefficients of the short-time linear canonical series (STLCS is not unique, because time and frequency elementary functions (together known as basis function of STLCS do not constitute an orthogonal basis. To solve this problem, this paper investigates a dual window solution. First, the nonorthogonal problem that suffered from original window is fulfilled by orthogonal condition with dual window. Then based on the obtained condition, a dual window computation approach of the GT is extended to the STLCS. In addition, simulations verify the validity of the proposed condition and solutions. Furthermore, some possible applied directions are discussed.

Potential of gadolinium as contrast material in second generation dual energy computed tomography - An ex vivo phantom study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bongers, Malte N; Schabel, Christoph; Krauss, Bernhard; Claussen, Claus D; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Thomas, Christoph

To evaluate the potential of gadolinium (Gd) as contrast material (CM) in second generation dual energy computed tomography (DECT). In a phantom model, DECT post-processing was used to increase Gd attenuation using advanced monoenergetic extrapolation (MEI), to create virtual non-contrast images (Gd-VNC) and Gd maps and to quantify Gd content. Dilutions of Gd and iodinated CM (7-296 HU) were filled in syringes, placed in an attenuation phantom and scanned with standard DECT protocols (80 &100/Sn140 kV). MEI (40-190 keV) and VNC images as well as Gd maps were computed. The amount of Gd was quantified and the accuracy was compared to iodine images. Linear regression models were calculated to evaluate Gd attenuation of equivolume CM doses and clinical MRI doses. Applying monoenergetic reconstructions and using Gd as contrast agent (Gd MEI 40 keV) doubled Hounsfield-Units (HU) and 90% of the SNR (averaged: 225 HU, SNR3.1) are achievable, as compared to iodinated CM at 120 kV (averaged:110 HU, SNR3.5), at Gd doses of 1.0mmol/kg BW. The accuracies of Gd-VNC (deviation, 6±12 HU) images and Gd quantification (measurement error, 17%) were not significantly different to those of iodine enhanced images (VNC:deviation, 2±11 HU; measurement error,14%). Using monoenergetic extrapolation at 40keV, it is possible to increase Gd-CM attenuation significantly. Thus, equivalent HU and half the SNR in comparison to a standard dose of ICM at 120kV can be expected at a Gd-CM dose of 0.5mmol/kg BW. Post-processing features of iodine based DECT like monoenergetic or VNC images, iodine maps or quantification of CM are feasible with the use of Gd-CM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual-energy chest imaging with the variable compensation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobbins, J.T.; Powell, A.O.

1988-01-01

The authors reported on a new imaging algorithm, termed the variable compensation (VC) technique, that combines the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) advantages of x-ray beam compensation with the ability to adjust retrospectively the amount of displayed image equalization. The VC technique acquires a compensated image of the patient and also an image of the modulated beam profile incident on the patient. A fraction of the beam profile image is then subtracted from the compensated image. A limitation of traditional dual-energy techniques is the significant S/N degradation in poorly penetrated regions. Their new VC technique permits improvement in image S/N before formation of the dual-energy image pair. Specifically, the authors subtract 100% of the beam image from the compensated image for both the high- and low-energy images and produce a pair of images that appear similar to the normal high- and low-energy pair, except for improved S/N in the mediastinum due to the beam compensator. S/N measurements in tissue-canceled chest phantom images show the improved S/N visualization of calcified squares in the mediastinum with our technique

Design and implementation of a Sun tracker with a dual-axis single motor for an optical sensor-based photovoltaic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing-Min; Lu, Chia-Liang

2013-03-06

The dual threats of energy depletion and global warming place the development of methods for harnessing renewable energy resources at the center of public interest. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources. Sun trackers can substantially improve the electricity production of a photovoltaic (PV) system. This paper proposes a novel design of a dual-axis solar tracking PV system which utilizes the feedback control theory along with a four-quadrant light dependent resistor (LDR) sensor and simple electronic circuits to provide robust system performance. The proposed system uses a unique dual-axis AC motor and a stand-alone PV inverter to accomplish solar tracking. The control implementation is a technical innovation that is a simple and effective design. In addition, a scaled-down laboratory prototype is constructed to verify the feasibility of the scheme. The effectiveness of the Sun tracker is confirmed experimentally. To conclude, the results of this study may serve as valuable references for future solar energy applications.

Design and Implementation of a Sun Tracker with a Dual-Axis Single Motor for an Optical Sensor-Based Photovoltaic System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Liang Lu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The dual threats of energy depletion and global warming place the development of methods for harnessing renewable energy resources at the center of public interest. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources. Sun trackers can substantially improve the electricity production of a photovoltaic (PV system. This paper proposes a novel design of a dual-axis solar tracking PV system which utilizes the feedback control theory along with a four-quadrant light dependent resistor (LDR sensor and simple electronic circuits to provide robust system performance. The proposed system uses a unique dual-axis AC motor and a stand-alone PV inverter to accomplish solar tracking. The control implementation is a technical innovation that is a simple and effective design. In addition, a scaled-down laboratory prototype is constructed to verify the feasibility of the scheme. The effectiveness of the Sun tracker is confirmed experimentally. To conclude, the results of this study may serve as valuable references for future solar energy applications.

Design and Implementation of a Sun Tracker with a Dual-Axis Single Motor for an Optical Sensor-Based Photovoltaic System

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing-Min; Lu, Chia-Liang

2013-01-01

The dual threats of energy depletion and global warming place the development of methods for harnessing renewable energy resources at the center of public interest. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources. Sun trackers can substantially improve the electricity production of a photovoltaic (PV) system. This paper proposes a novel design of a dual-axis solar tracking PV system which utilizes the feedback control theory along with a four-quadrant light dependent resistor (LDR) sensor and simple electronic circuits to provide robust system performance. The proposed system uses a unique dual-axis AC motor and a stand-alone PV inverter to accomplish solar tracking. The control implementation is a technical innovation that is a simple and effective design. In addition, a scaled-down laboratory prototype is constructed to verify the feasibility of the scheme. The effectiveness of the Sun tracker is confirmed experimentally. To conclude, the results of this study may serve as valuable references for future solar energy applications. PMID:23467030

Dual energy MDCT assessment of renal lesions: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mileto, Achille; Marin, Daniele; Nelson, Rendon C.; Boll, Daniel T.; Ascenti, Giorgio

2014-01-01

With the expansion of cross-sectional imaging, the number of renal lesions that are incidentally discovered has increased. Multidetector CT (MDCT) is the investigation of choice for characterising and staging renal lesions. Although a definitive diagnosis can be confidently posed for most of them, a number of renal lesions remain indeterminate following MDCT. Further imaging tests are therefore needed, with subsequent increase of healthcare costs, radiation exposure, and patient anxiety. By addressing most of the issues with conventional MDCT imaging, dual-energy MDCT can improve the diagnosis of renal lesions and, potentially, may represent a paradigm shift from a merely attenuation-based to a material-specific spectral imaging investigation. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of current clinical applications of dual-energy CT in the evaluation of renal lesions. Key Points. (orig.)

Dual energy MDCT assessment of renal lesions: an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mileto, Achille [Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States); University of Messina, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphologic and Functional Imaging, Policlinico ' ' G. Martino' ' , Messina (Italy); Marin, Daniele; Nelson, Rendon C.; Boll, Daniel T. [Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States); Ascenti, Giorgio [University of Messina, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphologic and Functional Imaging, Policlinico ' ' G. Martino' ' , Messina (Italy)

2014-02-15

With the expansion of cross-sectional imaging, the number of renal lesions that are incidentally discovered has increased. Multidetector CT (MDCT) is the investigation of choice for characterising and staging renal lesions. Although a definitive diagnosis can be confidently posed for most of them, a number of renal lesions remain indeterminate following MDCT. Further imaging tests are therefore needed, with subsequent increase of healthcare costs, radiation exposure, and patient anxiety. By addressing most of the issues with conventional MDCT imaging, dual-energy MDCT can improve the diagnosis of renal lesions and, potentially, may represent a paradigm shift from a merely attenuation-based to a material-specific spectral imaging investigation. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of current clinical applications of dual-energy CT in the evaluation of renal lesions. Key Points. (orig.)

Radiation Detection and Dual-Energy X-Ray Imaging for Port Security

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pashby, J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Glenn, S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Divin, C. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Martz, H. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-08-09

Millions of cargo containers are transported across the United States border annually and are inspected for illicit radioactive material and contraband using a combination of passive radiation portal monitors (RPM) and high energy X-ray non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems. As detection performance is expected to vary with the material composition of cargo, characterizing the types of material present in cargo is important to national security. This work analyzes the passive radiation and dual energy radiography signatures from on RPM and two NII system, respectively. First, the cargos were analyzed to determine their ability to attenuate emissions from an embedded radioactive source. Secondly, dual-energy X-ray discrimination was used to determine the material composition and density of the cargos.

Two-dimensional parasitic capacitance extraction for integrated circuit with dual discrete geometric methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Dan; Ren Zhuoxiang; Qu Hui; Xu Xiaoyu

2015-01-01

Capacitance extraction is one of the key issues in integrated circuits and also a typical electrostatic problem. The dual discrete geometric method (DGM) is investigated to provide relative solutions in two-dimensional unstructured mesh space. The energy complementary characteristic and quick field energy computation thereof based on it are emphasized. Contrastive analysis between the dual finite element methods and the dual DGMs are presented both from theoretical derivation and through case studies. The DGM, taking the scalar potential as unknown on dual interlocked meshes, with simple form and good accuracy, is expected to be one of the mainstreaming methods in associated areas. (paper)

Prototype design and realization of an innovative energy efficient transfemoral prosthesis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ünal, Ramazan; Behrens, Sebastiaan Maria; Behrens, S.M.; Carloni, Raffaella; Hekman, Edsko E.G.; Stramigioli, Stefano; Koopman, Hubertus F.J.M.

In this paper, we present the prototype realization of the conceptual design of a fully-passive transfemoral prosthesis. The working principle has been inspired by the power flow in human gait so to achieve an energy efficient device. The main goal of this paper is to validate the concept by

Dual energy scanning beam laminographic x-radiography

Science.gov (United States)

Majewski, S.; Wojcik, R.F.

1998-04-21

A multiple x-ray energy level imaging system includes a scanning x-ray beam and two detector design having a first low x-ray energy sensitive detector and a second high x-ray energy sensitive detector. The low x-ray energy detector is placed next to or in front of the high x-ray energy detector. The low energy sensitive detector has small stopping power for x-rays. The lower energy x-rays are absorbed and converted into electrical signals while the majority of the higher energy x-rays pass through undetected. The high energy sensitive detector has a large stopping power for x-rays as well as it having a filter placed between it and the object to absorb the lower energy x-rays. In a second embodiment; a single energy sensitive detector is provided which provides an output signal proportional to the amount of energy in each individual x-ray it absorbed. It can then have an electronic threshold or thresholds set to select two or more energy ranges for the images. By having multiple detectors located at different positions, a dual energy laminography system is possible. 6 figs.

Dual-stroke heat pump field performance

Science.gov (United States)

Veyo, S. E.

1984-11-01

Two nearly identical proprototype systems, each employing a unique dual-stroke compressor, were built and tested. One was installed in an occupied residence in Jeannette, Pa. It has provided the heating and cooling required from that time to the present. The system has functioned without failure of any prototypical advanced components, although early field experience did suffer from deficiencies in the software for the breadboard micro processor control system. Analysis of field performance data indicates a heating performance factor (HSPF) of 8.13 Stu/Wa, and a cooling energy efficiency (SEER) of 8.35 Scu/Wh. Data indicate that the beat pump is oversized for the test house since the observed lower balance point is 3 F whereas 17 F La optimum. Oversizing coupled with the use of resistance heat ot maintain delivered air temperature warmer than 90 F results in the consumption of more resistance heat than expected, more unit cycling, and therefore lower than expected energy efficiency. Our analysis indicates that with optimal mixing the dual stroke heat pump will yield as HSFF 30% better than a single capacity heat pump representative of high efficiency units in the market place today for the observed weather profile.

Metal artefact reduction in gemstone spectral imaging dual-energy CT with and without metal artefact reduction software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young Han; Song, Ho-Taek; Kim, Sungjun; Suh, Jin-Suck; Park, Kwan Kyu

2012-01-01

To assess the usefulness of gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) dual-energy CT (DECT) with/without metal artefact reduction software (MARs). The DECTs were performed using fast kV-switching GSI between 80 and 140 kV. The CT data were retro-reconstructed with/without MARs, by different displayed fields-of-view (DFOV), and with synthesised monochromatic energy in the range 40-140 keV. A phantom study of size and CT numbers was performed in a titanium plate and a stainless steel plate. A clinical study was performed in 26 patients with metallic hardware. All images were retrospectively reviewed in terms of the visualisation of periprosthetic regions and the severity of beam-hardening artefacts by using a five-point scale. The GSI-MARs reconstruction can markedly reduce the metal-related artefacts, and the image quality was affected by the prosthesis composition and DFOV. The spectral CT numbers of the prosthesis and periprosthetic regions showed different patterns on stainless steel and titanium plates. Dual-energy CT with GSI-MARs can reduce metal-related artefacts and improve the delineation of the prosthesis and periprosthetic region. We should be cautious when using GSI-MARs because the image quality was affected by the prosthesis composition, energy (in keV) and DFOV. The metallic composition and size should be considered in metallic imaging with GSI-MARs reconstruction. circle Metal-related artefacts can be troublesome on musculoskeletal computed tomography (CT). circle Gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) with dual-energy CT (DECT) offers a novel solution circle GSI and metallic artefact reduction software (GSI-MAR) can markedly reduce these artefacts. circle However image quality is influenced by the prosthesis composition and other parameters. circle We should be aware about potential overcorrection when using GSI-MARs. (orig.)

Dual-energy CT for detection of contrast enhancement or leakage within high-density haematomas in patients with intracranial haemorrhage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Tsukabe, Akio; Kunitomi, Yuki; Nishizawa, Mitsuo; Arisawa, Atsuko; Tanaka, Hisashi; Tomiyama, Noriyuki [Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Yoshiya, Kazuhisa; Shimazu, Takeshi [Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka (Japan)

2014-04-15

Our study aimed to elucidate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT (DECT) in the detection of contrast enhancement in intracranial haematomas (ICrH) with early phase dual-energy computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those obtained by delayed CT enhancement. Thirty-six patients with ICrH were retrospectively included in this study. All patients had undergone single-energy non-contrast CT and contrast-enhanced dual-source DECT. DECT images were post-processed with commercial software, followed by obtaining iodine images and virtual non-contrast images and generating combined images that created the impression of 120-kVp images. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to the patients' data, reviewed two reading sessions: session A (non-contrast CT and combined CT) and session B (non-contrast CT, combined CT, and iodine images) for detection of contrast enhancement in the haematomas. Contrast leakage or enhancement was detected in 23 (57.5 %) out of 40 haemorrhagic lesions in 36 patients on delayed CT. Three enhanced lesions were depicted only in the DECT iodine images. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of session A were 82.6, 94.1, 95.0, and 80.0 %, respectively, and those of session B were 95.7, 94.1, 95.7, and 94.1 %, respectively. DECT emphasised the iodine enhancement and facilitated the detection of contrast enhancement or leakage. (orig.)

Dual-energy CT for detection of contrast enhancement or leakage within high-density haematomas in patients with intracranial haemorrhage.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Tsukabe, Akio; Kunitomi, Yuki; Nishizawa, Mitsuo; Arisawa, Atsuko; Tanaka, Hisashi; Yoshiya, Kazuhisa; Shimazu, Takeshi; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

2014-04-01

Our study aimed to elucidate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT (DECT) in the detection of contrast enhancement in intracranial haematomas (ICrH) with early phase dual-energy computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those obtained by delayed CT enhancement. Thirty-six patients with ICrH were retrospectively included in this study. All patients had undergone single-energy non-contrast CT and contrast-enhanced dual-source DECT. DECT images were post-processed with commercial software, followed by obtaining iodine images and virtual non-contrast images and generating combined images that created the impression of 120-kVp images. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to the patients' data, reviewed two reading sessions: session A (non-contrast CT and combined CT) and session B (non-contrast CT, combined CT, and iodine images) for detection of contrast enhancement in the haematomas. Contrast leakage or enhancement was detected in 23 (57.5 %) out of 40 haemorrhagic lesions in 36 patients on delayed CT. Three enhanced lesions were depicted only in the DECT iodine images. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of session A were 82.6, 94.1, 95.0, and 80.0 %, respectively, and those of session B were 95.7, 94.1, 95.7, and 94.1 %, respectively. DECT emphasised the iodine enhancement and facilitated the detection of contrast enhancement or leakage.

