Dual-energy-CT of hypervascular liver lesions in patients with HCC: investigation of image quality and sensitivity

Objective To investigate dual-energy CT of hypervascular liver lesions in patients with HCC. Methods Forty patients with hepatocellular carcinomas were investigated with abdominal dual-energy CT. In each patient unenhanced and contrast-enhanced imaging with arterial und portovenous delay were performed. Hypervascular lesions were documented on arterial phase 80-kVp images, 140-kVp images, and the averaged arterial images by two radiologists. Subjective image quality (5-point scale, from 5 [excellent] to 1 [not interpretable]) was rated on all images. Results The mean number of hypervascular HCC lesions detected was 3.37 ± 1.28 on 80-kVp images ( p