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Clinical evaluation of the iterative metal artefact reduction algorithm for post-operative CT examination after maxillofacial surgery

Authors:
  • Clinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Abstract and Figures

Objectives: Metal artefacts present challenges to both radiologists and clinicians during post-operative imaging. Such artefacts reduce the diagnostic effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) scans and mask findings that could be vital for patient management. Thus, a powerful artefact reduction tool is necessary when imaging patients with metal implants. Our aim was to test the recently introduced iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) algorithm in patients with maxillofacial implants. Methods: Images from 17 patients with diverse maxillofacial metal implants who had undergone CT scans were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed before and after metal artefact reduction with iMAR. Results: After iMAR application, images exhibited decreased artefacts and improved image quality, leading to detection of lesions that were previously masked by artefacts. The application of iMAR did not affect image quality in regions distant from the metal implants. Conclusion: The application of iMAR to CT exams of patients with maxillofacial metal implants leads to artefact reduction, improvement of image quality and increased diagnostic utility. Routine implementation of iMAR during imaging of patients with metal hardware implants could add diagnostic value to their CT examinations.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Clinical evaluation of the iterative metal artefact reduction
algorithm for post-operative CT examination after
maxillofacial surgery
1
Arsany Hakim,
1
Johannes Slotboom,
2
Olivier Lieger,
2
Fabian Schlittler,
3
Roland Giger,
4
Chantal Michel,
1
Roland Wiest and
1
Franca Wagner
1
Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital University of Bern, Bern,
Switzerland;
2
Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital University of Bern, Bern,
Switzerland;
3
Department of OtorhinolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital University of
Bern, Bern, Switzerland;
4
University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University Hospital,
University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Objectives: Metal artefacts present challenges to both radiologists and clinicians during post-
operative imaging. Such artefacts reduce the diagnostic effectiveness of CT scans and mask
findings that could be vital for patient management. Thus, a powerful artefact reduction tool is
necessary when imaging patients with metal implants. Our aim was to test the recently introduced
iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) algorithm in patients with maxillofacial implants.
Methods: Images from 17 patients with diverse maxillofacial metal implants who had
undergone CT scans were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed before and after metal
artefact reduction with iMAR.
Results: After iMAR application, images exhibited decreased artefacts and improved image
quality, leading to detection of lesions that were previously masked by artefacts. The
application of iMAR did not affect image quality in regions distant from the metal implants.
Conclusions: The application of iMAR to CT examinations of patients with maxillofacial
metal implants leads to artefact reduction, improvement of image quality and increased
diagnostic utility. Routine implementation of iMAR during imaging of patients with metal
hardware implants could add diagnostic value to their CT examinations.
Dentomaxillofacial Radiology (2017) 46, 20160355. doi: 10.1259/dmfr.20160355
Cite this article as: Hakim A, Slotboom J, Lieger O, Schlittler F, Giger R, Michel C, et al.
Clinical evaluation of the iterative metal artefact reduction algorithm for post-operative CT
examination after maxillofacial surgery. Dentomaxillofac Radiol 2017; 46: 20160355.
Keywords: artefacts; CT; post-operative; metal; osteosynthesis; dental
Introduction
Metal hardware, such as prostheses, wires, pins, re-
construction plates and screws, are routinely used in
maxillofacial surgery and patients who undergo such
surgery commonly require post-operative imaging for
follow-up or may undergo imaging for the investigation
of other unrelated conditions. However, the presence of
metal during a CT scan causes beam hardening,
streaking, non-linear partial volume effects, noise,
scatter and aliasing, which are collectively known as
metal artefacts.
1,2
These artefacts significantly degrade
image quality, restrict the evaluation of operative re-
construction and may mask post-operative pathologies,
such as haemorrhage, infections or other incidental
pathologies in nearby or distant regions (for example,
tumours). Failure to note such findings may lead
to serious complications and may impair patient
management.
Correspondence to: Mr Arsany Hakim. E-mail: arsany_hakim@yahoo.com
Received 31 August 2016; revised 15 October 2016; accepted 11 January 2017
Dentomaxillofacial Radiology (2017) 46, 20160355
ª2017 The Authors. Published by the British Institute of Radiology
birpublications.org/dmfr
Some metal artefacts can be reduced by changing the
scan parameters (such as milliampere second, kilo-
voltage or slice thickness) or by using a dedicated kernel
and adding filters; however, the results of these mod-
ifications are not satisfactory.
1
Other new methods,
such as dual-source scanners, require specialized
equipment and reduce only some types of artefacts.
1,3
For these reasons, CT vendors have been trying to
implement new algorithms to reduce these artefacts.
