Abstract：Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of linear blending optimal
contrast technique using dual-energy CT (DECT) on contrast-enhanced liver images, and acquire an
optimal weighting factor. Methods 50 patients undergoing dual energy contrast-enhanced CT of liver
were enrolled. For each patient, datasets of linear blended images in the portal phase were generated with
weighting factors of 0.1～0.9. Noise (SD), signal to noise ratio (SNR), contrast to noise ratio (CNR), and
subjective image quality score of fused images were obtained. Results The noise was lower in fused
images with weighting factors of 0.4～0.6. The SNR was higher in fused images with weighting factors
of 0.5～0.7. The CNR was higher in fused images with weighting factors of 0.6～0.7. CT value presented
an increased tendency with an increase of weighting factors. There were no significant differences in
noise, SNR, CNR, or CT value between groups of weighting factors of 0.5 and 0.6, and between groups
of weighing factors of 0.6 and 0.7. Noise, SNR, CNR, and CT value were significantly different between
groups of weighing factors of 0.5 and 0.7 (P<0.05). Subjective image quality score was the highest
in images with weighting factor of 0.7, followed by images with weighting factor of 0.6. Conclusion
For linear blended images generated from liver dual energy contrast-enhanced CT scans, images with
weighting factors of 0.6 and 0.7 had relatively low noise and high SNR, CNR, and CT value, and images
with weighting factors of 0.7 were optimum for observing hypovascular liver lesions. Lower weighting
factor of 0.6 was optimal for patients with liver injury or fatty liver.
唐永强，李剑，王栋，石明国. 双能量CT线性融合优化对比技术对肝脏增强图像质量的影响[J]. 中国医疗设备, 2017, 32(5): 15-18.
TANG Yong-qiang, LI Jian,
WANG Dong, SHI Ming-Guo. Effect of Linear Blending Optimal Contrast Technique with Dual Energy
CT on Liver Image Quality. China Medical Devices, 2017, 32(5): 15-18.
