Photon-Counting Computed Tomography-Based Hepatic iron Quantification Using a Tungsten-Based Contrast Agent

Neumann J, Haubold J, Jergas F, Jost G, Pietsch H, Schmidt B, Nowak T, von Zanthier J (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Investigative Radiology Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

Article Number: 10.1097/RLI.0000000000001189

DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0000000000001189

Abstract

Objectives This study explores the potential of quantifying hepatic iron in computed tomography (CT) scans in the presence of iodine (I)- or tungsten (W)-based contrast media (CM). Materials and Methods Experimental work was performed on a commercial photon-counting CT system able to simultaneously acquire up to 4 spectral data sets in a single scan. We examined 2 anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms with material samples of liquid liver tissue surrogate, fat, iron, and I- or W-based CM to mimic different liver compositions in an enhanced CT scan. Iron was quantified by material decomposition of reconstructed spectral CT images. Results Two-material decomposition based on 2 spectral data sets provided material images of iron and liver with an accuracy of 1.4 mg/mL in the iron image of CM-free samples. The presence of W affected the iron quantification: For 2 and 4 mgW/mL in the material samples, the iron concentration was overestimated (P < 0.05) with accuracies of 2.7 and 4.7 mg/mL, respectively. Three-material decomposition based on 4 spectral data sets provided material images of iron, liver, and W, with an accuracy of 1.4 mg/mL in the images without W and 1.5 (nonsignificant difference, P > 0.07) and 1.6 mg/mL (overestimation, P > 0.03) in the iron image at 2 and 4 mgW/mL, respectively. The presence of I affected the iron quantification more than W in both 2- and 3-material decomposition: For 2 and 4 mgI/mL in the material samples, the measured iron concentration was even higher (P < 0.05), with accuracies >18 and >37 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions The accuracy of iron quantification from a 3-material decomposition suggested clinically feasible detection and quantification of critical hepatic iron levels in enhanced CT scans with suitable CM. In a 2-material decomposition, severe pathology is required to detect an iron liver. W-based CM was superior to I-based CM.

Authors with CRIS profile

Jonas Neumann Quantum Optics & Quantum Information (QOQI) Joachim von Zanthier Quantum Optics & Quantum Information (QOQI)

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Essen DE Germany (DE) Bayer AG DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Neumann, J., Haubold, J., Jergas, F., Jost, G., Pietsch, H., Schmidt, B.,... von Zanthier, J. (2025). Photon-Counting Computed Tomography-Based Hepatic iron Quantification Using a Tungsten-Based Contrast Agent. Investigative Radiology. https://doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0000000000001189

MLA:

Neumann, Jonas, et al. "Photon-Counting Computed Tomography-Based Hepatic iron Quantification Using a Tungsten-Based Contrast Agent." Investigative Radiology (2025).

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