The modern algorithms for metal artefact reduction
may differ between manufacturers but utilize the same
principle, which is iterative reconstruction. In addition,
many of these algorithms use sinogram in-painting,
which considers CT values affected by metal to be
completely useless and ignores them. This deletion leads
to loss of data in regions near the metal, or generates
new artefacts. Owing to these drawbacks, other in-
terpolation techniques are used to replace the corrupted
data.
4,5
The iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR)
algorithm was recently introduced by Siemens Health-
care and is based on two previously developed algo-
rithms, namely frequency split metal artefact reduction
(FSMAR) and normalized metal artefact reduction
(NMAR).
68
NMAR minimizes new artefacts generated
in the corrected image during interpolation by removing
the structures with high contrast from the sinogram
prior to the interpolation process and reinserting them
afterwards.
4,6
FSMAR preserves both the natural image
impression and the valid edge information of the un-
corrected image, which has the drawback of reinserting
high-frequency streak artefacts into the corrected image.
These artefacts are reduced following each iteration so
that the final image quality depends on the number of
iterations. Other factors affecting image quality include
the threshold used for metal segmentation and prior
image calculation, as well as the filter parameters of the
frequency split operation. These parameters are user
selectable and vendor adjusted according to the metal
implant type (for example: neuro, dental, prosthesis or
pacemaker).
6,9
The process of iMAR has been discussed
in detail by Axente et al
6
and Wuest et al.
9
Previous studies on iMAR and its prototypes
revealed its utility in reducing streak artefacts.
1013
However, there are concerns that these newly in-
troduced algorithms may not provide accurate attenu-
ation values near metallic hardware and that this may
impair diagnostic values by smoothing the image in
attempts to reduce noise. This study was designed to
address these concerns and to evaluate the performance
of iMAR in patients with maxillofacial implants after
reconstructive surgery or metallic implants, such as
fixed overdentures.
Methods and materials
This retrospective study was conducted according to the
guidelines of the Cantonal Ethics Committee and was
performed in accordance with the guidelines of the
Declaration of Helsinki. All CT examinations were
clinically indicated, and no CT scan was performed for
the purpose of this study alone.
Study population
A total of 17 (12 male and 5 female) patients who un-
derwent CT for diverse indications at the Institute of
Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Insel-
spital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern,
Bern, Switzerland, were retrospectively analyzed. The
inclusion criterion was the presence of metal hardware
in the maxillofacial region. The age of the patients
ranged from 19 to 89 years (mean 63 years).
Metal hardware
The 17 patients had diverse types of metal hardware. In
14 (82.4%) patients, multiple metal implants in different
locations were present. Among our patient sample,
approximately 32 metallic hardware implants (ranging
from 2 cm 30.5 cm to 9 cm 31 cm in diameter) were
examined, in addition to amalgam tooth fillings and
dental superstructures.
Among the 17 patients, 13 (76.5%) patients had metal
hardware in the maxilla and 11 (64.7%) patients had
metal hardware in the mandible. 2 (11.8%) patients
presented with maxillary internal fixation (plate and
screws) and 8 (47.1%) patients presented with mandib-
ular internal fixation. Most of the patients (70.58%) had
multiple amalgam tooth fillings and/or dental pins.
1 (5.9%) patient also presented with bilateral orbital
mesh implants. Figure 1 illustrates examples of the types
of metal hardware analyzed in our study. Our patients
had diverse types of metal ranging from silver amalgam,
goldplatinum or silverpalladium to titanium.
Clinical indication
For 5 (29.4%) of the 17 patients, the indication for CT
was a suspected infection in the oral cavity or mandible.
4 (80%) of these 5 patients presented to our emergency
department with pain, soft-tissue swelling and limited
mouth opening. The fifth patient presented with clinical
signs of an infection after receiving a tongue piercing. 4
(23.5%) of the 17 patients in the study were under
bisphosphonate therapy. These patients complained of
pain when moving the mouth and when speaking, and
CT scanning was performed to exclude osteonecrosis
and pathological fracture of the mandible. 3 (17.6%) of
the 17 patients were referred for a routine post-operative
CT scan of the facial bones following severe trauma and
complex maxillofacial reconstruction. For 2 (11.8%)
patients, a muscle free flap transfer after tumour exci-
sion (of the head and neck) was planned, and a CT scan
of the extracranial vessels was performed for pre-
operative delineation of the vascular supply. For 2
(11.8%) patients, stroke work-up (CT brain scan and
CT angiography) was performed in response to neuro-
logical symptoms. The last patient (5.9%) complained
of recurrent nasal polyps and was referred for a CT scan
for pre-operative planning.