Dual-energy CT for detection of contrast enhancement or leakage within high-density haematomas in patients with intracranial haemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Tsukabe, Akio; Kunitomi, Yuki; Nishizawa, Mitsuo; Arisawa, Atsuko; Tanaka, Hisashi; Tomiyama, Noriyuki; Yoshiya, Kazuhisa; Shimazu, Takeshi

2014-01-01

Our study aimed to elucidate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT (DECT) in the detection of contrast enhancement in intracranial haematomas (ICrH) with early phase dual-energy computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those obtained by delayed CT enhancement. Thirty-six patients with ICrH were retrospectively included in this study. All patients had undergone single-energy non-contrast CT and contrast-enhanced dual-source DECT. DECT images were post-processed with commercial software, followed by obtaining iodine images and virtual non-contrast images and generating combined images that created the impression of 120-kVp images. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to the patients' data, reviewed two reading sessions: session A (non-contrast CT and combined CT) and session B (non-contrast CT, combined CT, and iodine images) for detection of contrast enhancement in the haematomas. Contrast leakage or enhancement was detected in 23 (57.5 %) out of 40 haemorrhagic lesions in 36 patients on delayed CT. Three enhanced lesions were depicted only in the DECT iodine images. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of session A were 82.6, 94.1, 95.0, and 80.0 %, respectively, and those of session B were 95.7, 94.1, 95.7, and 94.1 %, respectively. DECT emphasised the iodine enhancement and facilitated the detection of contrast enhancement or leakage. (orig.)

Diagnosis value of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT combined with virtual non-enhanced images by dual-energy CT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Zhoupeng; Zhou Jianjun; Liu Xueling; Wang Chun; Zhang Shunzhuang

2012-01-01

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT combined with virtual non-enhanced images by dual-energy CT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Methods: Sixty patients who were suspected of clear cell renal cell carcinoma underwent non-enhanced CT and contrast enhancement CT of early interface-phase between cortex -medulla and parenchymal phase on a dual-energy CT. The true non-enhanced kidney CT (TNCT) was performed in a single-energy acquisition mode, but the dual-phase contrast enhancement CT were performed in a dual-energy mode of 80 kV and 140 kV respectively. The virtual non-enhanced CT (VNCT) images were derived from the data of early interface phase using liver virtual non-contrast software. The diagnose according to VNCT combined dual-phase contrast enhancement CT and dual-phase contrast enhancement CT only were made respectively and compared with χ 2 test. Between the true non-contrast CT and the virtual non-contrast CT, the image quality was compared with Wilcoxon test; The radiation dose of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product(DLP) in a single-phase and total examination, the mean CT HU values of the tumours were compared with t test. Results: The accuracy of VNCT combined dual-phase contrast enhancement CT was higher than that of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT only [93.3% (56/60) vs.78.3% (47/60); χ 2 =5.6, P<0.05]. The detective ability (score) of VNCT was near to that of TNCT and the difference was not obvious (Z=0.00, P>0.05). The radiation dose of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) in a single phase and total examination of VNCT [(8.85 ± 1.28) mGy, (196.45 ±21.12) mGy·cm, (17.69±2.35) mGy, (392.90±42.25) mGy · cm] were lower than that of TNCT [(10.20 ± 1.44) mGy,(218.29 ± 29.60) mGy · cm, (30.61 ± 3.27) mGy and (654.86 ± 88.81) mGy ·cm], t=4.21, 3.58, 23.63, 16.12 respectively, P<0.05. The mean CT HU values of tumours on VNCT images was higher than that

Reduction of Cogging Torque in Dual Rotor Permanent Magnet Generator for Direct Coupled Wind Energy Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsamy, Sivachandran

2014-01-01

In wind energy systems employing permanent magnet generator, there is an imperative need to reduce the cogging torque for smooth and reliable cut in operation. In a permanent magnet generator, cogging torque is produced due to interaction of the rotor magnets with slots and teeth of the stator. This paper is a result of an ongoing research work that deals with various methods to reduce cogging torque in dual rotor radial flux permanent magnet generator (DRFPMG) for direct coupled stand alone wind energy systems (SAWES). Three methods were applied to reduce the cogging torque in DRFPMG. The methods were changing slot opening width, changing magnet pole arc width and shifting of slot openings. A combination of these three methods was applied to reduce the cogging torque to a level suitable for direct coupled SAWES. Both determination and reduction of cogging torque were carried out by finite element analysis (FEA) using MagNet Software. The cogging torque of DRFPMG has been reduced without major change in induced emf. A prototype of 1 kW, 120 rpm DRFPMG was fabricated and tested to validate the simulation results. The test results have good agreement with the simulation predictions. PMID:25202746

Reduction of cogging torque in dual rotor permanent magnet generator for direct coupled wind energy systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsamy, Sivachandran

2014-01-01

In wind energy systems employing permanent magnet generator, there is an imperative need to reduce the cogging torque for smooth and reliable cut in operation. In a permanent magnet generator, cogging torque is produced due to interaction of the rotor magnets with slots and teeth of the stator. This paper is a result of an ongoing research work that deals with various methods to reduce cogging torque in dual rotor radial flux permanent magnet generator (DRFPMG) for direct coupled stand alone wind energy systems (SAWES). Three methods were applied to reduce the cogging torque in DRFPMG. The methods were changing slot opening width, changing magnet pole arc width and shifting of slot openings. A combination of these three methods was applied to reduce the cogging torque to a level suitable for direct coupled SAWES. Both determination and reduction of cogging torque were carried out by finite element analysis (FEA) using MagNet Software. The cogging torque of DRFPMG has been reduced without major change in induced emf. A prototype of 1 kW, 120 rpm DRFPMG was fabricated and tested to validate the simulation results. The test results have good agreement with the simulation predictions.

Development of 3000 m Subsea Blowout Preventer Experimental Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Baoping; Liu, Yonghong; Huang, Zhiqian; Ma, Yunpeng; Zhao, Yubin

2017-12-01

A subsea blowout preventer experimental prototype is developed to meet the requirement of training operators, and the prototype consists of hydraulic control system, electronic control system and small-sized blowout preventer stack. Both the hydraulic control system and the electronic system are dual-mode redundant systems. Each system works independently and is switchable when there are any malfunctions. And it significantly improves the operation reliability of the equipment.

DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW COST INFERENTIAL NATURAL GAS ENERGY FLOW RATE PROTOTYPE RETROFIT MODULE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

E. Kelner; D. George; T. Morrow; T. Owen; M. Nored; R. Burkey; A. Minachi

2005-05-01

In 1998, Southwest Research Institute began a multi-year project to develop a working prototype instrument module for natural gas energy measurement. The module will be used to retrofit a natural gas custody transfer flow meter for energy measurement, at a cost an order of magnitude lower than a gas chromatograph. Development and evaluation of the prototype energy meter in 2002-2003 included: (1) refinement of the algorithm used to infer properties of the natural gas stream, such as heating value; (2) evaluation of potential sensing technologies for nitrogen content, improvements in carbon dioxide measurements, and improvements in ultrasonic measurement technology and signal processing for improved speed of sound measurements; (3) design, fabrication and testing of a new prototype energy meter module incorporating these algorithm and sensor refinements; and (4) laboratory and field performance tests of the original and modified energy meter modules. Field tests of the original energy meter module have provided results in close agreement with an onsite gas chromatograph. The original algorithm has also been tested at a field site as a stand-alone application using measurements from in situ instruments, and has demonstrated its usefulness as a diagnostic tool. The algorithm has been revised to use measurement technologies existing in the module to measure the gas stream at multiple states and infer nitrogen content. The instrumentation module has also been modified to incorporate recent improvements in CO{sub 2} and sound speed sensing technology. Laboratory testing of the upgraded module has identified additional testing needed to attain the target accuracy in sound speed measurements and heating value.

Impact of reduced-radiation dual-energy protocols using 320-detector row computed tomography for analyzing urinary calculus components: initial in vitro evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Xiangran; Zhou, Qingchun; Yu, Juan; Xian, Zhaohui; Feng, Youzhen; Yang, Wencai; Mo, Xukai

2014-10-01

To evaluate the impact of reduced-radiation dual-energy (DE) protocols using 320-detector row computed tomography on the differentiation of urinary calculus components. A total of 58 urinary calculi were placed into the same phantom and underwent DE scanning with 320-detector row computed tomography. Each calculus was scanned 4 times with the DE protocols using 135 kV and 80 kV tube voltage and different tube current combinations, including 100 mA and 570 mA (group A), 50 mA and 290 mA (group B), 30 mA and 170 mA (group C), and 10 mA and 60 mA (group D). The acquisition data of all 4 groups were then analyzed by stone DE analysis software, and the results were compared with x-ray diffraction analysis. Noise, contrast-to-noise ratio, and radiation dose were compared. Calculi were correctly identified in 56 of 58 stones (96.6%) using group A and B protocols. However, only 35 stones (60.3%) and 16 stones (27.6%) were correctly diagnosed using group C and D protocols, respectively. Mean noise increased significantly and mean contrast-to-noise ratio decreased significantly from groups A to D (P calculus component analysis while reducing patient radiation exposure to 1.81 mSv. Further reduction of tube currents may compromise diagnostic accuracy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application and Discussion of Dual Fluidized Bed Reactor in Biomass Energy Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Haibin; Fan, Xiaoxu; Zhao, Baofeng; Yang, Liguo; Sun, Rongfeng

2018-01-01

As an important clean and renewable energy, biomass has a broad market prospect. The dual fluidized bed is widely used in biomass gasification technology, and has become an important way of biomass high-value utilization. This paper describes the basic principle of dual fluidized bed gasification, from the gas composition, tar content and thermal efficiency of the system point of view, analyzes and summarizes several typical dual fluidized bed biomass gasification technologies, points out the existence of gas mixing, the external heat source, catalyst development problems on gas. Finally, it is clear that the gasification of biomass in dual fluidized bed is of great industrial application and development prospect.

WE-A-BRF-01: Dual-Energy CT Imaging in Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molloi, S; Li, B; Yin, F; Chen, H

2014-01-01

The quantification accuracy of dual-energy imaging is influenced by the fundamentals of x-ray physics, system geometry, data acquisition hardware/protocol, system calibration, and image processing technique. This symposium will provide updates on the following advanced application areas: Mammography. Volumetric breast density techniques based on standard mammograms require estimation of breast thickness, which is difficult to accurately measure. By comparison, calculation of breast density using dual energy mammography does not require measurement of breast thickness. Dual energy mammography has been implemented using both energy integrating flat panel detectors in conjunction with beam energy switching and energy resolved photon counting detectors. These techniques have been optimized using simulation studies and validated using physical phantoms and postmortem breasts. Chemical decomposition was used as the gold standard for volumetric breast density measurement in postmortem breasts. Breast density measurements have also been compared with results from four-category BI-RADS density rankings, standard image thresholding and Fuzzy k-mean clustering techniques. These studies indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure volumetric breast density. Cardiovascular CT. The predicative accuracy of risk models for recurrent stroke and cardiac arrest depends heavily on accurate differentiation of thrombus or calcium from iodine in left atrial appendage or coronary arteries. The amount of energy separation is constrained by image noise; therefore, optimal kVp, beam filtration, and balanced flux are essential for the quantification accuracy of iodine and calcium. The basis materials are combined linearly to generate monochromatic energy images, where CT# accuracy and CNR are energy dependent. With optimal monochromatic energy, the mean iodine concentration for the thrombus, circulatory stasis, and control groups are significantly different. Risk

Energy-resolved computed tomography: first experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shikhaliev, Polad M

2008-01-01

First experimental results with energy-resolved computed tomography (CT) are reported. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in CT has been improved with x-ray energy weighting for the first time. Further, x-ray energy weighting improved the CNR in material decomposition CT when applied to CT projections prior to dual-energy subtraction. The existing CT systems use an energy (charge) integrating x-ray detector that provides a signal proportional to the energy of the x-ray photon. Thus, the x-ray photons with lower energies are scored less than those with higher energies. This underestimates contribution of lower energy photons that would provide higher contrast. The highest CNR can be achieved if the x-ray photons are scored by a factor that would increase as the x-ray energy decreases. This could be performed by detecting each x-ray photon separately and measuring its energy. The energy selective CT data could then be saved, and any weighting factor could be applied digitally to a detected x-ray photon. The CT system includes a photon counting detector with linear arrays of pixels made from cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) semiconductor. A cylindrical phantom with 10.2 cm diameter made from tissue-equivalent material was used for CT imaging. The phantom included contrast elements representing calcifications, iodine, adipose and glandular tissue. The x-ray tube voltage was 120 kVp. The energy selective CT data were acquired, and used to generate energy-weighted and material-selective CT images. The energy-weighted and material decomposition CT images were generated using a single CT scan at a fixed x-ray tube voltage. For material decomposition the x-ray spectrum was digitally spilt into low- and high-energy parts and dual-energy subtraction was applied. The x-ray energy weighting resulted in CNR improvement of calcifications and iodine by a factor of 1.40 and 1.63, respectively, as compared to conventional charge integrating CT. The x-ray energy weighting was also applied

Estimation of Shielding Thickness for a Prototype Department of Energy National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program Transport Cask

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SANCHEZ,LAWRENCE C.; MCCONNELL,PAUL E.

2000-07-01

Preliminary shielding calculations were performed for a prototype National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP) transport cask. This analysis is intended for use in the selection of cask shield material type and preliminary estimate of shielding thickness. The radiation source term was modeled as cobalt-60 with radiation exposure strength of 100,000 R/hr. Cobalt-60 was chosen as a surrogate source because it simultaneous emits two high-energy gammas, 1.17 MeV and 1.33 MeV. This gamma spectrum is considered to be large enough that it will upper bound the spectra of all the various spent nuclear fuels types currently expected to be shipped within the prototype cask. Point-kernel shielding calculations were performed for a wide range of shielding thickness of lead and depleted uranium material. The computational results were compared to three shielding limits: 200 mrem/hr dose rate limit at the cask surface, 50 mR/hr exposure rate limit at one meter from the cask surface, and 10 mrem/hr limit dose rate at two meters from the cask surface. The results obtained in this study indicated that a shielding thickness of 13 cm is required for depleted uranium and 21 cm for lead in order to satisfy all three shielding requirements without taking credit for stainless steel liners. The system analysis also indicated that required shielding thicknesses are strongly dependent upon the gamma energy spectrum from the radiation source term. This later finding means that shielding material thickness, and hence cask weight, can be significantly reduced if the radiation source term can be shown to have a softer, lower energy, gamma energy spectrum than that due to cobalt-60.

