DICOM PS3.17 2020a - Explanatory Information |
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JJJJ.4 Presentation of Multi-energy Images by Legacy Display Systems
A legacy, naïve display system can receive a multi-energy (ME) image and may not recognize it as ME image, but rather display the image as a conventional CT image. This may potentially cause clinical misinterpretation, for instance, in the following scenarios:
1.For virtual mono-energetic images (VMI, images similar to those obtained with mono-energetic x-ray beam, in keV), attenuation highly depends on the beam energy (keV), so CT pixel values in VMI images can be very different from those in conventional CT images. Without proper labeling of such images, including the specific keV value used, the reviewer can come to wrong conclusions.
2.HU-based Multi-energy images where CT pixel values have been modified for specific materials (suppressed, highlighted, etc.) look similar to conventional CT images. Without proper labeling of such images, including the identification of the affected mater- ials and the way of modification, the reviewer can come to wrong conclusions.
3.In certain types of Multi-energy images (effective atomic number, electron density, material-specific image containing material concentration), CT pixel values do not represent HU values. Common ROI tools used on such an image will measure and display an average value. Since non-HU values are quite unusual in CT IOD images, there is a significant risk that a common naïve display will either omit the units of measurements (leaving user to assume the material or units), or (which is even worse) will display "HU" units instead.
4.In case of Virtual Non-Contrast images, the pixel values are modified (contrast is removed and pixel values may have been cor- rected for displacement of one material by another material). Since pixels are modified, there is a risk that the modification is in- complete or the replacement is not adequate.
JJJJ.5. Examples of Implementation
These are examples how the Attributes can be set for each image family (Section JJJJ.3 Classification of Multi-energy Images).
The structure and content of a Multi-energy CT instance also depends on the architecture of the acquisition device, e.g. multiple sources and multiple detectors vs. switching source and single detector, etc. A variety of architectures will be shown in the following examples, but an example will not be shown for every architecture.
JJJJ.5.1 Examples For Objective Image Family
JJJJ.5.1.1 Example Multiple Physical Sources and Multiple Physical Detectors
This example shows an Effective Atomic Number image acquired on an acquisition device with multiple physical sources and multiple physical detectors.
Table JJJJ.5.1.1-1. CT Image Module Attributes
Attribute Name |
Tag |
Values |
Image Type |
(0008,0008) |
ORIGINAL\ |
|
|
PRIMARY\ |
|
|
AXIAL\ |
|
|
EFF_ATOMIC_NUM |
Multi-energy CT Acquisition |
(0018,9361) |
YES |
… |
|
|
Rescale Intercept |
(0028,1052) |
-102.4 |
Rescale Slope |
(0028,1053) |
0.1 |
Rescale Type |
(0028,1054) |
Z_EFF |
… |
|
|
KVP |
(0018,0060) |
{null value because it is described |
|
|
below} |