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CT image acquisition
All examinations were performed in the supine position
using a 128-slice CT scanner (SOMATOM
®
Definition
Edge; Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). 6
(35%) patients underwent non-enhanced CT; 9 (53%)
patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT of the facial
bones; and 2 (12%) patients underwent non-enhanced
CT/contrast-enhanced CT of the brain and CT angi-
ography of the intracranial and extracranial vessels.
Image reconstruction according to our protocol
includes a soft-tissue window (kernel J45s) and a bone
window (kernel J70h). Both images are routinely
reconstructed using the standard integrated sinogram-
affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) algorithm.
Iterative metal artefact reduction (artefact reduction
algorithm)
For the purpose of our study, the soft-tissue window
was reconstructed using the iMAR algorithm. iMAR
was developed by Siemens Healthcare based on the
previous algorithms FSMAR and NMAR. The iMAR
process has been discussed in detail by Axente et al
6
and
Wuest et al.
9
iMAR is an add-on tool to the scanning
software that is implemented similarly to the standard
SAFIRE algorithm without any need for operator
training. Additional reconstruction with iMAR takes
from a few seconds to a few minutes (according to the
number of images to be reconstructed) and does not
delay other reconstructions of the standard images
being transferred to the picture archiving and commu-
nication system. Post-processing with iMAR can be
performed even after the examination is finished as long
as the source images remain in the scanning computer.
The images before post-processing are referred to as
the uncorrected data set. The iMAR images after post-
processing are referred to as the corrected data set.
Image evaluation and measurements
A certified reporting workstation (Sectra IDS7, Link-
¨
oping, Sweden) with a certified monitor (DIN V 6868-
57 and QA guideline) was used for the analysis. The
evaluation of both data sets, i.e. uncorrected and cor-
rected with iMAR, was performed independently by
two experienced neuroradiologists (AH and FW).
Window settings could be adjusted by the examiners.
The axial soft-tissue reconstruction kernel was utilized
with the soft tissue and bone windows. To avoid a par-
tial volume effect, all analyses were performed on thin
slices (0.61 mm).
Qualitative image analysis
Three criteria (artefacts, image quality and diagnostic
utility) were defined. The first two criteria were assessed
on a four-point scale in six defined regions of the image
(three on each side, R1 to R3 and L1 to L3 at the level
of the oropharynx) (Figure 2). The six defined regions
were symmetrically separated with a vertical line from
the symphysis menti to the centre of the tip of the dens
Figure 1 An example of metal hardware: CT topograms from eight patients with diverse implants ranging from plates with screws, dental fillings
and dental pins to eye mesh.
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axis and the middle of the posterior cervical arch. A
horizontal line connected both posterior maxillary
ridges, and a second line was placed immediately ven-
tral to the atlas.
These lines separated three regions on each side into
the anterior, middle and posterior regions. The anterior
regions (R1 and L1) included the oral cavity and sub-
mandibular spaces. The middle regions (R2 and L2)
included the parapharyngeal spaces, masticator spaces
and pharyngeal mucosal spaces. The posterior regions
(R3 and L3) included the perivertebral spaces and
posterior cervical spaces.
Artefacts
The severity of artefacts was evaluated using a four-
point scale (Table 1). The data set corrected with iMAR
was also checked for the likelihood of newly developed
artefacts.
Image quality
Image quality was defined as how precisely the CT
images represented a maxillofacial pathology and was
based on contrast, resolution and brightness perceived
in the images while considering detection, verification
and staging of a possible pathology. We also used
a four-point rating scale for evaluation (Table 1).
Diagnostic utility
The capability of detecting hidden lesions or potential
findings that were masked by the artefacts and identi-
fied or better detected after reconstruction with iMAR
was considered as well as the diagnostic confidence in
image interpretation.
Quantitative CT image analysis
To assess the effect of iMAR on the images of the areas
without metal, Hounsfield units (HU) of two defined
structures located above the metal region were mea-
sured and compared in the corrected and uncorrected
data set. These structures were the right and left vitreous
bodies and the right and left cerebellar hemispheres.
Statistics
For a pairwise comparison of corrected and uncorrected
data set, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed
in SPSS
®
v. 23.0 (IBM Corp., New York, NY; formerly
SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) to determine statistical signifi-
cance. A Wilcoxon test was applied to the rating criteria
of the artefacts and image quality in the six defined
regions. A p-value ,0.05 was considered to be
significant.
Results
Qualitative CT image analysis
Artefacts: The uncorrected data set exhibited extensive
streaking artefacts that affected the assessment of the
anatomical structures in regions R1, R2, L1 and L2
with limited pathology evaluation.
