Dual-energy CT in the Chest

Dual-energy CT (DECT) is accomplished by near simultaneous imaging at two energy levels, typically 80 kV and 140 kV, using scanners that either employ rapid kV switching or have two orthogonal sets of X-ray tunes and detectors mounted in the gantry. Attenuation properties differ at the two energy levels, which allow the DECT to differentiate and quantify certain substances such as water, calcium, and iodine (from CT contrast medium). The low energy settings (lower monoenergetic level) of the DECT can provide excellent contrast enhancement while the higher energy setting can help obtain high signal-to-noise ratios if the penetration of X-rays is not sufficient at low energy levels.