Dual Energy imaging in cardiovascular CT: Current status and impact on radiation, contrast and accuracy

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) exploits the continuous energy distribution of x-rays to improve differentiation of tissues beyond what is possible with single-energy CT (SECT). DECT often uses smaller volumes of iodinated contrast agent and lower radiation doses than SECT. Clinical applications of DECT in cardiovascular imaging are emerging and include myocardial perfusion imaging, myocardial infarct and viability imaging, coronary plaque characterization, coronary stent assessment, and myocardial iron quantification. In this review, we discuss the available methods for acquiring and processing DECT data, the current status of DECT in cardiovascular imaging, and its impact on the dose of radiation and contrast agent.