In the corrected data set, we noted a considerable
reduction in the amount of artefacts (Figure 3). In the
anterior regions, i.e. R1 and L1, the artefacts in the
corrected data set were reduced by 2 points (from very
severe to moderate artefacts) 20 times in the 34 regions
of R1 and R2 (58.8%). The artefacts were reduced by
1 point 12 times (35.3%) (6 times from very severe to
severe artefacts and 6 times from severe artefacts to
moderate artefacts). In only two instances (5.9%), the
artefacts did not significantly improve (once on the right
and once on the left side).
In the middle regions (R2 and L2), the artefacts were
reduced by 3 points (from very severe to none or very
mild artefacts) twice (5.9%), by 2 points (7 times from
very severe to moderate artefacts and 14 times from
severe artefacts to none or very mild artefacts) 21 times
(61.8%) and by 1 point (9 times from moderate to none
Figure 2 The six defined regions for artefact and image quality
analysis.
Table 1 Scores for artefact and image quality analysis
Score Artefact Image quality
0 Very severe: very strong artefacts where
anatomy is not visualized
Very poor
1 Severe: strong artefacts and limited
evaluation of anatomical structures
Poor
2 Moderate: artefacts present but assessment
of anatomical structures is not impaired
Fair
3 None or very mild Good/excellent
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or very mild and twice from severe to moderate) 11
times (32.5%).
In the posterior regions (R3 and L3), the artefacts in
the corrected data set were reduced by 2 points (from
severe to none or very mild) 6 times (17.6%) and by 1
point (from moderate to none or very mild) 19 times
(55.9%). The artefact score remained the same (none or
very mild) seven times (20.6%).
With iMAR reconstruction, the artefact reduction in
the six regions was statistically significant with a p-value
of 0.000 for regions R1, L1, R2 and L2 and 0.001 for
regions R3 and L3. Two examples of images from our
study are shown in Figures 4 and 5.
For 4 (23.5%) of the 17 patients, blurring around
the metal hardware in bone window was detected in the
corrected images. This blurring was not observed in the
uncorrected data set (Figure 7).
Image quality: The uncorrected data set was of poor
quality, especially in the ventral and middle regions.
Figure 3 Artefact scores before (uncorrected) and after (corrected) application of iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) displayed on a 100%
stacked column chart revealing score improvements due to artefact reduction using iMAR. The value 0 denotes a very poor condition; the value 3
denotes a good to excellent condition.
Figure 4 Images from the CT examination of a 72-year-old male after neck dissection and resection of a squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla.
CT slice at the level of the oropharynx before (a) and after (b) reconstruction with iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR). The image before
iMAR was severely distorted with artefacts owing to metal hardware in the maxilla, which affected the visualization of the anatomy, especially in
the regions next to the metal implants. After the application of iMAR, a considerable reduction of artefacts and improvement in image quality was
observed with visualization of the anatomy, especially next to the metal hardware. It can be noted that there is no change of quality in the regions
less affected by artefacts, for example paraspinal regions.
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In the corrected data set, image quality was improved
(Figure 6). Image quality in the anterior regions (R1
and L1) was improved by 2 points (from very poor to
fair, 7 times on the right side and 8 times on the left side)
15 times (44.1%) and by 1 point (12 times from very
poor to poor, 6 times from poor to fair and once from
fair to good/excellent) 19 times (55.9%).
In the middle regions (R2 and L2), image quality
improved by 3 points (from very poor to good/excellent)
twice (5.9%), by 2 points (7 times, very poor to fair and
14 times from poor to good/excellent) 21 times (61.8%)
and by 1 point (8 times from fair to good/excellent
and once from poor to fair) 9 times (26.5%). In two
instances (5.9%), the image quality did not change
(good/excellent).
In the posterior regions (R3 and L3), the image
quality improved by 2 points (from poor to good/
excellent) 6 times (26.5%) and by 1 point (from fair to
good/excellent) 18 times (52.9%). In 10 instances
(29.4%), the quality remained the same (good/excellent).
Two examples with improvement of image quality from
our study are shown in Figures 4 and 5.
With iMAR reconstruction, the improvement in
image quality in the six regions was statistically signif-
icant, with a p-value of 0.000 for regions R1, L1, R2
and L2 and 0.001 for regions R3 and L3.
Figure 5 CT examination of an 81-year-old patient with chronic bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis. CT slice at the level of the oropharynx
before (a) and after (b) post-processing with iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR). Several artefacts were present near the implanted metal
hardware in the maxilla before post-processing and were considerably reduced after the application of iMAR, which improved the quality of
the image.
Figure 6 Image quality scores before (uncorrected) and after (corrected) application of iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) displayed on
a 100% stacked column chart revealing quality improvement of images after post-processing with iMAR.