Dual energy CTA of the supraaortic arteries: Technical improvements with a novel dual source CT system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lell, Michael M., E-mail: Michael.lell@uk-erlangen.de [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Hinkmann, Fabian [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Nkenke, Emeka [Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Erlangen (Germany); Schmidt, Bernhard [Bayer-Schering Healthcare, Berlin (Germany); Seidensticker, Peter [Siemens Healthcare, CT-Division, Forchheim (Germany); Kalender, Willi A. [Institute of Medical Physics, University Erlangen (Germany); Uder, Michael [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Achenbach, Stephan [Department of Cardiology, University Erlangen (Germany)

2010-11-15

Objectives: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a well-accepted imaging modality to evaluate the supraaortic vessels. Initial reports have suggested that dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) can enhance diagnosis by creating bone-free data sets, which can be visualized in 3D, but a number of limitations of this technique have also been addressed. We sought to describe the performance of DE-CTA of the supraaortic vessels with a novel dual source CT system with special emphasis on image quality and post-processing related artifacts. Materials and methods: Thirty-three patients underwent carotid CT angiography on a second generation dual source CT system. Simultaneous acquisitions of 100 and 140 kV data sets in arterial phase were performed. Two examiners evaluated overall bone suppression with a 3-point scale (1 = poor; 3 = excellent) and image quality regarding integrity of the vessel lumen of different vessel segments (n = 26) with a 5-point scale (1 = poor; 5 = excellent), CTA source data served as the reference. Results: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved in the head and neck. Only minor bone remnants occurred, mean score for bone removal was 2.9. Mean score for vessel integrity was 4.3. Eight hundred fifty-seven vessel segments could be evaluated. Six hundred thirty-five segments (74%) showed no lumen alteration, 65 segments (7.6%) lumen alterations <10%, 27 segments (3.1%) lumen alterations >10% resulting in a total luminal reduction <50%, 17 segments (2%) lumen alterations of more than 10% resulting in a total luminal reduction >50%, and 113 segments (13.2%) showed a gap in the vessel course (100% total lumen reduction). Artificial gaps of the vessel lumen occurred in 28 vessel segments due to artifacts caused by dental hardware and in all but one (65) ophthalmic arteries. Conclusions: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved, DE imaging with 100 and 140 kV lead to improved image quality and vessel integrity in the shoulder region than previously

Virtual environment and computer-aided technologies used for system prototyping and requirements development

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Cory; Maida, James; Goldsby, Michael; Clark, Jim; Wu, Liew; Prenger, Henk

1993-01-01

The Space Station Freedom (SSF) Data Management System (DMS) consists of distributed hardware and software which monitor and control the many onboard systems. Virtual environment and off-the-shelf computer technologies can be used at critical points in project development to aid in objectives and requirements development. Geometric models (images) coupled with off-the-shelf hardware and software technologies were used in The Space Station Mockup and Trainer Facility (SSMTF) Crew Operational Assessment Project. Rapid prototyping is shown to be a valuable tool for operational procedure and system hardware and software requirements development. The project objectives, hardware and software technologies used, data gained, current activities, future development and training objectives shall be discussed. The importance of defining prototyping objectives and staying focused while maintaining schedules are discussed along with project pitfalls.

Clinical validation of dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for coronary and valve imaging in patients undergoing trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Science.gov (United States)

Mahoney, R; Pavitt, C W; Gordon, D; Park, B; Rubens, M B; Nicol, E D; Padley, S P

2014-08-01

To assess the validity of virtual non-contrast (VNC) reconstructions for coronary artery calcium (CACS) and aortic valve calcium scoring (AVCS) in patients undergoing trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Twenty-three consecutive TAVI patients underwent a three-step computed tomography (CCT) acquisition: (1) traditional CACS; (2) dual-energy (DE) CT coronary angiogram (CTCA); and (3) DE whole-body angiogram. Linear regression was used to model calcium scores generated from VNC images with traditional scores to derive a conversion factor [2.2 (95% CI: 1.97-2.58)]. The effective radiation dose for the TAVI protocol was compared to a standard control group. Bland-Altman analysis and weighted k-statistic were used to assess inter-method agreement for absolute score and risk centiles. CACS and AVCS from VNC reconstructions correlated well with traditional scores (r = 0.94 and r = 0.86; both p VNC and non-contrast coronary calcium scores [mean difference -71.8 (95% limits of agreement -588.7 to 445.1)], with excellent risk stratification into risk centiles (k = 0.99). However, the agreement was weaker for the aortic valve [mean difference -210.6 (95% limits of agreement -1233.2 to 812)]. Interobserver variability was excellent for VNC CACS [mean difference of 6 (95% limits of agreement 134.1-122.1)], and AVCS [mean difference of -16.4 (95% limits of agreement 576 to -608.7)]. The effective doses for the DE TAVI protocol was 16.4% higher than standard TAVI protocol (22.7 versus 19.5 mSv, respectively) accounted for by the DE CTCA dose being 47.8% higher than that for a standard CTCA [9.9 (5.6-14.35) versus 6.7 (1.17-13.72) mSv; p VNC reconstructions. However, the dose from DE CTCA is significantly greater than the standard single-energy CTCA precluding the use of this technology in routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The manual of a computer software 'FBR Plant Planning Design Prototype System'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-10-01

This is a manual of a computer software 'FBR Plant Planning Design Prototype System', which enables users to conduct case studies of deviated FBR design concepts based on 'MONJU'. The calculations simply proceed as the user clicks displayed buttons, therefore step-by-step explanation is supposed not be necessary. The following pages introduce only particular features of this software, i.e, each interactive screens, functions of buttons and consequences after clicks, and the quitting procedure. (author)

The analysis of hydrocarbons by dual-energy gamma-ray densitometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, T.; Reynolds, P.W.; Lipsett, J.J.

1985-11-01

Various hydrocarbons have been analyzed noninvasively by dual-energy gamma-ray densitometry. The hydrogen/carbon atomic ratio was deduced for pure hydrocarbons while for heavy oil process samples, the ash content was inferred

A prototype nuclear emergency response decision making expert system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.; Shih, C.; Hong, M.; Yu, W.; Su, M.; Wang, S.

1990-01-01

A prototype of emergency response expert system developed for nuclear power plants, has been fulfilled by Institute of Nuclear Energy Research. Key elements that have been implemented for emergency response include radioactive material dispersion assessment, dynamic transportation evacuation assessment, and meteorological parametric forecasting. A network system consists of five 80386 Personal Computers (PCs) has been installed to perform the system functions above. A further project is still continuing to achieve a more complicated and fanciful computer aid integral emergency response expert system

Dual-energy X-ray analysis using synchrotron computed tomography at 35 and 60 keV for the estimation of photon interaction coefficients describing attenuation and energy absorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Midgley, Stewart; Schleich, Nanette

2015-05-01

A novel method for dual-energy X-ray analysis (DEXA) is tested using measurements of the X-ray linear attenuation coefficient μ. The key is a mathematical model that describes elemental cross sections using a polynomial in atomic number. The model is combined with the mixture rule to describe μ for materials, using the same polynomial coefficients. Materials are characterized by their electron density Ne and statistical moments Rk describing their distribution of elements, analogous to the concept of effective atomic number. In an experiment with materials of known density and composition, measurements of μ are written as a system of linear simultaneous equations, which is solved for the polynomial coefficients. DEXA itself involves computed tomography (CT) scans at two energies to provide a system of non-linear simultaneous equations that are solved for Ne and the fourth statistical moment R4. Results are presented for phantoms containing dilute salt solutions and for a biological specimen. The experiment identifies 1% systematic errors in the CT measurements, arising from third-harmonic radiation, and 20-30% noise, which is reduced to 3-5% by pre-processing with the median filter and careful choice of reconstruction parameters. DEXA accuracy is quantified for the phantom as the mean absolute differences for Ne and R4: 0.8% and 1.0% for soft tissue and 1.2% and 0.8% for bone-like samples, respectively. The DEXA results for the biological specimen are combined with model coefficients obtained from the tabulations to predict μ and the mass energy absorption coefficient at energies of 10 keV to 20 MeV.

The construction and evaluation of a prototype system for an image intensifier-based volume computed tomography imager

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ning, R.

1989-01-01

A volumetric reconstruction of a three-dimensional (3-D) object has been at the forefront of exploration in medical applications for a long time. To achieve this goal, a prototype system for an image intensifier(II)-based volume computed tomography (CT) imager has been constructed. This research has been concerned with constructing and evaluating such a prototype system by phantom studies. The prototype system consists of a fixed x-ray tube, a specially designed aluminum filter that will reduce the dynamic range of projection data, an antiscatter grid, a conventional image intensifier optically coupled to a charge-coupled device (CCC) camera, a computer controlled turntable on which phantoms are placed, a digital computer including an A/D converter and a graphic station that displays the reconstructed images. In this study, three different phantoms were used: a vascular phantom, a resolution phantom and a Humanoid reg-sign chest phantom. The direct 3-D reconstruction from the projections was performed using a cone beam algorithm and vascular reconstruction algorithms. The image performance of the system for the direct 3-D reconstruction was evaluated. The spatial resolution limits of the system were estimated through observing the reconstructed images of the resolution phantom. By observing the images reconstructed from the projections, it can be determined that the image performance of the prototype system for a direct 3-D reconstruction is reasonably good and that the vascular reconstruction algorithms work very well. The results also indicate that the 3-D reconstructions obtained with the 11-based volume CT imager have nearly equally good resolution in x, y and z directions and are superior to a conventional CT in the resolution of the z direction

A dual resonance model for high energy electroweak reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picard, Jean-Francois

1995-01-01

The aim of this work is to propose an original model for the weak interaction at high energy (about 1 TeV) that is inspired from resonance dual models established for hadron physics. The first chapter details the basis and assumptions of the standard model. The second chapter deals with various scenarios that go beyond the standard model and that involve a strong interaction and a perturbative approach to assess coupling. The third chapter is dedicated to the main teachings of hadron physics concerning resonances, the model of Regge poles and the concept of duality. We present our new model in the fourth chapter, we build a scenario in which standard fermions and the 3 massive gauge bosons would have a sub-structure alike that of hadrons. In order to give non-null values to the width of resonances we use the K matrix method, we describe this method in the last chapter and we apply it for the computation of the width of the Z 0 boson. Our model predicts a large spectra of states particularly with the 143-up-lets of ff-bar states. The K matrix method has allowed us to compute amplitudes for helicity, then to collapse them in amplitudes invariant with SU(2) and to project these amplitudes in partial waves of helicity. For most resonances partial widths are very low compared to their mass

The cut-off point of dual energy X-ray and laser of calcaneus osteoporosis diagnosis in postmenopausal women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimzadeh, A.; Forough, B.; Olia, B.; Alishiri, G. H.; Ghasemzadeh, A.

2005-01-01

Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry is a method which can extensively be used for bone mineral densitometry . Another more recent method is dual energy X-ray and laser, which associate with dual X ray absorptiometry, assisted by laser measure heel thickness. In this study the cut off points for dual energy X-ray and laser of calcaneus in the diagnosis of osteoporosis in different bone regions in postmenopausal women had been determined. Materials and Methods: In 268 postmenopausal women, BMD of the spinal and femoral regions was measured by DM, and the value for the calcaneous was measured by dual energy X-ray and laser. The agreement of the two methods in the diagnosis of osteoporosis and optimal cut-off point for dual energy X-ray and laser in defining osteoporosis was obtained. What obtained was the agreement of the two methods in the diagnosis of osteoporosis, as well as the optimal cut-off point for dual energy X-ray and laser in defining osteoporosis. Results: Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry showed osteoporosis in 40.7% of cases with 35.2% in L2-L4, 16.2% in the femoral neck, and 11.7% for the femoral total region. The dual energy X-ray and laser found osteoporosis, considering -2.5 SD as a threshold, in 26.1% of cases. Agreement of the two methods in the diagnosis of osteoporosis (Kappa score) was 0.443 for the lumbar region, 0.464 for the neck, and, 0.421 for total femur regions (all P values were significant). Using Receiver Operating Characteristic curves, it was found that a T-score of -2.1, -2.6 and -2.4 as the optimal cut-off point of dual energy X-ray and laser in the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, the neck and total region of femur, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study showed a moderate agreement between the two methods in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. It seems that the dual energy X-ray and laser cannot be used as a substitute for the DM method, but it can be used as a screening method to find (to diagnose) osteoporosis

Iteration and Prototyping in Creating Technical Specifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Flynt, John P.

1994-01-01

Claims that the development process for computer software can be greatly aided by the writers of specifications if they employ basic iteration and prototyping techniques. Asserts that computer software configuration management practices provide ready models for iteration and prototyping. (HB)

Theoretical variance analysis of single- and dual-energy computed tomography methods for calculating proton stopping power ratios of biological tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, M; Zhu, X R; Mohan, R; Dong, L; Virshup, G; Clayton, J

2010-01-01

We discovered an empirical relationship between the logarithm of mean excitation energy (ln I m ) and the effective atomic number (EAN) of human tissues, which allows for computing patient-specific proton stopping power ratios (SPRs) using dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging. The accuracy of the DECT method was evaluated for 'standard' human tissues as well as their variance. The DECT method was compared to the existing standard clinical practice-a procedure introduced by Schneider et al at the Paul Scherrer Institute (the stoichiometric calibration method). In this simulation study, SPRs were derived from calculated CT numbers of known material compositions, rather than from measurement. For standard human tissues, both methods achieved good accuracy with the root-mean-square (RMS) error well below 1%. For human tissues with small perturbations from standard human tissue compositions, the DECT method was shown to be less sensitive than the stoichiometric calibration method. The RMS error remained below 1% for most cases using the DECT method, which implies that the DECT method might be more suitable for measuring patient-specific tissue compositions to improve the accuracy of treatment planning for charged particle therapy. In this study, the effects of CT imaging artifacts due to the beam hardening effect, scatter, noise, patient movement, etc were not analyzed. The true potential of the DECT method achieved in theoretical conditions may not be fully achievable in clinical settings. Further research and development may be needed to take advantage of the DECT method to characterize individual human tissues.

Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans: correlation of xenon and CT density values with pulmonary function test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun; Seo, Joon Beom; Chae, Eun Jin; Lee, Jeongjin; Hong, Soo-Jong; Yu, Jinho; Kim, Byoung-Ju; Krauss, Bernhard

2010-01-01

Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique is a recently introduced, promising functional lung imaging method. To expand its clinical applications evidence of additional diagnostic value of xenon ventilation CT over conventional chest CT is required. To evaluate the usefulness of xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). Seventeen children (age 7-18 years; 11 boys) with BO underwent xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique. Xenon and CT density values were measured in normal and hyperlucent lung regions on CT and were compared between the two regions. Volumes of hyperlucent regions and ventilation defects were calculated with thresholds determined by visual and histogram-based analysis. Indexed volumes of hyperlucent lung regions and ventilation defects were correlated with pulmonary function test results. Effective doses of xenon CT were calculated. Xenon (14.6 ± 6.4 HU vs 26.1 ± 6.5 HU; P 25-75 , (γ = -0.68-0.88, P ≤ 0.002). Volume percentages of xenon ventilation defects (35.0 ± 16.4%)] were not significantly different from those of hyperlucent lung regions (38.2 ± 18.6%). However, mismatches between the volume percentages were variable up to 21.4-33.3%. Mean effective dose of xenon CT was 1.9 ± 0.5 mSv. In addition to high-resolution anatomic information, xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique demonstrates impaired regional ventilation and its heterogeneity accurately in children with BO without additional radiation exposure. (orig.)

Pulse energy control through dual loop electronic feedback

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Jacobs, Cobus

2006-07-01

Full Text Available University of Stellenbosch WWW.LASER-RESEARCH.CO.ZA University of Stellenbosch Pulse Energy Control Through Dual Loop Electronic Feedback Cobus Jacobs, Steven Kriel Christoph Bollig, Thomas Jones Cobus Jacobs et al. Overview head2righthead2right...What is Laser Pulse Energy Control? head2righthead2rightWhy do we need it? head2righthead2rightHow do we get it? head2righthead2rightSimulation head2righthead2rightExperimental Setup head2righthead2rightResults Cobus Jacobs et al. head2righthead2right...

A novel approach to background subtraction in contrast-enhanced dual-energy digital mammography with commercially available mammography devices: Noise minimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contillo, Adriano; Di Domenico, Giovanni; Cardarelli, Paolo; Gambaccini, Mauro; Taibi, Angelo

2016-01-01

Purpose: Dual-energy image subtraction represents a useful tool to improve the detectability of small lesions, especially in dense breasts. A feature it shares with all x-ray imaging techniques is the appearance of fluctuations in the texture of the background, which can obscure the visibility of interesting details. The aim of the work is to investigate the main noise sources, in order to create a better performing subtraction mechanism. In particular, the structural noise cancellation was achieved by means of a suitable extension of the dual-energy algorithm. Methods: The effect of the cancellation procedure was tested on an analytical simulation of a target with varying structural composition. Subsequently, the subtraction algorithm was also applied to a set of actual radiographs of a breast phantom exhibiting a nonuniform background pattern. The background power spectra of the outcomes were computed and compared to the ones obtained from a standard subtraction algorithm. Results: The comparison between the standard and the proposed cancellations showed an overall suppression of the magnitudes of the spectra, as well as a flattening of the frequency dependence of the structural component of the noise. Conclusions: The proposed subtraction procedure provides an effective cancellation of the residual background fluctuations. When combined with the polychromatic correction already described in a companion publication, it results in a high performing dual-energy subtraction scheme for commercial mammography units.

