1
|
Meinel FG, Schwab F, Yaroshenko A, Velroyen A, Bech M, Hellbach K, Fuchs J, Stiewe T, Yildirim AÖ, Bamberg F, Reiser MF, Pfeiffer F, Nikolaou K. Lung tumors on multimodal radiographs derived from grating-based X-ray imaging--a feasibility study. Phys Med 2013; 30:352-7. [PMID: 24316287 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2013.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess whether grating-based X-ray imaging may have a role in imaging of pulmonary nodules on radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS A mouse lung containing multiple lung tumors was imaged using a small-animal scanner with a conventional X-ray source and a grating interferometer for phase-contrast imaging. We qualitatively compared the signal characteristics of lung nodules on transmission, dark-field and phase-contrast images. Furthermore, we quantitatively compared signal characteristics of lung tumors and the adjacent lung tissue and calculated the corresponding contrast-to-noise ratios. RESULTS Of the 5 tumors visualized on the transmission image, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized and 1 tumor was faintly visualized in the dark-field image as areas of decreased small angle scattering. In the phase-contrast images, 3/5 tumors were clearly visualized, while the remaining 2 tumors were faintly visualized by the phase-shift occurring at their edges. No additional tumors were visualized in either the dark-field or phase-contrast images. Compared to the adjacent lung tissue, lung tumors were characterized by a significant decrease in transmission signal (median 0.86 vs. 0.91, p = 0.04) and increase in dark-field signal (median 0.71 vs. 0.65, p = 0.04). Median contrast-to-noise ratios for the visualization of lung nodules were 4.4 for transmission images and 1.7 for dark-field images (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION Lung nodules can be visualized on all three radiograph modalities derived from grating-based X-ray imaging. However, our initial data suggest that grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging does not increase the sensitivity of chest radiographs for the detection of lung nodules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix G Meinel
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany.
| | - Felix Schwab
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Andre Yaroshenko
- Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Astrid Velroyen
- Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Martin Bech
- Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany; Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden
| | - Katharina Hellbach
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Jeanette Fuchs
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stiewe
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Ali Ö Yildirim
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Bamberg
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Maximilian F Reiser
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Franz Pfeiffer
- Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Konstantin Nikolaou
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| |
Collapse
|