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Diagnostic utility: In 10 and 11 of the 17 patients (58.8%
and 64.7% patients), new findings in the corrected data
set were noted in the soft tissue and in the bone window,
respectively. These findings could not be evaluated
during the standard reconstruction without iMAR be-
cause they were masked by artefacts. Findings included
(a) focal hyperostosis around the implanted osteosyn-
thesis screws (two patients); (b) dental decay of the
mandibular central incisors due to piercings in the oral
cavity (one patient); (c) lamellar periosteal reaction at
the alveolar ridge (one patient); (d) reactive hyperostosis
in the lingual cortex of the mandibular ramus (one pa-
tient); and (e) better visualization and evaluation of the
screws of the osteosynthesis of the pins of implanted
tooth and bone cement (six patients).
Regarding the soft-tissue window, the following
findings were noted after post-processing with iMAR:
(a) hypertrophy of the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils
with tinny calcifications in two patients; (b) asymmetry
of the muscles of mastication (buccinators/masseter) in
two patients; (c) reactive swelling of the Waldeyers
ring and lymph nodes in the parapharyngeal space in
the context of throat infection (three patients); (d)
a simple cyst in the palatine tonsil (one patient); and
(e) fatty atrophy of the tongue (one patient) and better
delineation of a subcutaneous haematoma after
trauma of the right maxillary sinus (one patient). In
image evaluation, both examiners reported greater
confidence in the iMAR-corrected images than in the
original images.
Quantitative CT image analysis
HU measurements for neither the vitreous body nor the
cerebellum revealed any significant differences between
the uncorrected and corrected data sets (Table 2).
Discussion
In this study, we evaluated the recently introduced ar-
tefact reduction algorithm iMAR. iMAR was utilized
during the routine workflow for patients with metal
hardware in the maxillofacial region who had post-
operative CT examinations. These patients were un-
dergoing complex reconstructive maxillofacial surgery
and presented with metal implants in the oral cavity.
The patients underwent imaging for various clinical
reasons such as trauma, infection, stroke or post-
operative follow-up.
iMAR is an add-on tool that can be applied to images
after scanning the patient. iMAR does not change the
CT scan parameters, and no additional scans are re-
quired. The radiation dose also remains the same. From
the operator perspective, utilizing iMAR is similar to
the standard SAFIRE, which is very simple and does
not require additional training.
The iMAR algorithm significantly reduced artefacts
and improved image quality. The extent of artefact re-
duction is related to the volume and type of metal, as
well as the distance of the tissue from the metal
implants. The effect of iMAR was particularly notice-
able in the regions most affected by artefacts, such those
that abut or are near to maxillofacial implants, namely
the oral cavity, submandibular space, pharyngeal mu-
cosal space, masticator space, parotid space and retro-
pharyngeal space. Complete removal of artefacts in
regions adjacent to metal turned out to be not possible
in every patient.
Artefacts in the perivertebral and posterior cervical
spaces were also reduced, and image quality increased.
In addition, the diagnostic value of the CT scans after
iMAR increased owing to the ability of detecting
Figure 7 CT examination of a 58-year-old patient who was treated by osteosynthesis of the mandible following pathological fracture due to
osteonecrosis: the corrected images with iterative metal artefact reduction (a) are showing an osteolysis-like area around the screws (arrow). Such
artefacts were found in a small number of patients. Misinterpretation was avoided by comparing the corrected data set with the uncorrected data
set (b).
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findings that were masked by artefacts. There was no
change in the quality in regions distant from metal
implants.
Previous studies evaluated the usefulness of iMAR
and its prototypes in reducing metal artefacts. These
reports focused on hip arthroplasties,
5,10,1418
shoulder
arthroplasties,
13
internal fixation hardware,
12
dental
hardware
14,19
and spinal hardware.
20,21
Our findings are
consistent with those of previous studies. Furthermore,
our findings demonstrate the utility of using iMAR in
the post-operative phase and show that additional
findings can be discovered after artefact reduction. We
also found that new artefacts can appear after applying
iMAR, as observed in a few of our patients. In these
patients, we observed blurring around the metal hard-
ware in the bone window, which had the potential to be
misinterpreted as osteolysis. This blurring probably
resulted from data loss near the metal edge, which could
not be recovered during the interpolation process. This
type of artefact was noted with one of the prototypes of
iMAR
8
but is substantially reduced in the current ver-
sion of iMAR as a result of the multiple iterations be-
fore producing the final image.
13
The presence of these
artefacts is the reason why some institutes do not utilize
iMAR, or in-painting algorithms, in their clinical rou-
tine.