A novel approach to background subtraction in contrast-enhanced dual-energy digital mammography with commercially available mammography devices: Noise minimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contillo, Adriano, E-mail: contillo@fe.infn.it; Di Domenico, Giovanni; Cardarelli, Paolo; Gambaccini, Mauro; Taibi, Angelo [Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, I-44122 Ferrara (Italy)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Dual-energy image subtraction represents a useful tool to improve the detectability of small lesions, especially in dense breasts. A feature it shares with all x-ray imaging techniques is the appearance of fluctuations in the texture of the background, which can obscure the visibility of interesting details. The aim of the work is to investigate the main noise sources, in order to create a better performing subtraction mechanism. In particular, the structural noise cancellation was achieved by means of a suitable extension of the dual-energy algorithm. Methods: The effect of the cancellation procedure was tested on an analytical simulation of a target with varying structural composition. Subsequently, the subtraction algorithm was also applied to a set of actual radiographs of a breast phantom exhibiting a nonuniform background pattern. The background power spectra of the outcomes were computed and compared to the ones obtained from a standard subtraction algorithm. Results: The comparison between the standard and the proposed cancellations showed an overall suppression of the magnitudes of the spectra, as well as a flattening of the frequency dependence of the structural component of the noise. Conclusions: The proposed subtraction procedure provides an effective cancellation of the residual background fluctuations. When combined with the polychromatic correction already described in a companion publication, it results in a high performing dual-energy subtraction scheme for commercial mammography units.

Cooperative Prototyping Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bødker, Susanne; Grønbæk, Kaj

1989-01-01

This paper describes experiments with a design technique that we denote cooperative prototyping. The experiments consider design of a patient case record system for municipal dental clinics in which we used HyperCard, an off the shelf programming environment for the Macintosh. In the ecperiments we...... tried to achieve a fluent work-like evaluation of prototypes where users envisioned future work with a computer tool, at the same time as we made on-line modifications of prototypes in cooperation with the users when breakdown occur in their work-like evaluation. The experiments showed...... that it was possible to make a number of direct manipulation changes of prototypes in cooperation with the users, in interplay with their fluent work-like evaluation of these. However, breakdown occurred in the prototyping process when we reached the limits of the direct manipulation support for modification. From...

A dual energy gamma-ray transmission technique for gold alloy identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumi, Tetsuo; Shingu, Hiroyasu; Iwase, Hirotoshi

1991-01-01

An application of the dual energy gamma-ray transmission techniques to gold alloy identification is presented. The measurement by dual energy gamma-ray transmission is independent of thickness and density of a sample. Due to this advantage, golden accessories such as necklaces, earrings and rings can be assayed in spite of their various thicknesses and irregular sectional shapes. Choice of a gamma-ray energy pair suitable for the object is important. The authors chose 511 keV and 1275 keV gamma-rays from 22 Na. With this energy pair, R value (a ratio of mass attenuation coefficients for low and high energy gamma-rays) is predominantly related to the weight fraction of gold of the sample. Using a 370 kBq 22 Na small source and a 50 mm dia.x 50 mm thick NaI(Tl) scintillator for 1200 seconds, a resolution of 2% for the R value was obtained. This corresponds to approximately 5% of the weight fraction of gold. A better resolution can be obtained by increasing the source activity or measurement time. (author)

Single source dual-energy computed tomography in the diagnosis of gout: Diagnostic reliability in comparison to digital radiography and conventional computed tomography of the feet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiefer, Tobias; Diekhoff, Torsten; Hermann, Sandra; Stroux, Andrea; Mews, Jürgen; Blobel, Jörg; Hamm, Bernd; Hermann, Kay-Geert A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic value of single-source dual-energy computed tomography (SDECT) in gouty arthritis and to compare its capability to detect urate depositions with digital radiography (DR) and conventional computed tomography (CT). Methods: Forty-four patients who underwent SDECT volume scans of the feet for suspected gouty arthritis were retrospectively analyzed. SDECT, CT (both n = 44) and DR (n = 36) were scored by three blinded readers for presence of osteoarthritis, erosions, and tophi. A diagnosis was made for each imaging modality. Results were compared to the clinical diagnosis using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria. Results: The patient population was divided into a gout (n = 21) and control (n = 23) group based on final clinical diagnosis. Osteoarthritis was evident in 15 joints using CT and 30 joints using DR (p = 0.165). There were 134 erosions detected by CT compared to 38 erosions detected by DR (p < 0.001). In total 119 tophi were detected by SDECT, compared to 85 tophi by CT (p = 0.182) and 25 tophi by DR (p < 0.001). SDECT had best diagnostic value for diagnosis of gout compared to DR and conventional CT (sensitivity and specificity for SDECT: 71.4% and 95.7%, CT: 71.4% and 91.3% and DR: 44.4% and 83.3%, respectively). For all three readers, Cohen’s kappa for DR and conventional CT were substantial for all scoring items and ranged from 0.75 to 0.77 and 0.72–0.76, respectively. For SDECT Cohen’s kappa was good to almost perfect with 0.77–0.84. Conclusions: SDECT is capable to detect uric acid depositions with good sensitivity and high specificity in feet, therefore diagnostic confidence is improved. Using SDECT, inter-reader variance can be markedly reduced for the detection of gouty tophi.

Single source dual-energy computed tomography in the diagnosis of gout: Diagnostic reliability in comparison to digital radiography and conventional computed tomography of the feet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiefer, Tobias; Diekhoff, Torsten [Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Hermann, Sandra [Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Stroux, Andrea [Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin (Germany); Mews, Jürgen; Blobel, Jörg [Toshiba Medical Systems Europe, BV, Zilverstraat 1, 2701 RP Zoetermeer (Netherlands); Hamm, Bernd [Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Hermann, Kay-Geert A., E-mail: kghermann@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin (Germany)

2016-10-15

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic value of single-source dual-energy computed tomography (SDECT) in gouty arthritis and to compare its capability to detect urate depositions with digital radiography (DR) and conventional computed tomography (CT). Methods: Forty-four patients who underwent SDECT volume scans of the feet for suspected gouty arthritis were retrospectively analyzed. SDECT, CT (both n = 44) and DR (n = 36) were scored by three blinded readers for presence of osteoarthritis, erosions, and tophi. A diagnosis was made for each imaging modality. Results were compared to the clinical diagnosis using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria. Results: The patient population was divided into a gout (n = 21) and control (n = 23) group based on final clinical diagnosis. Osteoarthritis was evident in 15 joints using CT and 30 joints using DR (p = 0.165). There were 134 erosions detected by CT compared to 38 erosions detected by DR (p < 0.001). In total 119 tophi were detected by SDECT, compared to 85 tophi by CT (p = 0.182) and 25 tophi by DR (p < 0.001). SDECT had best diagnostic value for diagnosis of gout compared to DR and conventional CT (sensitivity and specificity for SDECT: 71.4% and 95.7%, CT: 71.4% and 91.3% and DR: 44.4% and 83.3%, respectively). For all three readers, Cohen’s kappa for DR and conventional CT were substantial for all scoring items and ranged from 0.75 to 0.77 and 0.72–0.76, respectively. For SDECT Cohen’s kappa was good to almost perfect with 0.77–0.84. Conclusions: SDECT is capable to detect uric acid depositions with good sensitivity and high specificity in feet, therefore diagnostic confidence is improved. Using SDECT, inter-reader variance can be markedly reduced for the detection of gouty tophi.

Correlation of iodine uptake and perfusion parameters between dual-energy CT imaging and first-pass dual-input perfusion CT in lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoliang; Xu, Yanyan; Duan, Jianghui; Li, Chuandong; Sun, Hongliang; Wang, Wu

2017-07-01

To investigate the potential relationship between perfusion parameters from first-pass dual-input perfusion computed tomography (DI-PCT) and iodine uptake levels estimated from dual-energy CT (DE-CT).The pre-experimental part of this study included a dynamic DE-CT protocol in 15 patients to evaluate peak arterial enhancement of lung cancer based on time-attenuation curves, and the scan time of DE-CT was determined. In the prospective part of the study, 28 lung cancer patients underwent whole-volume perfusion CT and single-source DE-CT using 320-row CT. Pulmonary flow (PF, mL/min/100 mL), aortic flow (AF, mL/min/100 mL), and a perfusion index (PI = PF/[PF + AF]) were automatically generated by in-house commercial software using the dual-input maximum slope method for DI-PCT. For the dual-energy CT data, iodine uptake was estimated by the difference (λ) and the slope (λHU). λ was defined as the difference of CT values between 40 and 70 KeV monochromatic images in lung lesions. λHU was calculated by the following equation: λHU = |λ/(70 - 40)|. The DI-PCT and DE-CT parameters were analyzed by Pearson/Spearman correlation analysis, respectively.All subjects were pathologically proved as lung cancer patients (including 16 squamous cell carcinoma, 8 adenocarcinoma, and 4 small cell lung cancer) by surgery or CT-guided biopsy. Interobserver reproducibility in DI-PCT (PF, AF, PI) and DE-CT (λ, λHU) were relatively good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]Inter = 0.8726-0.9255, ICCInter = 0.8179-0.8842; ICCInter = 0.8881-0.9177, ICCInter = 0.9820-0.9970, ICCInter = 0.9780-0.9971, respectively). Correlation coefficient between λ and AF, and PF were as follows: 0.589 (P input CT perfusion analysis method can be applied to assess blood supply of lung cancer patients. Preliminary results demonstrated that the iodine uptake relevant parameters derived from DE-CT significantly correlated with perfusion

Comments on shielding for dual energy accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, M. C.; Lincoln, H. M.; Quarin, D. J.; Zwicker, R. D.

2008-01-01

Determination of shielding requirements for medical linear accelerators has been greatly facilitated by the publication of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) latest guidelines on this subject in NCRP Report No. 151. In the present report the authors review their own recent experience with patient treatments on conventional dual energy linear accelerators to examine the various input parameters needed to follow the NCRP guidelines. Some discussion is included of workloads, occupancy, use factors, and field size, with the effects of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatments included. Studies of collimator settings showed average values of 13.1x16.2 cm 2 for 6 MV and 14.1x16.8 cm 2 for 18 MV conventional ports, and corresponding average unblocked areas of 228 and 254 cm 2 , respectively. With an average of 77% of the field area unblocked, this gives a mean irradiated area of 196 cm 2 for the 18 MV beam, which dominates shielding considerations for most dual energy machines. Assuming conservatively small room dimensions, a gantry bin angle of 18 deg. was found to represent a reasonable unit for tabulation of use factors. For conventional 18 MV treatments it was found that the usual treatment angles of 0, 90, 180, and 270 deg. were still favored, and use factors of 0.25 represent reasonable estimates for these beams. As expected, the IMRT fields (all at 6 MV) showed a high degree of gantry angle randomization, with no bin having a use factor in excess of 0.10. It is concluded that unless a significant number of patients are treated with high energy IMRT, the traditional use factors of 0.25 are appropriate for the dominant high energy beam

Comments on shielding for dual energy accelerators.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, M C; Lincoln, H M; Quarin, D J; Zwicker, R D

2008-06-01

Determination of shielding requirements for medical linear accelerators has been greatly facilitated by the publication of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) latest guidelines on this subject in NCRP Report No. 151. In the present report the authors review their own recent experience with patient treatments on conventional dual energy linear accelerators to examine the various input parameters needed to follow the NCRP guidelines. Some discussion is included of workloads, occupancy, use factors, and field size, with the effects of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatments included. Studies of collimator settings showed average values of 13.1 x 16.2 cm2 for 6 MV and 14.1 x 16.8 cm2 for 18 MV conventional ports, and corresponding average unblocked areas of 228 and 254 cm2, respectively. With an average of 77% of the field area unblocked, this gives a mean irradiated area of 196 cm2 for the 18 MV beam, which dominates shielding considerations for most dual energy machines. Assuming conservatively small room dimensions, a gantry bin angle of 18 degrees was found to represent a reasonable unit for tabulation of use factors. For conventional 18 MV treatments it was found that the usual treatment angles of 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees were still favored, and use factors of 0.25 represent reasonable estimates for these beams. As expected, the IMRT fields (all at 6 MV) showed a high degree of gantry angle randomization, with no bin having a use factor in excess of 0.10. It is concluded that unless a significant number of patients are treated with high energy IMRT, the traditional use factors of 0.25 are appropriate for the dominant high energy beam.

Evaluation of Functional Marrow Irradiation Based on Skeletal Marrow Composition Obtained Using Dual-Energy Computed Tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magome, Taiki [Department of Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Komazawa University, Tokyo (Japan); Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Department of Radiology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo (Japan); Froelich, Jerry [Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Takahashi, Yutaka [Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University, Osaka (Japan); Arentsen, Luke [Department of Therapeutic Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Holtan, Shernan; Verneris, Michael R. [Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Brown, Keenan [Mindways Software Inc, Austin, Texas (United States); Haga, Akihiro; Nakagawa, Keiichi [Department of Radiology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo (Japan); Holter Chakrabarty, Jennifer L. [College of Medicine, Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (United States); Giebel, Sebastian [Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Comprehensive Cancer Center M. Curie-Sklodowska Memorial Institute, Gliwice (Poland); Wong, Jeffrey [Department of Radiation Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California (United States); Dusenbery, Kathryn [Department of Therapeutic Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Storme, Guy [Department of Radiotherapy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels (Belgium); Hui, Susanta K., E-mail: shui@coh.org [Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Department of Therapeutic Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California (United States)

2016-11-01

Purpose: To develop an imaging method to characterize and map marrow composition in the entire skeletal system, and to simulate differential targeted marrow irradiation based on marrow composition. Methods and Materials: Whole-body dual energy computed tomography (DECT) images of cadavers and leukemia patients were acquired, segmented to separate bone marrow components, namely, bone, red marrow (RM), and yellow marrow (YM). DECT-derived marrow fat fraction was validated using histology of lumbar vertebrae obtained from cadavers. The fractions of RM (RMF = RM/total marrow) and YMF were calculated in each skeletal region to assess the correlation of marrow composition with sites and ages. Treatment planning was simulated to target irradiation differentially at a higher dose (18 Gy) to either RM or YM and a lower dose (12 Gy) to the rest of the skeleton. Results: A significant correlation between fat fractions obtained from DECT and cadaver histology samples was observed (r=0.861, P<.0001, Pearson). The RMF decreased in the head, neck, and chest was significantly inversely correlated with age but did not show any significant age-related changes in the abdomen and pelvis regions. Conformity of radiation to targets (RM, YM) was significantly dependent on skeletal sites. The radiation exposure was significantly reduced (P<.05, t test) to organs at risk (OARs) in RM and YM irradiation compared with standard total marrow irradiation (TMI). Conclusions: Whole-body DECT offers a new imaging technique to visualize and measure skeletal-wide marrow composition. The DECT-based treatment planning offers volumetric and site-specific precise radiation dosimetry of RM and YM, which varies with aging. Our proposed method could be used as a functional compartment of TMI for further targeted radiation to specific bone marrow environment, dose escalation, reduction of doses to OARs, or a combination of these factors.

Computing in high energy physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watase, Yoshiyuki

1991-09-15

The increasingly important role played by computing and computers in high energy physics is displayed in the 'Computing in High Energy Physics' series of conferences, bringing together experts in different aspects of computing - physicists, computer scientists, and vendors.

