Characterization of ureteral stents by dual-energy computed tomography: Clinical implications

摘要

Dual-energy computed-tomography(DECT) has been suggested as the method of choice for imaging urinary calculi due to the modality's high sensitivity for detect-ing stones and its capability of accurately differentiat-ing between uric-acid(UA) and non-UA(predominantly calcium) stones. The clinical significance of the latter feature relates to the differences in management of UA vs non-UA calculi. Like calculi, ureteral stents are assigned color by the dual-energy post-processing algorithm, which may lead to improved or worsened stone visualization based on the resulting stent/stone contrast. Herein we depict the case of a nephrolithiasis patient with bilateral stents, each with different color, clearly displaying the effect of stent color on stone vi-sualization. Further, three-dimensional reconstruction of the DECT images illustrates advantages of this enhancement compared to conventional two-dimensional computed tomography. The resulting stent/stone contrast produces an unanticipated potential advantage of DECT in patients with urolithiasis and stents and may promote improved management decision-making.