22
In our patients, such misinterpretation could be
avoided by comparing the corrected and uncorrected
data sets. Thus, detecting osteolysis-like lesions with
iMAR requires careful comparison with the source
images. The added diagnostic value of iMAR, as de-
scribed previously, far outweighs this disadvantage and
should not be ignored. Further research focusing on the
diagnostic accuracy of iMAR for osseous lesions is
required.
In our experience, iMAR is valuable for the detection
of soft-tissue pathologies located next to the metal
hardware but is masked by metal artefacts in the stan-
dard reconstruction. In our institution, iMAR is rou-
tinely used not only for patients with metal implants in
the maxillofacial region but also for those with ven-
triculoperitoneal shunts, clipping and coiling of in-
tracerebral aneurysms, reimplantation of skull bones
after osteoclastic craniotomy or after spinal fusion
surgery. In all of these cases, the iMAR-corrected and
iMAR-uncorrected data sets are compared to ensure
that no information is lost.
Limitations
This was a retrospective study with a small cohort of
patients and a heterogeneous sample. The study was
performed using iMAR (Siemens Healthcare). Thus,
the results do not necessarily apply to similar algo-
rithms from other vendors. Our analysis focused
on the level of the oropharynx, which in most cases
presents with the maximum degree of artefacts.
Obtaining accurate HU for a quantitative analysis
at the level of the artefacts was challenging because
there were no constant values to compare the HU after
post-processing with iMAR (the HU values in the
original uncorrected data are already corrupted).
Thus, a quantitative analysis was performed only
outside the artefact regions.
Assessing the effect of different scanning parameters
with iMAR on image quality was beyond the scope of
this study but could represent an important consider-
ation in developing a method to reduce the radiation
dose while maintaining image quality.
Conclusions
iMAR is a powerful tool for reducing artefacts resulting
from maxillofacial metal hardware. iMAR significantly
improves image quality and enhances the evaluation of
adjacent soft-tissue structures. iMAR also increases the
observer confidence in detecting pathologies.
Acknowledgments
We thank the CT team and their leader Mrs Nadja
Feusi for their contribution to this study by post-
processing the images with iMAR.
Table 2 Comparison of Hounsfield units measured in areas, which
were not affected by artefacts, before (uncorrected) and after
(corrected) iterative metal artefact reduction application
Number Data set
Right
vitreous
body
Left
vitreous
body
Right
cerebellum
Left
cerebellum
P1 Uncorrected 11 12 51 45
Corrected 11 12 51 45
P2 Uncorrected 30 37 35 44
Corrected 30 37 34 44
P3 Uncorrected 30 26 36 35
Corrected 30 26 35 35
P4 Uncorrected 34 29 40 44
Corrected 35 29 40 44
P5 Uncorrected 25 41 42 47
Corrected 25 40 41 47
P6 Uncorrected 23 34 39 42
Corrected 23 35 39 41
P7 Uncorrected 36 40 42 41
Corrected 36 40 42 41
P8 Uncorrected 36 34 47 55
Corrected 36 34 46 54
P9 Uncorrected 40 36 27 33
Corrected 40 36 27 33
P10 Uncorrected 22 20 55 54
Corrected 21 20 55 53
P11 Uncorrected 30 34 34 36
Corrected 31 35 34 36
P12 Uncorrected 35 28 36 37
Corrected 35 28 36 35
P13 Uncorrected 15 12 59 55
Corrected 15 12 57 54
P14 Uncorrected 27 27 45 40
Corrected 27 25 44 39
P15 Uncorrected 40 43 43 39
Corrected 40 43 43 37
P16 Uncorrected 41 40 34 32
Corrected 42 39 31 32
P17 Uncorrected 33 30 31 40
Corrected 32 29 28 36
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iMAR evaluation after maxillofacial implants
8 of 9 Hakim
et al
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birpublications.org/dmfr
Dentomaxillofac Radiol
,46, 20160355
iMAR evaluation after maxillofacial implants
Hakim
et al
9 of 9
... However, the primary tumor is often non-assessable on CT due to dental artifacts. The metallic artifact reduction (MAR) algorithm is an effective artifact reduction technique for CT [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Although it is well-established that the MAR algorithm improves the imaging quality of the oral cavity [11][12][13][14][15][16][17], there are numerous cases in which tongue cancer cannot be clinically delineated despite the use of MAR. ...
... The metallic artifact reduction (MAR) algorithm is an effective artifact reduction technique for CT [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Although it is well-established that the MAR algorithm improves the imaging quality of the oral cavity [11][12][13][14][15][16][17], there are numerous cases in which tongue cancer cannot be clinically delineated despite the use of MAR. ...