A prototype machine using thermal type Stirling solar energy and bio fuel as a primary energy source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Carlos Cesar; Sousa, Regina Celia de; Santos, Jose Maria Ramos dos; Oliveira, Antonio Jose Silva [Universidade Federal do Maranhao (UFMA), Sao Luis, MA (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica

2011-07-01

Full text. Depending on the energy crisis and global warming became necessary to seek new sources of energy that could minimize the serious problems arising from this situation. The energy base that supported our growth in recent decades has supported - heavily on fossil fuel, highly polluting since its extraction and consumption, causing great environmental impact. Before his coal, also harmful to human health and nature. Modern life has been moved at the expense of exhaustible resources that took millions of years to form and will end one day. In this work we developed a prototype that uses a heat engine cycle of the Stirling engine with a heat source, arising from the burning of bio fuels or solar power. The main bio fuel used was ethanol. Ethanol is a product of today's diverse market applications, widely used as automotive fuel in hydrated form or blended with gasoline. The main layout of our prototype are: the four-cylinder, two for expansion and the other two for compression, a heat spreader and heat sinks. These simple components can be arranged in various configurations allowing a large space to the adequacy and efficiency of the machine. In experimental measurements made in our prototype, we have an angular speed of 360.1 rpm (revolutions per minute) with an average temperature of 215.6 deg C camera hot (expansion cylinder) and 30 deg C cold source (compression cylinders) and torque generated by our machine is 0.388 Nm Our device is multi-fuel and can be used virtually any source of energy: gasoline, ethanol, methanol, natural gas, diesel, biogas, LPG and solar energy. The construction of this device allowed us to investigate the processes of transformation of energy: chemical, thermal, and mechanical and maximize efficiency of the Stirling engine. To complete the monitoring apparatus, use equipment such as notebook, digital tachometer and a data acquisition Agilent 34970A model. These devices were used in monitoring the angular velocity and

Detection of pulmonary fat embolism with dual-energy CT: an experimental study in rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Chun Xiang; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Zhao, Yan E.; Han, Zong Hong; Qi, Li; Zhang, Long Jiang; Lu, Guang Ming [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Schoepf, U.J. [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Mangold, Stefanie; Ball, B.D. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States)

2017-04-15

To evaluate the use of dual-energy CT imaging of the lung perfused blood volume (PBV) for the detection of pulmonary fat embolism (PFE). Dual-energy CT was performed in 24 rabbits before and 1 hour, 1 day, 4 days and 7 days after artificial induction of PFE via the right ear vein. CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and lung PBV images were evaluated by two radiologists, who recorded the presence, number, and location of PFE on a per-lobe basis. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CTPA and lung PBV for detecting PFE were calculated using histopathological evaluation as the reference standard. A total of 144 lung lobes in 24 rabbits were evaluated and 70 fat emboli were detected on histopathological analysis. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 25.4 %, 98.6 %, and 62.5 % for CTPA, and 82.6 %, 76.0 %, and 79.2 % for lung PBV. Higher sensitivity (p < 0.001) and accuracy (p < 0.01), but lower specificity (p < 0.001), were found for lung PBV compared with CTPA. Dual-energy CT can detect PFE earlier than CTPA (all p < 0.01). Dual-energy CT provided higher sensitivity and accuracy in the detection of PFE as well as earlier detection compared with conventional CTPA in this animal model study. (orig.)

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast tomosynthesis: optimization of beam quality for dose and image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samei, Ehsan; Saunders, Robert S Jr

2011-01-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast tomosynthesis is a promising technique to obtain three-dimensional functional information from the breast with high resolution and speed. To optimize this new method, this study searched for the beam quality that maximized image quality in terms of mass detection performance. A digital tomosynthesis system was modeled using a fast ray-tracing algorithm, which created simulated projection images by tracking photons through a voxelized anatomical breast phantom containing iodinated lesions. The single-energy images were combined into dual-energy images through a weighted log subtraction process. The weighting factor was optimized to minimize anatomical noise, while the dose distribution was chosen to minimize quantum noise. The dual-energy images were analyzed for the signal difference to noise ratio (SdNR) of iodinated masses. The fast ray-tracing explored 523 776 dual-energy combinations to identify which yields optimum mass SdNR. The ray-tracing results were verified using a Monte Carlo model for a breast tomosynthesis system with a selenium-based flat-panel detector. The projection images from our voxelized breast phantom were obtained at a constant total glandular dose. The projections were combined using weighted log subtraction and reconstructed using commercial reconstruction software. The lesion SdNR was measured in the central reconstructed slice. The SdNR performance varied markedly across the kVp and filtration space. Ray-tracing results indicated that the mass SdNR was maximized with a high-energy tungsten beam at 49 kVp with 92.5 μm of copper filtration and a low-energy tungsten beam at 49 kVp with 95 μm of tin filtration. This result was consistent with Monte Carlo findings. This mammographic technique led to a mass SdNR of 0.92 ± 0.03 in the projections and 3.68 ± 0.19 in the reconstructed slices. These values were markedly higher than those for non-optimized techniques. Our findings indicate that dual-energy

Dual-Readout Calorimetry for High-Quality Energy Measurements. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wigmans, Richard; Nural, Akchurin

2013-01-01

This document constitutes the final report on the project Dual-Readout Calorimetry for High-Quality Energy Measurements. The project was carried out by a consortium of US and Italian physicists, led by Dr. Richard Wigmans (Texas tech University). This consortium built several particle detectors and tested these at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland. The idea arose to use scintillating crystals as dual-readout calorimeters. Such crystals were of course already known to provide excellent energy resolution for the detection of particles developing electromagnetic (em) showers. The efforts to separate the signals from scintillating crystals into scintillation and Cerenkov components led to four different methods by which this could be accomplished. These methods are based on a) the directionality, b) spectral differences, c) the time structure, and d) the polarization of the signals

Computing in high energy physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watase, Yoshiyuki

1991-01-01

The increasingly important role played by computing and computers in high energy physics is displayed in the 'Computing in High Energy Physics' series of conferences, bringing together experts in different aspects of computing - physicists, computer scientists, and vendors

Dual-energy radiography of bone tissues using ZnSe-based scintielectronic detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grinyov, B.; Ryzhikov, V.; Lecoq, P.; Naydenov, S.; Opolonin, A.; Lisetskaya, E.; Galkin, S.; Shumeiko, N.

2007-01-01

Detectors of the scintillator-photodiode type were obtained on the basis of CsI(Tl), CdWO 4 and ZnSe(Te) crystals, and their comparative study was carried out, aiming at their use in X-ray computer tomography (CT). Because of their low afterglow level (10 ppm after 10 ms), CWO and ZnSe crystals are preferable for this application. A drawback of CWO is its lower (by 3 times) light output as compared with CsI(Tl). ZnSe has low transparence to intrinsic radiation; however, up to energies of 60-70 keV it is superior, as for the whole complex of its parameter, to materials traditionally used for CT detectors. The use of a dual-energy receiving-detecting circuit with a detector pair ZnSe/CsI or ZnSe/CdWO allows efficient distinction between muscular and bone tissues, which supports our earlier theoretical assumptions that this method could be successfully used for separate detection of materials differing in their effective atomic number Z eff and local density (e.g., calcium contents in bone densitometry)

Rechargeable dual-metal-ion batteries for advanced energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Hu-Rong; You, Ya; Yin, Ya-Xia; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2016-04-14

Energy storage devices are more important today than any time before in human history due to the increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy. Rechargeable batteries are emerging as the most efficient energy storage technology for a wide range of portable devices, grids and electronic vehicles. Future generations of batteries are required to have high gravimetric and volumetric energy, high power density, low price, long cycle life, high safety and low self-discharge properties. However, it is quite challenging to achieve the above properties simultaneously in state-of-the-art single metal ion batteries (e.g. Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries and Mg-ion batteries). In this contribution, hybrid-ion batteries in which various metal ions simultaneously engage to store energy are shown to provide a new perspective towards advanced energy storage: by connecting the respective advantages of different metal ion batteries they have recently attracted widespread attention due to their novel performances. The properties of hybrid-ion batteries are not simply the superposition of the performances of single ion batteries. To enable a distinct description, we only focus on dual-metal-ion batteries in this article, for which the design and the benefits are briefly discussed. We enumerate some new results about dual-metal-ion batteries and demonstrate the mechanism for improving performance based on knowledge from the literature and experiments. Although the search for hybrid-ion batteries is still at an early age, we believe that this strategy would be an excellent choice for breaking the inherent disadvantages of single ion batteries in the near future.

Dual-scan technique for the customization of zirconia computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreiuolo, Rafael Ferrone; Sabrosa, Carlos Eduardo; Dias, Katia Regina H Cervantes

2013-09-01

The use of bi-layered all-ceramic crowns has continuously grown since the introduction of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) zirconia cores. Unfortunately, despite the outstanding mechanical properties of zirconia, problems related to porcelain cracking or chipping remain. One of the reasons for this is that ceramic copings are usually milled to uniform thicknesses of 0.3-0.6 mm around the whole tooth preparation. This may not provide uniform thickness or appropriate support for the veneering porcelain. To prevent these problems, the dual-scan technique demonstrates an alternative that allows the restorative team to customize zirconia CAD/CAM frameworks with adequate porcelain thickness and support in a simple manner.

Pre-reconstruction dual-energy, X-ray computerized tomography (CT): theory, implementation, results, and clinical use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oravez, W.T.

1986-01-01

For the task of bone mineral measurement, single-energy quantitative CT has demonstrated its worth in terms of precision for most longitudinal clinical studies. However, for cross-sectional clinical studies, known inaccuracy exists due to less than robust beam-hardening corrections, and negatively biased bone mineral measurement, due to the effect of unknown variable concentration of bone marrow fat within the metabolically active trabecular bone space. A dual-energy measurement technique provides a solution to these deficiencies of single-energy measurements. The fundamental theory of dual-energy measurement techniques is based on a Compton-photoelectric approximation and the mixture rule for the total attenuation coefficient. Resolution of atomic composition and electron density components of attenuation should then be possible. To take full advantage of these principles, the raw dual-energy projection values are operated on before reconstruction. This method beam-hardening and composition-selective imaging. Rapid kilovoltage switching between projection measurements, rather than serial measurements, assures the best measurement quality

Dual-energy imaging in full-field digital mammography: a phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taibi, A; Fabbri, S; Baldelli, P; Maggio, C di; Gennaro, G; Marziani, M; Tuffanelli, A; Gambaccini, M

2003-01-01

A dual-energy technique which employs the basis decomposition method is being investigated for application to digital mammography. A three-component phantom, made up of plexiglas, polyethylene and water, was doubly exposed with the full-field digital mammography system manufactured by General Electric. The 'low' and 'high' energy images were recorded with a Mo/Mo anode-filter combination and a Rh/Rh combination, respectively. The total dose was kept within the acceptable levels of conventional mammography. The first hybrid images obtained with the dual-energy algorithm are presented in comparison with a conventional radiograph of the phantom. Image-quality characteristics at contrast cancellation angles between plexiglas and water are discussed. Preliminary results show that a combination of a standard Mo-anode 28 kV radiograph with a Rh-anode 49 kV radiograph provides the best compromise between image-quality and dose in the hybrid image

Comparison of the effect of radiation exposure from dual-energy CT versus single-energy CT on double-strand breaks at CT pulmonary angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Shu Min; Li, Xie; Schoepf, U Joseph; Nance, John W; Jacobs, Brian E; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Gu, Hai Feng; Lu, Meng Jie; Lu, Guang Ming; Zhang, Long Jiang

2018-04-01

To compare the effect of dual-source dual-energy CT versus single-energy CT on DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in blood lymphocytes at CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Sixty-two patients underwent either dual-energy CTPA (Group 1: n = 21, 80/Sn140 kVp, 89/38 mAs; Group 2: n = 20, 100/Sn140 kVp, 89/76 mAs) or single-energy CTPA (Group 3: n = 21, 120 kVp, 110 mAs). Blood samples were obtained before and 5 min after CTPA. DSBs were assessed with fluorescence microscopy and Kruskal-Walls tests were used to compare DSBs levels among groups. Volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose length product (DLP) and organ radiation dose were compared using ANOVA. There were increased excess DSB foci per lymphocyte 5 min after CTPA examinations in three groups (Group 1: P = .001; Group 2: P = .001; Group 3: P = .006). There were no differences among groups regarding excess DSB foci/cell and percentage of excess DSBs (Group 1, 23%; Group 2, 24%; Group 3, 20%; P = .932). CTDIvol, DLP and organ radiation dose in Group 1 were the lowest among the groups (all P dual-source and single-source CTPA, while dual-source dual-energy CT protocols do not increase the estimated radiation dose and also do not result in a higher incidence of DNA DSBs in patients undergoing CTPA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

WE-G-BRF-05: Feasibility of Markerless Motion Tracking Using Dual Energy Cone Beam Computed Tomography (DE-CBCT) Projections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panfil, J; Patel, R; Surucu, M; Roeske, J

2014-01-01

Purpose: To compare markerless template-based tracking of lung tumors using dual energy (DE) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) projections versus single energy (SE) CBCT projections. Methods: A RANDO chest phantom with a simulated tumor in the upper right lung was used to investigate the effectiveness of tumor tracking using DE and SE CBCT projections. Planar kV projections from CBCT acquisitions were captured at 60 kVp (4 mAs) and 120 kVp (1 mAs) using the Varian TrueBeam and non-commercial iTools Capture software. Projections were taken at approximately every 0.53° while the gantry rotated. Due to limitations of the phantom, angles for which the shoulders blocked the tumor were excluded from tracking analysis. DE images were constructed using a weighted logarithmic subtraction that removed bony anatomy while preserving soft tissue structures. The tumors were tracked separately on DE and SE (120 kVp) images using a template-based tracking algorithm. The tracking results were compared to ground truth coordinates designated by a physician. Matches with a distance of greater than 3 mm from ground truth were designated as failing to track. Results: 363 frames were analyzed. The algorithm successfully tracked the tumor on 89.8% (326/363) of DE frames compared to 54.3% (197/363) of SE frames (p<0.0001). Average distance between tracking and ground truth coordinates was 1.27 +/− 0.67 mm for DE versus 1.83+/−0.74 mm for SE (p<0.0001). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of markerless template-based tracking using DE CBCT. DE imaging resulted in better detectability with more accurate localization on average versus SE. Supported by a grant from Varian Medical Systems

Building a Prototype of LHC Analysis Oriented Computing Centers

Science.gov (United States)

Bagliesi, G.; Boccali, T.; Della Ricca, G.; Donvito, G.; Paganoni, M.

2012-12-01

A Consortium between four LHC Computing Centers (Bari, Milano, Pisa and Trieste) has been formed in 2010 to prototype Analysis-oriented facilities for CMS data analysis, profiting from a grant from the Italian Ministry of Research. The Consortium aims to realize an ad-hoc infrastructure to ease the analysis activities on the huge data set collected at the LHC Collider. While “Tier2” Computing Centres, specialized in organized processing tasks like Monte Carlo simulation, are nowadays a well established concept, with years of running experience, site specialized towards end user chaotic analysis activities do not yet have a defacto standard implementation. In our effort, we focus on all the aspects that can make the analysis tasks easier for a physics user not expert in computing. On the storage side, we are experimenting on storage techniques allowing for remote data access and on storage optimization on the typical analysis access patterns. On the networking side, we are studying the differences between flat and tiered LAN architecture, also using virtual partitioning of the same physical networking for the different use patterns. Finally, on the user side, we are developing tools and instruments to allow for an exhaustive monitoring of their processes at the site, and for an efficient support system in case of problems. We will report about the results of the test executed on different subsystem and give a description of the layout of the infrastructure in place at the site participating to the consortium.

Building a Prototype of LHC Analysis Oriented Computing Centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagliesi, G; Boccali, T; Della Ricca, G; Donvito, G; Paganoni, M

2012-01-01

A Consortium between four LHC Computing Centers (Bari, Milano, Pisa and Trieste) has been formed in 2010 to prototype Analysis-oriented facilities for CMS data analysis, profiting from a grant from the Italian Ministry of Research. The Consortium aims to realize an ad-hoc infrastructure to ease the analysis activities on the huge data set collected at the LHC Collider. While “Tier2” Computing Centres, specialized in organized processing tasks like Monte Carlo simulation, are nowadays a well established concept, with years of running experience, site specialized towards end user chaotic analysis activities do not yet have a defacto standard implementation. In our effort, we focus on all the aspects that can make the analysis tasks easier for a physics user not expert in computing. On the storage side, we are experimenting on storage techniques allowing for remote data access and on storage optimization on the typical analysis access patterns. On the networking side, we are studying the differences between flat and tiered LAN architecture, also using virtual partitioning of the same physical networking for the different use patterns. Finally, on the user side, we are developing tools and instruments to allow for an exhaustive monitoring of their processes at the site, and for an efficient support system in case of problems. We will report about the results of the test executed on different subsystem and give a description of the layout of the infrastructure in place at the site participating to the consortium.

