Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Fig 1.
Axial contrast-enhanced CT images obtained through the level of the floor of the mouth in 2 different patients. DE-derived WA image (A) and standard SE (120 kVp) image (B). Mean attenuation values (in Hounsfield units) of the sternomastoid muscle, tongue muscle, and internal jugular vein were obtained at this level by using circular regions of interest, as shown. Objective noise was obtained as the SD of the circular regions of interest drawn in air outside the patient. Noise was obtained in all anatomic levels in a similar way.
- Fig 2.
Box-and-whisker plot of attenuation measurements with DE and SECT. Boxes represent the middle 50% of cases, horizontal lines within mark median values, and whiskers represent minimal and maximal extremes. Differences between attenuation values with DECT and SECT are nonsignificant (P > .05).
- Fig 3.
Axial contrast-enhanced CT images through the nasopharynx (A and B), arytenoids (C and D), lower thyroid (E and F), and arch-of-the-aorta (G and H) levels in different patients. On the left panel are DE-derived WA images (A, C, E, G) and on the right panel are images acquired in single energy mode (B, D, F, H). There is no perceivable difference in image noise, sharpness, or overall image quality. All images are of excellent diagnostic quality.
Tables
Anatomic Level Noise (HU) Difference (HU) 95% CI for the Difference P Value DECT SECT Nasopharynx 6.15 ± 1.7 6.25 ± 1 −0.1 −0.83:0.63 .788 Floor of mouth 5.41 ± 1 5.96 ± 3.6 −0.55 −1.90:0.82 .426 Arytenoids 4.9 ± 1.3 4.79 ± 0.95 0.1 −0.39:0.76 .592 Lower thyroid 8.1 ± 4.5 11.3 ± 4.4 −3.2 −8.9:2.5 .270 Arch of aorta 12.2 ± 5.2 8.7 ± 2.3 3.4 −2.4:9.4 .243 -
↵a Data are presented as mean ± SD. All P values are nonsignificant (>.05).
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Anatomic Level Noise Sharpness Streak Artifacts Overall Image Quality DECT SECT P DECT SECT P DECT SECT P DECT SECT P Nasopharynx 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .305 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .552 – – – 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .557 Floor of mouth 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .732 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .154 – – – 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .664 Arytenoids 5 (4–5) 5 (4–5) .721 5 (4–5) 5 (3–5) .813 – – – 4 (3–5) 4 (4–5) .896 Lower thyroid 3 (2–5) 3.5 (2–5) .498 3 (2:5) 3 (2:5) .122 3 (2–5) 3 (2–5) .108 3.5 (2:5) 4 (2:5) .214 Arch of aorta 3 (2:5) 4 (2:4) .098 3 (2:5) 4 (2:4) .083 3 (2:5) 4 (2:4) .061 3 (2:5) 4 (2:4) .288 -
↵a See “Materials and Methods” section for details of scales. Data are presented as median (range). All P values are nonsignificant (>.05).
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