... The MAR algorithm, which replaces corrupted projections by interpolation from uncorrupted projections, is effective for reducing artifacts due to photon starvation causing pronounced metal artifacts [9]. Several studies have reported that CT with the MAR algorithm improved the imaging quality and detectability of lesions in the oral region [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Previous studies have indicated that CT with the MAR algorithm was able to detect 22-56% more tumors compared with conventional CT [12,13]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose Tumor size and depth of invasion (DOI) are mandatory assessments for tumor classification in tongue cancer but are often non-assessable on CT due to dental artifacts. This study investigated whether subtraction iodine imaging (SII) would improve tumor delineation and measurability. Materials and methods Fifty-seven consecutive patients with tongue cancer, who underwent scanning with a 320-row area detector CT with contrast administration and were treated with surgical resection, were retrospectively evaluated. CT was reconstructed with single-energy projection-based metallic artifact reduction (sCT). SII was generated by subtracting the pre-contrast volume scans from the post-contrast volume scans using a high-resolution deformable registration algorithm. MRI scans were also evaluated for comparing the ability of measurements. Two radiologists visually graded the tumor delineation using a 5-point scale. Tumor size and DOI were measured wherever possible. The tumor delineation score was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank method. Spearman’s correlations between imaging and pathological measurements were calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients of measurements between readers were estimated. Results The tumor delineation score was greater on sCT-plus-SII than on sCT alone (medians: 3 and 1, respectively; p < 0.001), with higher number of detectable cases observed with sCT-plus-SII (36/57 [63.2%]) than sCT alone (21/57 [36.8%]). Tumor size and DOI measurability were higher with sCT-plus-SII (29/57 [50.9%]) than with sCT alone (17/57 [29.8%]). MRI had the highest detectability (52/57 [91.2%]) and measurability (46/57 [80.7%]). Correlation coefficients between radiological and pathological tumor size and DOI were similar for sCT (0.83–0.88), sCT-plus-SII (0.78–0.84), and MRI (0.78–0.90). Intraclass correlation coefficients were higher than 0.95 for each modality. Conclusions SII improves detectability and measurability of tumor size and DOI in patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma, thus increasing the diagnostic potential. SII may also be beneficial for cases unevaluable on MRI due to artifacts or for patients with contraindications to MRI.
... With time, researchers have described the remarkable ability of MAR to enhance the visualization of various target lesions by reducing metallic artifacts. 18,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Therefore, the intended effect of MAR has been established, and the use of CT with MAR comprises the current clinical standard. ...
... Prior studies indicated a superior reduction of dental artifacts caused by dental hardware or diverse maxillofacial metal implants when several MAR algorithms from major vendors were used, compared with standard reconstruction. [24][25][26][27][28][29] However, MAR algorithms may introduce new artifacts into the image. These new artifacts can appear as defects or blurring around metal hardware in the bone window. ...
... These new artifacts can appear as defects or blurring around metal hardware in the bone window. 26,27 Recently, several clinical studies reported that the combination of spectral detector CT (or dualenergy CT) with virtual monoenergetic images and MAR provided optimal artifact reduction and improved diagnostic imaging assessments in patients with dental implants and bridges or metallic dental prostheses. 36,37 As noted previously, the MBIR algorithm is a revolutionary reconstruction technology that uses various models and repeats the subtraction of original raw data after forward projection to yield a reconstructed image that differs minimally from the raw data. ...
Article
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Background and purpose: Metal artifacts reduce the quality of CT images and increase the difficulty of interpretation. This study compared the ability of model-based iterative reconstruction and hybrid iterative reconstruction to improve CT image quality in patients with metallic dental artifacts when both techniques were combined with a metal artifact reduction algorithm. Materials and methods: This retrospective clinical study included 40 patients (men, 31; women, 9; mean age, 62.9 ± 12.3 years) with oral and oropharyngeal cancer who had metallic dental fillings or implants and underwent contrast-enhanced ultra-high-resolution CT of the neck. Axial CT images were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction and model-based iterative reconstruction, and the metal artifact reduction algorithm was applied to all images. Finally, hybrid iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms and model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithm data were obtained. In the quantitative analysis, SDs were measured in ROIs over the apex of the tongue (metal artifacts) and nuchal muscle (no metal artifacts) and were used to calculate the metal artifact indexes. In a qualitative analysis, 3 radiologists blinded to the patients' conditions assessed the image-quality scores of metal artifact reduction and structural depictions. Results: Hybrid iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms and model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms yielded significantly different metal artifact indexes of 82.2 and 73.6, respectively (95% CI, 2.6-14.7; P < .01). The latter algorithms resulted in significant reduction in metal artifacts and significantly improved structural depictions(P < .01). Conclusions: Model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms significantly reduced the artifacts and improved the image quality of structural depictions on neck CT images.