Assessment of an advanced monoenergetic reconstruction technique in dual-energy computed tomography of head and neck cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albrecht, Moritz H.; Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Kraft, Johannes; Bauer, Ralf W.; Kaup, Moritz; Dewes, Patricia; Bucher, Andreas M.; Burck, Iris; Lehnert, Thomas; Kerl, J.M.; Vogl, Thomas J. [University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Wagenblast, Jens [University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Wichmann, Julian L. [University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States)

2015-08-15

To define optimal keV settings for advanced monoenergetic (Mono+) dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). DECT data of 44 patients (34 men, mean age 55.5 ± 16.0 years) with histopathologically confirmed SCC were reconstructed as 40, 55, 70 keV Mono + and M0.3 (30 % 80 kV) linearly blended series. Attenuation of tumour, sternocleidomastoid muscle, internal jugular vein, submandibular gland, and noise were measured. Three radiologists with >3 years of experience subjectively assessed image quality, lesion delineation, image sharpness, and noise. The highest lesion attenuation was shown for 40 keV series (248.1 ± 94.1 HU), followed by 55 keV (150.2 ± 55.5 HU; P = 0.001). Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) at 40 keV (19.09 ± 13.84) was significantly superior to all other reconstructions (55 keV, 10.25 ± 9.11; 70 keV, 7.68 ± 6.31; M0.3, 5.49 ± 3.28; all P < 0.005). Subjective image quality was highest for 55 keV images (4.53; κ = 0.38, P = 0.003), followed by 40 keV (4.14; κ = 0.43, P < 0.001) and 70 keV reconstructions (4.06; κ = 0.32, P = 0.005), all superior (P < 0.004) to linear blending M0.3 (3.81; κ = 0.280, P = 0.056). Mono + DECT at low keV levels significantly improves CNR and subjective image quality in patients with head and neck SCC, as tumour CNR peaks at 40 keV, and 55 keV images are preferred by observers. (orig.)

Characteristics of products generated by selective sintering and stereolithography rapid prototyping processes

Science.gov (United States)

Cariapa, Vikram

1993-01-01

The trend in the modern global economy towards free market policies has motivated companies to use rapid prototyping technologies to not only reduce product development cycle time but also to maintain their competitive edge. A rapid prototyping technology is one which combines computer aided design with computer controlled tracking of focussed high energy source (eg. lasers, heat) on modern ceramic powders, metallic powders, plastics or photosensitive liquid resins in order to produce prototypes or models. At present, except for the process of shape melting, most rapid prototyping processes generate products that are only dimensionally similar to those of the desired end product. There is an urgent need, therefore, to enhance the understanding of the characteristics of these processes in order to realize their potential for production. Currently, the commercial market is dominated by four rapid prototyping processes, namely selective laser sintering, stereolithography, fused deposition modelling and laminated object manufacturing. This phase of the research has focussed on the selective laser sintering and stereolithography rapid prototyping processes. A theoretical model for these processes is under development. Different rapid prototyping sites supplied test specimens (based on ASTM 638-84, Type I) that have been measured and tested to provide a data base on surface finish, dimensional variation and ultimate tensile strength. Further plans call for developing and verifying the theoretical models by carefully designed experiments. This will be a joint effort between NASA and other prototyping centers to generate a larger database, thus encouraging more widespread usage by product designers.

Gravity duals of supersymmetric gauge theories on three-manifolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farquet, Daniel; Lorenzen, Jakob; Martelli, Dario; Sparks, James

2016-01-01

We study gravity duals to a broad class of N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories defined on a general class of three-manifold geometries. The gravity backgrounds are based on Euclidean self-dual solutions to four-dimensional gauged supergravity. As well as constructing new examples, we prove in general that for solutions defined on the four-ball the gravitational free energy depends only on the supersymmetric Killing vector, finding a simple closed formula when the solution has U(1)×U(1) symmetry. Our result agrees with the large N limit of the free energy of the dual gauge theory, computed using localization. This constitutes an exact check of the gauge/gravity correspondence for a very broad class of gauge theories with a large N limit, defined on a general class of background three-manifold geometries.

Energy resolution studies of an IROC GEM prototype for the ALICE TPC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathis, Andreas [TU Muenchen, Physik Department E12, Excellence Cluster ' ' Universe' ' , D-85748, Garching (Germany); Collaboration: ALICE-Collaboration

2015-07-01

The ALICE collaboration (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is planning an upgrade of its central barrel detectors, to be able to cope with the increased LHC luminosity beyond 2018. In order to fully exploit the increase in collision rate to about 50 kHz in Pb-Pb, the TPC is foreseen to be operated in an ungated mode with continuous readout. This demands for a replacement of the currently used, gated MWPC by GEM-based readout chambers, while retaining the present tracking and particle identification capabilities of the TPC via measurement of the specific energy loss (dE/dx). The present baseline solution for the TPC upgrade consists of a stack of four large-sized GEM foils as amplification stage, containing both Standard (S, 140 μm) and Large Pitch (LP, 280 μm) GEM foils arranged in the order S-LP-LP-S. This arrangement has been proven as advantageous in terms of ion backflow and energy resolution. A prototype of an ALICE IROC (Inner Readout Chamber) was equipped with such a quadruple GEM stack, installed inside a field cage and exposed to a beam of electrons and pions from the CERN PS. The performance of the prototype in terms of energy resolution has been evaluated and is presented.

Case-control study to estimate the performance of dual-energy computed tomography for anterior cruciate ligament tears in patients with history of knee trauma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glazebrook, Katrina N.; Leng, Shuai; Murthy, Naveen S.; Howe, B.M.; Ringler, Michael D.; McCollough, Cynthia H.; Fletcher, J.G. [Mayo Clinic, Department of Radiology, Rochester, MN (United States); Brewerton, Lee J. [Alberta Health Services South Zone, Department of Radiology, Lethbridge, Alberta (Canada); Carter, Rickey E. [Mayo Clinic, Department of Biostatistics, Rochester, MN (United States); Rhee, Peter C.; Dahm, Diane L.; Stuart, Michael J. [Mayo Clinic, Department of Orthopedics, Rochester, MN (United States)

2014-03-15

Computed tomography (CT) is used to assess for fracture after knee trauma, but identification of ligamentous injuries may also be beneficial. Our purpose is to assess the potential of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for the detection of complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption. Sixteen patients with unilateral traumatic ACL disruption (average of 58 days following trauma) confirmed by MRI, and 11 control patients without trauma, underwent DECT of both knees. For each knee, axial, sagittal, and oblique sagittal images (with DECT bone removal, single-energy (SE) bone removal, and DECT tendon-specific color mapping) were reconstructed. Four musculoskeletal radiologists randomly evaluated the 324 DECT reconstructed series (54 knees with 6 displays) separately, to assess for ACL disruption using a five-point scale (1 = definitely not torn, to 5 = definitely torn). ROC analysis was used to compare performance across readers and displays. Sagittal oblique displays (mixed kV soft tissue, SE bone removal, and DECT bone removal) demonstrated higher areas under the curve for ACL disruption (AUC = 0.95, 0.93 and 0.95 respectively) without significant differences in performance between readers (p > 0.23). Inter-reader agreement was also better for these display methods (ICC range 0.62-0.69) compared with other techniques (ICC range 0.41-0.57). Mean sensitivity for ACL disruption was worst for DECT tendon-specific color map and axial images (24 % and 63 % respectively). DECT knee images with oblique sagittal reconstructions using either mixed kV or bone removal displays (either DECT or SE) depict ACL disruption in the subacute or chronic setting with reliable identification by musculoskeletal radiologists. (orig.)

Material decomposition through weighted imaged subtraction in dual-energy spectral mammography with an energy-resolved photon-counting detector using Monte Carlo Simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eom, Ji Soo; Kang, Soon Cheol; Lee, Seung Wan [Konyang University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-09-15

Mammography is commonly used for screening early breast cancer. However, mammographic images, which depend on the physical properties of breast components, are limited to provide information about whether a lesion is malignant or benign. Although a dual-energy subtraction technique decomposes a certain material from a mixture, it increases radiation dose and degrades the accuracy of material decomposition. In this study, we simulated a breast phantom using attenuation characteristics, and we proposed a technique to enable the accurate material decomposition by applying weighting factors for the dual-energy mammography based on a photon-counting detector using a Monte Carlo simulation tool. We also evaluated the contrast and noise of simulated breast images for validating the proposed technique. As a result, the contrast for a malignant tumor in the dual-energy weighted subtraction technique was 0.98 and 1.06 times similar than those in the general mammography and dual-energy subtraction techniques, respectively. However the contrast between malignant and benign tumors dramatically increased 13.54 times due to the low contrast of a benign tumor. Therefore, the proposed technique can increase the material decomposition accuracy for malignant tumor and improve the diagnostic accuracy of mammography.

Energy and time resolution of a LYSO matrix prototype for the Mu2e experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atanov, N.; Baranov, V. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Colao, F.; Cordelli, M.; Corradi, G.; Dané, E. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Davydov, Yu.I. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Flood, K. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (United States); Giovannella, S., E-mail: simona.giovannella@lnf.infn.it [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Glagolev, V. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Happacher, F. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Hitlin, D.G. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (United States); Martini, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Università “Guglielmo Marconi”, Roma (Italy); Miscetti, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Miyashita, T. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (United States); Morescalchi, L. [INFN Sezione di Pisa, Pisa (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Università di Siena, Siena (Italy); Ott, P. [Institut für Kernphysik, University of Mainz, Mainz (Germany); Pezzullo, G. [INFN Sezione di Pisa, Pisa (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Università di Pisa, Pisa (Italy); Saputi, A.; Sarra, I. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); and others

2016-07-11

We have measured the performances of a LYSO crystal matrix prototype tested with electron and photon beams in the energy range 60–450 MeV. This study has been carried out to determine the achievable energy and time resolutions for the calorimeter of the Mu2e experiment.

Energy and time resolution of a LYSO matrix prototype for the Mu2e experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanov, N.; Baranov, V.; Colao, F.; Cordelli, M.; Corradi, G.; Dané, E.; Davydov, Yu.I.; Flood, K.; Giovannella, S.; Glagolev, V.; Happacher, F.; Hitlin, D.G.; Martini, M.; Miscetti, S.; Miyashita, T.; Morescalchi, L.; Ott, P.; Pezzullo, G.; Saputi, A.; Sarra, I.

2016-01-01

We have measured the performances of a LYSO crystal matrix prototype tested with electron and photon beams in the energy range 60–450 MeV. This study has been carried out to determine the achievable energy and time resolutions for the calorimeter of the Mu2e experiment.

Diagnostic accuracy of dual energy CT angiography in patients with diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schabel, C.; Bongers, M.N.; Syha, R.; Ketelsen, D.; Homann, G.; Notohamiprodjo, M.; Nikolaou, K.; Bamberg, F.; Thomas, C.

2015-01-01

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represents a major and highly prevalent complication in patients with diabetes mellitus. The diagnostic, non-invasive work-up by computed tomography angiography (CTA) is limited in the presence of extensive calcification. The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) for the detection and characterization of PAD in patients with diabetes mellitus. In this study 30 diabetic patients with suspected or known PAD were retrospectively included in the analysis. All subjects underwent DE-CTA (Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) prior to invasive angiography, which served as the reference standard. Blinded analysis included assessment of the presence and degree of peripheral stenosis on curved multiplanar reformatting (MPR) and maximum intensity projections (MIP). Conventional measures of diagnostic accuracy were derived. Among the 30 subjects included in the analysis (83 % male, mean age 70.0 ± 10.5 years, 83 % diabetes type 2), the prevalence of critical stenosis in 331 evaluated vessel segments was high (30 %). Dual energy CT identified critical stenoses with a high sensitivity and good specificity using curved MPR (100 % and 93.1 %, respectively) and MIP images (99 % and 91.8 %, respectively). In stratified analysis, the diagnostic accuracy was higher for stenosis pertaining to the pelvic and thigh vessels as compared with the lower extremities (curved MPR accuracy 97.1 % vs. 99.2 vs. 90.9 %; respectively, p < 0.001). The use of DE-CTA allows reliable detection and characterization of peripheral arterial stenosis in patients with diabetes mellitus with higher accuracy in vessels in the pelvic and thigh regions compared with the vessels in the lower legs. (orig.) [de

Diagnosis of pulmonary artery embolism. Comparison of single-source CT and 3rd generation dual-source CT using a dual-energy protocol regarding image quality and radiation dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petritsch, Bernhard; Kosmala, Aleksander; Gassenmeier, Tobias; Weng, Andreas Max; Veldhoen, Simon; Kunz, Andreas Steven; Bley, Thorsten Alexander

2017-01-01

To compare radiation dose, subjective and objective image quality of 3 rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT) and dual-energy CT (DECT) with conventional 64-slice single-source CT (SSCT) for pulmonary CTA. 180 pulmonary CTA studies were performed in three patient cohorts of 60 patients each. Group 1: conventional SSCT 120 kV (ref.); group 2: single-energy DSCT 100 kV (ref.); group 3: DECT 90/Sn150 kV. CTDIvol, DLP, effective radiation dose were reported, and CT attenuation (HU) was measured on three central and peripheral levels. The signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) were calculated. Two readers assessed subjective image quality according to a five-point scale. Mean CTDIvol and DLP were significantly lower in the dual-energy group compared to the SSCT group (p < 0.001 [CTDIvol]; p < 0.001 [DLP]) and the DSCT group (p = 0.003 [CTDIvol]; p = 0.003 [DLP]), respectively. The effective dose in the DECT group was 2.79 ± 0.95 mSv and significantly smaller than in the SSCT group (4.60 ± 1.68 mSv, p < 0.001) and the DSCT group (4.24 ± 2.69 mSv, p = 0.003). The SNR and CNR were significantly higher in the DSCT group (p < 0.001). Subjective image quality did not differ significantly among the three protocols and was rated good to excellent in 75 % (135/180) of cases with an inter-observer agreement of 80 %. Dual-energy pulmonary CTA protocols of 3 rd generation dual-source scanners allow for significant reduction of radiation dose while providing excellent image quality and potential additional information by means of perfusion maps. Dual-energy CT with 90/Sn150 kV configuration allows for significant dose reduction in pulmonary CTA. Subjective image quality was similar among the three evaluated CT-protocols (64-slice SSCT, single-energy DSCT, 90/Sn150 kV DECT) and was rated good to excellent in 75% of cases. Dual-energy CT provides potential additional information by means of iodine distribution maps.

Dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging of tophi and monosodium urate deposits in a patient with longstanding anorexia nervosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weihe, Johan Petur; Birger Morillon, Melanie; Lambrechtsen, Jess

Dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging of tophi and monosodium urate deposits in a patient with longstanding anorexia nervosa......Dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging of tophi and monosodium urate deposits in a patient with longstanding anorexia nervosa...

Dual Energy Computed Tomography to Evaluate Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Transcatheter Arterial Chemo-Embolization: Comparison between the Linear Blending and Nonlinear Moidal Blending Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Sang Soo; Kim, Hyeong Wook; Lee, Daun; Kang, Heoung Keun; Kim, Jin Woong; Heo, Suk Hee; Jeong, Yong Yeon; Seon, Hyun Ju

2012-01-01

To compare the linear blending image with the nonlinear moidal blending image using dual energy CT for the evaluation of the viable portion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). One-hundred and twenty three HCC patients incompletely treated after TACE were enrolled in this study. The dual energy mode (80 kVp and Sn140 kVp) was only applied in the late arterial phase scanning. A paired t-test was used to compare the lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the image noise between the two blending images. Lesion conspicuity, image sharpness, image noise and the overall image quality between the two blending images were compared using the Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-ranks test. The lesion-to-liver CNR was significantly higher on the moidal blending image (5.6 ± 3.2) than on the linear blending image (2.7 ± 1.6) (p < 0.001). The image noise was significantly lower on the moidal blending image (10.9 ± 3.5) than on the linear blending image (17.5 ± 5.5) (p < 0.001). The lesion conspicuity and overall image quality were significantly better on the moidal blending image for both reviewers (p < 0.001). However, with respect to image sharpness, the linear blending image was significantly better for both reviewers (p < 0.01). The nonlinear moidal blending image of dual energy CT showed an increased lesion-to-liver CNR, decreased noise and improved overall image quality for the evaluation of the viable portion of HCC after TACE.

Computing in high energy physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Sarah; Devenish, Robin [Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Oxford University (United Kingdom)

1989-07-15

Computing in high energy physics has changed over the years from being something one did on a slide-rule, through early computers, then a necessary evil to the position today where computers permeate all aspects of the subject from control of the apparatus to theoretical lattice gauge calculations. The state of the art, as well as new trends and hopes, were reflected in this year's 'Computing In High Energy Physics' conference held in the dreamy setting of Oxford's spires. The conference aimed to give a comprehensive overview, entailing a heavy schedule of 35 plenary talks plus 48 contributed papers in two afternoons of parallel sessions. In addition to high energy physics computing, a number of papers were given by experts in computing science, in line with the conference's aim – 'to bring together high energy physicists and computer scientists'.

TU-F-18A-09: CT Number Stability Across Patient Sizes Using Virtual-Monoenergetic Dual-Energy CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michalak, G; Grimes, J; Fletcher, J; McCollough, C [Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Halaweish, A [Siemens Healthcare, Rochester, MN (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: Virtual-monoenergetic imaging uses dual-energy CT data to synthesize images corresponding to a single photon energy, thereby reducing beam-hardening artifacts. This work evaluated the ability of a commercial virtual-monoenergetic algorithm to achieve stable CT numbers across patient sizes. Methods: Test objects containing a range of iodine and calcium hydroxyapatite concentrations were placed inside 8 torso-shaped water phantoms, ranging in lateral width from 15 to 50 cm, and scanned on a dual-source CT system (Siemens Somatom Force). Single-energy scans were acquired from 70-150 kV in 10 kV increments; dual-energy scans were acquired using 4 energy pairs (low energy: 70, 80, 90, and 100 kV; high energy: 150 kV + 0.6 mm Sn). CTDIvol was matched for all single- and dual-energy scans for a given phantom size. All scans used 128×0.6 mm collimation and were reconstructed with 1-mm thickness at 0.8-mm increment and a medium smooth body kernel. Monoenergetic images were generated using commercial software (syngo Via Dual Energy, VA30). Iodine contrast was calculated as the difference in mean iodine and water CT numbers from respective regions-of-interest in 10 consecutive images. Results: CT numbers remained stable as phantom width varied from 15 to 50 cm for all dual-energy data sets (except for at 50 cm using 70/150Sn due to photon starvation effects). Relative to the 15 cm phantom, iodine contrast was within 5.2% of the 70 keV value for phantom sizes up to 45 cm. At 90/150Sn, photon starvation did not occur at 50 cm, and iodine contrast in the 50-cm phantom was within 1.4% of the 15-cm phantom. Conclusion: Monoenergetic imaging, as implemented in the evaluated commercial system, eliminated the variation in CT numbers due to patient size, and may provide more accurate data for quantitative tasks, including radiation therapy treatment planning. Siemens Healthcare.

Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT Angiography of the Supra-Aortic Arteries with Tin Filter: Impact of Tube Voltage Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Korn, Andreas; Bender, Benjamin; Schabel, Christoph; Bongers, Malte; Ernemann, Ulrike; Claussen, Claus; Thomas, Christoph

2015-06-01

Automatic bone and plaque subtraction (BPS) in computed tomographic angiographic (CTA) examinations using dual-energy CT (DECT) remains challenging because of beam-hardening artifacts in the shoulder region and close proximity of the internal carotid artery to the base of the skull. The selection of the tube voltage combination in dual-source CT influences the spectral separation and the susceptibility for artifacts. The purpose of this study was to assess which tube voltage combination leads to an optimal image quality of head and neck DECT angiograms after bone subtraction. Fifty-one patients received tin-filter-enhanced DECT angiograms of the supra-aortic arteries using two voltage protocols: 24 patients were studied using 80/Sn140 kV and 27 using a 100/Sn140 kV protocol, both protocols with an additional tin filter. A commercially available DE-CTA BPS algorithm was used. Artificial vessel erosions in BPS maximum intensity projections (four-level Likert scale with CTA source data as reference) and vessel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were assessed in the level of the shoulders and the base of the skull in each patient and compared. At the level of the shoulder, 100/Sn140 kV achieved higher SNR (23.4 ± 6.4 at 80/Sn140 kV vs. 35.1 ± 11.8 at 100/Sn140 kV; P supra-aortic arteries than the 80/Sn140 kV protocol. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-F-T-398: Improving Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Using Dual Energy Computed Tomography Based Tissue Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomic, N; Bekerat, H; Seuntjens, J; Forghani, R; DeBlois, F; Devic, S [McGill University, Montreal, QC (Canada)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Both kVp settings and geometric distribution of various materials lead to significant change of the HU values, showing the largest discrepancy for high-Z materials and for the lowest CT scanning kVp setting. On the other hand, the dose distributions around low-energy brachytherapy sources are highly dependent on the architecture and composition of tissue heterogeneities in and around the implant. Both measurements and Monte Carlo calculations show that improper tissue characterization may lead to calculated dose errors of 90% for low energy and around 10% for higher energy photons. We investigated the ability of dual-energy CT (DECT) to characterize more accurately tissue equivalent materials. Methods: We used the RMI-467 heterogeneity phantom scanned in DECT mode with 3 different set-ups: first, we placed high electron density (ED) plugs within the outer ring of the phantom; then we arranged high ED plugs within the inner ring; and finally ED plugs were randomly distributed. All three setups were scanned with the same DECT technique using a single-source DECT scanner with fast kVp switching (Discovery CT750HD; GE Healthcare). Images were transferred to a GE Advantage workstation for DECT analysis. Spectral Hounsfield unit curves (SHUACs) were then generated from 50 to 140-keV, in 10-keV increments, for each plug. Results: The dynamic range of Hounsfield units shrinks with increased photon energy as the attenuation coefficients decrease. Our results show that the spread of HUs for the three different geometrical setups is the smallest at 80 keV. Furthermore, among all the energies and all materials presented, the largest difference appears at high Z tissue equivalent plugs. Conclusion: Our results suggest that dose calculations at both megavoltage and low photon energies could benefit in the vicinity of bony structures if the 80 keV reconstructed monochromatic CT image is used with the DECT protocol utilized in this work.

Dual source CT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidensticker, Peter R.; Hofmann, Lars K.

2008-01-01

The introduction of Dual Source Computed Tomography (DSCT) in 2005 was an evolutionary leap in the field of CT imaging. Two x-ray sources operated simultaneously enable heart-rate independent temporal resolution and routine spiral dual energy imaging. The precise delivery of contrast media is a critical part of the contrast-enhanced CT procedure. This book provides an introduction to DSCT technology and to the basics of contrast media administration followed by 25 in-depth clinical scan and contrast media injection protocols. All were developed in consensus by selected physicians on the Dual Source CT Expert Panel. Each protocol is complemented by individual considerations, tricks and pitfalls, and by clinical examples from several of the world's best radiologists and cardiologists. This extensive CME-accredited manual is intended to help readers to achieve consistently high image quality, optimal patient care, and a solid starting point for the development of their own unique protocols. (orig.)

Evolution of the dual-readout calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penzo, Aldo

2007-01-01

Measuring the energy of hadronic jets with high precision is essential at present and future colliders, in particular at ILC. The 4th concept design is built upon calorimetry criteria that result in the DREAM prototype, read-out via two different types of longitudinal fibers, scintillator and quartz respectively, and therefore capable of determining for each shower the corresponding electromagnetic fraction, thus eliminating the strong effect of fluctuations in this fraction on the overall energy resolution. In this respect, 4th is orthogonal to the other three concepts, which rely on particle flow analysis (PFA). The DREAM test-beam results hold promises for excellent performances, coupled with relatively simple construction and moderate costs, making such a solution an interesting alternative to the PFA paradigm. The next foreseen steps are to extend the dual-readout principle to homogeneous calorimeters (with the potential of achieving even better performances) and to tackle another source of, fluctuation in hadronic showers, originating from binding energy losses in nuclear break-up (measuring neutrons of few MeV energy). (author)

Contrast-enhanced dual energy mammography with a novel anode/filter combination and artifact reduction: a feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knogler, Thomas; Pinker-Domenig, Katja; Leitner, Sabine; Helbich, Thomas H. [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Vienna (Austria); Medical University of Vienna, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Vienna (Austria); Homolka, Peter; Leithner, Robert [Medical University of Vienna, Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Vienna (Austria); Hoernig, Mathias [Siemens AG, Healthcare, X-Ray Products, Erlangen (Germany); Langs, Georg; Waitzbauer, Martin [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Vienna (Austria); Medical University of Vienna, Computational Imaging Research Laboratory, Vienna (Austria)

2016-06-15

To demonstrate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced dual-energy mammography (CEDEM) using titanium (Ti) filtering at 49 kVp for high-energy images and a novel artefact reducing image-subtraction post-processing algorithm. Fifteen patients with suspicious findings (ACR BI-RADS 4 and 5) detected with digital mammography (MG) that required biopsy were included. CEDEM examinations were performed on a modified prototype machine. Acquired HE and low-energy raw data images were registered non-rigidly to compensate for possible subtle tissue motion. Subtracted CEDEM images were generated via weighted subtraction, using a fully automatic, locally adjusted tissue thickness-dependent subtraction factor to avoid over-subtraction at the breast border. Two observers evaluated the MG and CEDEM images according to ACR BI-RADS in two reading sessions. Results were correlated with histopathology. Seven patients with benign and eight with malignant findings were included. All malignant lesions showed a strong contrast enhancement. BI-RADS assessment was altered in 66.6 % through the addition of CEDEM, resulting in increased overall accuracy. With CEDEM, additional lesions were depicted and false-positive rate was reduced compared to MG. CEDEM using Ti filtering with 49 kVp for HE exposures is feasible in a clinical setting. The proposed image-processing algorithm has the potential to reduce artefacts and improve CEDEM images. (orig.)

Calcium scoring with dual-energy CT in men and women: an anthropomorphic phantom study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qin; Liu, Songtao; Myers, Kyle; Gavrielides, Marios A.; Zeng, Rongping; Sahiner, Berkman; Petrick, Nicholas

2016-03-01

This work aimed to quantify and compare the potential impact of gender differences on coronary artery calcium scoring with dual-energy CT. An anthropomorphic thorax phantom with four synthetic heart vessels (diameter 3-4.5 mm: female/male left main and left circumflex artery) were scanned with and without female breast plates. Ten repeat scans were acquired in both single- and dual-energy modes and reconstructed at six reconstruction settings: two slice thicknesses (3 mm, 0.6 mm) and three reconstruction algorithms (FBP, IR3, IR5). Agatston and calcium volume scores were estimated from the reconstructed data using a segmentation-based approach. Total calcium score (summation of four vessels), and male/female calcium scores (summation of male/female vessels scanned in phantom without/with breast plates) were calculated accordingly. Both Agatston and calcium volume scores were found comparable between single- and dual-energy scans (Pearson r= 0.99, pwomen and men in calcium scoring, and for standardizing imaging protocols for improved gender-specific calcium scoring.

Dual-Frequency Impedance Transformer Using Coupled-Line For Ultra-High Transforming Ratio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. K. Barik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a new type of dual-frequency impedance transformer is presented for ultra-high transforming ratio. The proposed configuration consists of parallel coupled-line, series transmission lines and short-ended stubs. The even and odd-mode analysis is applied to obtain the design equations and hence to provide an accurate solution. Three examples of the dual-frequency transformer with load impedance of 500, 1000 and 1500 Ω are designed to study the matching capability and bandwidth property. To prove the frequency agility of the proposed network, three prototypes of dual-frequency impedance transformer with transforming ratio of 10, 20 and 30 are fabricated and tested. The measured return loss is greater than 15 dB at two operating frequencies for all the prototypes. Also, the bandwidth is more than 60 MHz at each frequency band for all the prototypes. The measured return loss is found in good agreement with the circuit and full-wave simulations.

High energy physics and grid computing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Chuansong

2004-01-01

The status of the new generation computing environment of the high energy physics experiments is introduced briefly in this paper. The development of the high energy physics experiments and the new computing requirements by the experiments are presented. The blueprint of the new generation computing environment of the LHC experiments, the history of the Grid computing, the R and D status of the high energy physics grid computing technology, the network bandwidth needed by the high energy physics grid and its development are described. The grid computing research in Chinese high energy physics community is introduced at last. (authors)

Computing in high energy physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Sarah; Devenish, Robin

1989-01-01

Computing in high energy physics has changed over the years from being something one did on a slide-rule, through early computers, then a necessary evil to the position today where computers permeate all aspects of the subject from control of the apparatus to theoretical lattice gauge calculations. The state of the art, as well as new trends and hopes, were reflected in this year's 'Computing In High Energy Physics' conference held in the dreamy setting of Oxford's spires. The conference aimed to give a comprehensive overview, entailing a heavy schedule of 35 plenary talks plus 48 contributed papers in two afternoons of parallel sessions. In addition to high energy physics computing, a number of papers were given by experts in computing science, in line with the conference's aim – 'to bring together high energy physicists and computer scientists'

Research on Matching Method of Power Supply Parameters for Dual Energy Source Electric Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Q.; Luo, M. J.; Zhang, S. K.; Liao, M. W.

2018-03-01

A new type of power source is proposed, which is based on the traffic signal matching method of the dual energy source power supply composed of the batteries and the supercapacitors. First, analyzing the power characteristics is required to meet the excellent dynamic characteristics of EV, studying the energy characteristics is required to meet the mileage requirements and researching the physical boundary characteristics is required to meet the physical conditions of the power supply. Secondly, the parameter matching design with the highest energy efficiency is adopted to select the optimal parameter group with the method of matching deviation. Finally, the simulation analysis of the vehicle is carried out in MATLABSimulink, The mileage and energy efficiency of dual energy sources are analyzed in different parameter models, and the rationality of the matching method is verified.

Optimizing detector thickness in dual-shot dual-energy x-ray imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dong Woon; Kam, Soohwa; Youn, Hanbean; Kim, Ho Kyung [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

As a result, there exist apparent limitations in the conventional two-dimensional (2D) radiography: One is that the contrast between the structure of interest and the background in a radiograph is much less than the intrinsic subject contrast (i.e. the difference between their attenuation coefficients; Another is that the superimposed anatomical structures in the 2D radiograph results in an anatomical background clutter that may decrease the conspicuity of subtle underlying features. These limitations in spatial and material discrimination are important motivations for the recent development of 3D (e.g. tomosynthesis) and dual energy imaging (DEI) systems. DEI technique uses a combination of two images obtained at two different energies in successive x-ray exposures by rapidly switching the kilovolage (kV) applied to the x-ray tube. Commercial DEI systems usually employ a 'single' of flat-panel detector (FPD) to obtain two different kV images. However, we have a doubt in the use of the same detector for acquiring two different projections for the low- and high-kV setups because it is typically known that there exists an optimal detector thickness regarding specific imaging tasks or energies used.

Dual energy CT for the assessment of lung perfusion-Correlation to scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thieme, Sven F.; Becker, Christoph R.; Hacker, Marcus; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Reiser, Maximilian F.; Johnson, Thorsten R.C.

2008-01-01

Purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of dual energy CT in the assessment of pulmonary perfusion with reference to pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy. Thirteen patients received both dual energy CT (DECT) angiography (Somatom Definition, Siemens) and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy. Median time between scans was 3 days (range, 0-90). DECT perfusion maps were generated based on the spectral properties of iodine. Two blinded observes assessed DECT angiograms, perfusion maps and scintigrams for presence and location of perfusion defects. The results were compared by patient and by segment, and diagnostic accuracy of DECT perfusion imaging was calculated regarding scintigraphy as standard of reference. Diagnostic accuracy per patient showed 75% sensitivity, 80% specificity and a negative predictive value of 66%. Sensitivity per segment amounted to 83% with 99% specificity, with 93% negative predictive value. Peripheral parts of the lungs were not completely covered by the 80 kVp detector in 85% of patients. CTA identified corresponding emboli in 66% of patients with concordant perfusion defects in DECT and scintigraphy. Dual energy CT perfusion imaging is able to display pulmonary perfusion defects with good agreement to scintigraphic findings. DECT can provide a pulmonary CT angiogram, high-resolution morphology of the lung parenchyma and perfusion information in one single exam

Dual energy CT for the assessment of lung perfusion-Correlation to scintigraphy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thieme, Sven F.; Becker, Christoph R. [Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (Germany); Hacker, Marcus [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (Germany); Nikolaou, Konstantin; Reiser, Maximilian F. [Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (Germany); Johnson, Thorsten R.C. [Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (Germany)], E-mail: thorsten.johnson@med.uni-muenchen.de

2008-12-15

Purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of dual energy CT in the assessment of pulmonary perfusion with reference to pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy. Thirteen patients received both dual energy CT (DECT) angiography (Somatom Definition, Siemens) and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy. Median time between scans was 3 days (range, 0-90). DECT perfusion maps were generated based on the spectral properties of iodine. Two blinded observes assessed DECT angiograms, perfusion maps and scintigrams for presence and location of perfusion defects. The results were compared by patient and by segment, and diagnostic accuracy of DECT perfusion imaging was calculated regarding scintigraphy as standard of reference. Diagnostic accuracy per patient showed 75% sensitivity, 80% specificity and a negative predictive value of 66%. Sensitivity per segment amounted to 83% with 99% specificity, with 93% negative predictive value. Peripheral parts of the lungs were not completely covered by the 80 kVp detector in 85% of patients. CTA identified corresponding emboli in 66% of patients with concordant perfusion defects in DECT and scintigraphy. Dual energy CT perfusion imaging is able to display pulmonary perfusion defects with good agreement to scintigraphic findings. DECT can provide a pulmonary CT angiogram, high-resolution morphology of the lung parenchyma and perfusion information in one single exam.

The MIDAS experiment: A prototype for the microwave emission of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monasor, M.; Alekotte, I.; Alvarez-Muniz, J.; Berlin, A.; Bertou, X.; Bodgan, M.; Bohacova, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Carvalho, W.; Mello Neto, J.R.T. de; Genat, J.F.; Facal San Luis, P.; Mills, E.; Rouille d'Orfeuil, B.; Wayne, S.; Reyes, L.C.; Santos, E.M.; Privitera, P.; Williams, C.; Zas, E.

2011-01-01

Recent measurements suggest that extensive air showers initiated by ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) emit signals in the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum caused by the collisions of the free-electrons with the atmospheric neutral molecules in the plasma produced by the passage of the shower. Such emission is isotropic and could allow the detection of air showers with 100% duty cycle and a calorimetric-like energy measurement, a significant improvement over current detection techniques. We have built MIDAS (MIcrowave Detection of Air Showers), a prototype of microwave detector, which consists of a 4.5 m diameter antenna with a cluster of 53 feed-horns in the 4 GHz range. The details of the prototype and first results will be presented.

Acute vertebral fracture after spinal fusion: a case report illustrating the added value of single-source dual-energy computed tomography to magnetic resonance imaging in a patient with spinal Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuchs, M.; Putzier, M.; Pumberger, M.; Hermann, K.G.; Diekhoff, T.

2016-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is degraded by metal-implant-induced artifacts when used for the diagnostic assessment of vertebral compression fractures in patients with instrumented spinal fusion. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) offers a promising supplementary imaging tool in these patients. This case report describes an 85-year-old woman who presented with a suspected acute vertebral fracture after long posterior lumbar interbody fusion. This is the first report of a vertebral fracture that showed bone marrow edema on DECT; however, edema was missed by an MRI STIR sequence owing to metal artifacts. Bone marrow assessment using DECT is less susceptible to metal artifacts than MRI, resulting in improved visualization of vertebral edema in the vicinity of fused vertebral bodies. (orig.)

TU-F-18C-02: Increasing Amorphous Selenium Thickness in Direct Conversion Flat-Panel Imagers for Contrast-Enhanced Dual-Energy Breast Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scaduto, DA; Hu, Y-H; Zhao, W

2014-01-01

Purpose: Contrast-enhanced (CE) breast imaging using iodinated contrast agents requires imaging with x-ray spectra at energies greater than those used in mammography. Optimizing amorphous selenium (a-Se) flat panel imagers (FPI) for this higher energy range may increase lesion conspicuity. Methods: We compare imaging performance of a conventional FPI with 200 μm a-Se conversion layer to a prototype FPI with 300 μm a-Se layer. Both detectors are evaluated in a Siemens MAMMOMAT Inspiration prototype digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system using low-energy (W/Rh 28 kVp) and high-energy (W/Cu 49 kVp) x-ray spectra. Detectability of iodinated lesions in dual-energy images is evaluated using an iodine contrast phantom. Effects of beam obliquity are investigated in projection and reconstructed images using different reconstruction methods. The ideal observer signal-to-noise ratio is used as a figure-of-merit to predict the optimal a-Se thickness for CE lesion detectability without compromising conventional full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and DBT performance. Results: Increasing a-Se thickness from 200 μm to 300 μm preserves imaging performance at typical mammographic energies (e.g. W/Rh 28 kVp), and improves the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) for high energy (W/Cu 49 kVp) by 30%. While the more penetrating high-energy x-ray photons increase geometric blur due to beam obliquity in the FPI with thicker a-Se layer, the effect on lesion detectability in FBP reconstructions is negligible due to the reconstruction filters employed. Ideal observer SNR for CE objects shows improvements in in-plane detectability with increasing a-Se thicknesses, though small lesion detectability begins to degrade in oblique projections for a-Se thickness above 500 μm. Conclusion: Increasing a-Se thickness in direct conversion FPI from 200 μm to 300 μm improves lesion detectability in CE breast imaging with virtually no cost to conventional FFDM and DBT. This work was partially

Dual-Readout Calorimetry for High-Quality Energy

CERN Multimedia

During the past seven years, the DREAM collaboration has systematically investigated all factors that determine and limit the precision with which the properties of hadrons and jets can be measured in calorimeters. Using simultaneous detection of the deposited energy and the Cerenkov light produced in hadronic shower development ${(dual}$ ${readout}$), the fluctuations in the electromagnetic shower fraction could be measured event by event their effects on signal linearity, response function and energy resolution eliminated. Detailed measurement of the time structure of the signals made it possible to measure the contirbutions of nuclear evaporation neutrons to the signals and thus reduce the effects of fluctuations in "invisible energy". We are now embarking on the construction of a full-scale calorimeter which incorporates all these elements and which should make it possible to measure the four-vectors of both electrons, hadrons and jets with very high precision, in an instrument that can be simply calibrat...

Diagnosis of pulmonary artery embolism. Comparison of single-source CT and 3{sup rd} generation dual-source CT using a dual-energy protocol regarding image quality and radiation dose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petritsch, Bernhard; Kosmala, Aleksander; Gassenmeier, Tobias; Weng, Andreas Max; Veldhoen, Simon; Kunz, Andreas Steven; Bley, Thorsten Alexander [Univ. Hospital Wuerzburg (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

2017-06-15

To compare radiation dose, subjective and objective image quality of 3 rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT) and dual-energy CT (DECT) with conventional 64-slice single-source CT (SSCT) for pulmonary CTA. 180 pulmonary CTA studies were performed in three patient cohorts of 60 patients each. Group 1: conventional SSCT 120 kV (ref.); group 2: single-energy DSCT 100 kV (ref.); group 3: DECT 90/Sn150 kV. CTDIvol, DLP, effective radiation dose were reported, and CT attenuation (HU) was measured on three central and peripheral levels. The signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) were calculated. Two readers assessed subjective image quality according to a five-point scale. Mean CTDIvol and DLP were significantly lower in the dual-energy group compared to the SSCT group (p < 0.001 [CTDIvol]; p < 0.001 [DLP]) and the DSCT group (p = 0.003 [CTDIvol]; p = 0.003 [DLP]), respectively. The effective dose in the DECT group was 2.79 ± 0.95 mSv and significantly smaller than in the SSCT group (4.60 ± 1.68 mSv, p < 0.001) and the DSCT group (4.24 ± 2.69 mSv, p = 0.003). The SNR and CNR were significantly higher in the DSCT group (p < 0.001). Subjective image quality did not differ significantly among the three protocols and was rated good to excellent in 75 % (135/180) of cases with an inter-observer agreement of 80 %. Dual-energy pulmonary CTA protocols of 3 rd generation dual-source scanners allow for significant reduction of radiation dose while providing excellent image quality and potential additional information by means of perfusion maps. Dual-energy CT with 90/Sn150 kV configuration allows for significant dose reduction in pulmonary CTA. Subjective image quality was similar among the three evaluated CT-protocols (64-slice SSCT, single-energy DSCT, 90/Sn150 kV DECT) and was rated good to excellent in 75% of cases. Dual-energy CT provides potential additional information by means of iodine distribution maps.

Computer Aided Analysis and Prototype Testing of an Improved Biogas Reactor For Biomass System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy (Zheng Li

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The alternative fuel resources substituting for conventional fuels are required due to less availability of fuel resources than demand in the market. A large amount of crude oil and petroleum products are required to be imported in many countries over the world. Also the environmental pollution is another serious problem when use petroleum products. Biogas, with the composition of 54.5% CH4, 39.5% CO2, and 6% other elements (i.e., H2, N2, H2S, and O2, is a clear green fuel that can substitute the regular petroleum fuels to reduce the pollutant elements. Biogas can be produced by performing enriching, scrubbing, and bottling processes. The purification process can be further applied to take away the pollutants in biogas. The pure biogas process analyzed in this research is compressed to 2950 psi while being filled into gas cylinder. The daily produced biogas capacity is around 5480 ft3 and the processing efficacy is affected by surrounding environment and other factors. The design and development of this biogas system is assisted through mathematical analysis, 3D modeling, computational simulation, and prototype testing. Both computer aided analysis and prototype testing show close results which validate the feasibility of this biogas system in biomass applications.

Dual vector multiplet coupled to dual N=1 supergravity in 10D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Hitoshi; Rajpoot, Subhash

2005-01-01

We couple in superspace a dual vector multiplet (C m 1 ...m 7 ,λ α ) to the dual version of N=1 supergravity (e m a ,ψ m α ,M m 1 ...m 6 ,χ α ,Φ) in ten dimensions. The 7-form field C has its 8-form field strength H dual to the 2-form field strength F of the conventional vector multiplet. To simplify the computation, we use so-called beta-function-favored superspace constraints for dual supergravity developed for β-function computations. As in a more conventional constraint set, the H-Bianchi identity must have the form N and F, where N is the 7-form field strength in dual supergravity. The potential anomaly for the dual vector multiplet can be cancelled for the particular gauge group U(1) 496 by the Green-Schwarz mechanism. As a by-product, we also give the globally supersymmetric Abelian Dirac-Born-Infeld interactions for the dual vector multiplet for the first time

A Computer-based 21st Century Prototype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pannathon Sangarun

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper describes a prototype computer-based reading comprehension program. It begins with a short description, at a general level, of theoretical issues relating to the learning of comprehension skills in a foreign/second language learning. These issues cover such areas as personal meaning-making on the basis of individual differences and the need for individualized intervention to maximize the comprehension process. Modern technology facilitates this process and enables simultaneous support of large numbers of students. Specifically, from a learning perspective, the program focuses on students’ personal understandings while, from a reading perspective, the construction of meaning is based on an interactive model where both high-level (global, inferential structures are elicited/studied as well as low-level structures (e.g. vocabulary, grammar. These principles are strengthened with research findings from studies in awareness and language processing based on eye-movement analysis. As part of its reading comprehensions focus, the system also has a strong commitment to the development of critical thinking skills, recognized as one of the most important 21st Century skills. The program is then described in detail, including its ability to store students’ responses and to be administered through standard learning management systems. Finally, an outline of planned future developments and enhancements is presented.

Dual-energy digital radiography for the assessment of bone mineral density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tahvanainen, Paeivi S.; Lammentausta, Eveliina; Tervonen, Osmo; Jaemsae, Timo; Nieminen, Miika T. (Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Univ. of Oulu, Oulu (Finland)), e-mail: paivi.tahvanainen@oulu.fi; Pulkkinen, Pasi (Dept. of Medical Technology, Univ. of Oulu, Oulu (Finland))

2010-06-15

Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) is usually determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Digital radiography (DR) has enabled the application of dual-energy techniques for separating bone and soft tissue, but it is not clear yet whether BMD information can reliably be obtained using DR. Purpose: To determine the ability of dual-energy digital radiography (DEDR) to predict BMD as determined by DXA. Material and Methods: Reindeer femora (n=15) were imaged in a water bath at a typical clinical imaging voltage of 79 kVp and additionally at 100 kVp on a DR system. BMD was determined in four segmented regions (femoral neck, trochanter, inter-trochanter, Ward's triangle) from these images using the DXA calculation principle. BMD results as determined by DEDR were compared with BMD values as determined by DXA. Results: Significant moderate to high linear correlations (0.66-0.76) were observed at the femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and trochanter between BMD values as determined by the two techniques. The coefficient of variation (CVRMS) ranged between 2.2 and 4.7% and 0.2 and 1.8% for DEDR and DXA analyses, respectively. Conclusion: DXA-based BMD information can be obtained with moderate precision and accuracy using DEDR. In future, combining BMD measurements using DEDR with structural and geometrical information available on digital radiographs could enable a more comprehensive assessment of bone . Keywords: BMD, DXA, bone assessment

Self-dual gauge field, its quantum fluctuations, and interacting fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flory, C.A.

1983-01-01

The quantum fluctuations about a self-dual background field in SU(2) are computed. The background field consists of parallel and equal uniform chromomagnetic and chromoelectric fields. Determination of the gluon fluctuations about this field yields zero modes, which are naturally regularized by the introduction of massless fermions. This regularization makes the integrals over all fluctuations convergent, and allows a simple computation of the vacuum energy which is shown to be lower than the energy of the configuration of zero field strength. The regularization of the zero modes also facilitates the introduction of heavy test charges which can interact with the classical background field and also exchange virtual quanta. The formalism for introducing these heavy test charges could be a good starting point for investigating the relevant physics of the self-dual background field beyond the classical level

The Next Generation Munitions Handler Prototype Acquisition Campaign: Targets & Courses of Action

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Leahy, Michael

1995-01-01

...). This project uses air campaign planning principals to address the development of the technology roadmap and dual use business case study required to transition the ATD into a full-scale prototype...

Reason and reaction: the utility of a dual-focus, dual-processing perspective on promotion and prevention of adolescent health risk behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, Frederick X; Houlihan, Amy E; Gerrard, Meg

2009-05-01

A brief overview of theories of health behaviour that are based on the expectancy-value perspective is presented. This approach maintains that health behaviours are the result of a deliberative decision-making process that involves consideration of behavioural options along with anticipated outcomes associated with those options. It is argued that this perspective is effective at explaining and predicting many types of health behaviour, including health-promoting actions (e.g. UV protection, condom use, smoking cessation), but less effective at predicting risky health behaviours, such as unprotected, casual sex, drunk driving or binge drinking. These are behaviours that are less reasoned or premeditated - especially among adolescents. An argument is made for incorporating elements of dual-processing theories in an effort to improve the 'utility' of these models. Specifically, it is suggested that adolescent health behaviour involves both analytic and heuristic processing. Both types of processing are incorporated in the prototype-willingness (prototype) model, which is described in some detail. Studies of health behaviour based on the expectancy-value perspective (e.g. theory of reasoned action) are reviewed, along with studies based on the prototype model. These two sets of studies together suggest that the dual-processing perspective, in general, and the prototype model, in particular, add to the predictive validity of expectancy-value models for predicting adolescent health behaviour. Research and interventions that incorporate elements of dual-processing and elements of expectancy-value are more effective at explaining and changing adolescent health behaviour than are those based on expectancy-value theories alone.

Systematic radiation dose optimization of abdominal dual-energy CT on a second-generation dual-source CT scanner: assessment of the accuracy of iodine uptake measurement and image quality in an in vitro and in vivo investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Schindera, Sebastian T; Zaehringer, Caroline; D'Errico, Luigia; Schwartz, Fides; Kekelidze, Maka; Szucs-Farkas, Zsolt; Benz, Matthias R

2017-10-01

To assess the accuracy of iodine quantification in a phantom study at different radiation dose levels with dual-energy dual-source CT and to evaluate image quality and radiation doses in patients undergoing a single-energy and two dual-energy abdominal CT protocols. In a phantom study, the accuracy of iodine quantification (4.5-23.5 mgI/mL) was evaluated using the manufacturer-recommended and three dose-optimized dual-energy protocols. In a patient study, 75 abdomino-pelvic CT examinations were acquired as follows: 25 CT scans with the manufacturer-recommended dual-energy protocol (protocol A); 25 CT scans with a dose-optimized dual-energy protocol (protocol B); and 25 CT scans with a single-energy CT protocol (protocol C). CTDI vol and objective noise were measured. Five readers scored each scan according to six subjective image quality parameters (noise, contrast, artifacts, visibility of small structures, sharpness, overall diagnostic confidence). In the phantom study, differences between the real and measured iodine concentrations ranged from -8.8% to 17.0% for the manufacturer-recommended protocol and from -1.6% to 20.5% for three dose-optimized protocols. In the patient study, the CTDI vol of protocol A, B, and C were 12.5 ± 1.9, 7.5 ± 1.2, and 6.5 ± 1.7 mGycm, respectively (p dual-energy and the single-energy protocol. A dose reduction of 41% is feasible for the manufacturer-recommended, abdominal dual-energy CT protocol, as it maintained the accuracy of iodine measurements and subjective image quality compared to a single-energy protocol.