... Dental implants can introduce severe metal artifacts due to high density and angular shape. All commercial MAR algorithms (O-MAR, iMAR, SEMAR and Smart-MAR) are able to reduce these metal artifacts, reduce noise, improve image quality and improve assessment of anatomical structures [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]. Reduction of metal artifacts by iMAR, SEMAR and Smart-MAR results in improved tumor visibility when compared to images without MAR [51,52,56]. ...
... Large and high-density implants Severe artifacts Hip arthroplasty [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]44,[73][74][75][76][77]84,85,92,101,106,[108][109][110][111][112][113][114][115][116][117] 120-200 keV ++ +++ 140 keV + MAR Knee arthroplasty [34,36,43,[78][79][80]112] 120-140 keV + +++ Shoulder arthroplasty [32,33,45,46,118] 130 keV ++ +++ Ankle arthroplasty [47,85,92] 105-150 keV ++ +++ Dental [23,[48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56]73,[81][82][83]110,119] 130-200 keV + +++ ...
... Several techniques have been developed to mitigate these artifacts, most commonly based on iterative reconstruction algorithms, 10,11 virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) reconstructions from multienergy imaging data, 4,5,12,13 or a combination thereof. [14][15][16][17] The recently introduced photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) technology is especially promising in this regard because of its routine acquisition of spectral data. ...
... For each patient, 4 axial series were reconstructed using the "SPP" DICOM file format ("Spectral Post-Processing," Siemens Healthineers), which fully preserves spectral information: series 1 and 2 were generated using a medium soft tissue kernel without and with IMAR (Qr40; Qr40 IMAR ); series 3 and 4 using a bone kernel without and with IMAR (Qr60; Qr60 IMAR ). The IMAR algorithm ("iMAR," Siemens Healthineers) used in this study combines 2 methods, the normalized and frequency split metal artifact reduction, 11 and has been published previously. 20,21 For all series, slice thickness and increment were 1.5 mm and 1.0 mm, respectively, matrix size was 512 pixels, and size and position of the field of view covered the whole head. ...
Article
Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of common strategies for artifact reduction of dental material in photon-counting detector computed tomography data sets. Materials and methods: Patients with dental material who underwent clinically indicated CT of the neck were enrolled. Image series were reconstructed using a standard and sharp kernel, with and without iterative metal artifact reduction (IMAR) (Qr40, Qr40IMAR, Qr60, Qr60IMAR) at different virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) levels (40-190 keV). On representative slice positions with and without dental artifacts, mean and standard deviation of CT values were measured in all series at identical locations. The mean absolute error of CT values () and the artifact index (AIX) were calculated and analyzed focusing on 3 main comparisons: (a) different VMI levels versus 70 keV, (b) standard versus sharp kernel, and (c) nonuse or use of IMAR reconstruction. The Wilcoxon test was used to assess differences for nonparametric data. Results: The final cohort comprised 50 patients. Artifact measures decreased for VMI levels >70 keV, yet only significantly so for reconstructions using IMAR (maximum reduction, 25%). The higher image noise of the sharp versus standard kernel is reflected in higher AIX values and is more pronounced in IMAR series (maximum increase, 38%). The most profound artifact reduction was observed for IMAR reconstructions (maximum reduction : 84%; AIX: 90%). Conclusions: Metal artifacts caused by large amounts of dental material can be substantially reduced by IMAR, regardless of kernel choice or VMI settings. Increasing the keV level of VMI series, on the other hand, only slightly reduces dental artifacts; this effect, however, is additive to the benefit conferred by IMAR reconstructions.
... Although easy to recognize on NECT, artefacts in the skull base or orbits represent a potential source of overestimation of penumbral volume (55, 104). Iterative metal artifact reduction algorithms (iMAR, Siemens Healthcare) have been introduced during the past decade and have shown to significantly reduce metal artefacts in different body parts (see, e.g., (108,109), and most importantly in brain NECT and CTA after coiling or clipping [see, e.g., (110)(111)(112),]. More recently, the iMAR algorithm has been applied also to CTP, with favorable results (113). ...
Article
Full-text available
CT perfusion (CTP) images can be easily and rapidly obtained on all modern CT scanners and have become part of the routine imaging protocol of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). There is a growing body of evidence supporting the use of CTP imaging in these patients, however, there are significant differences in the software packages and methods of analysing CTP. In. addition, no quantitative threshold values for tissue at risk (TAR) have been validated in this patients’ population. Here we discuss the contribution of the technique in the identification of patients at risk of aSAH-related delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and in the assessment of the response to endovascular rescue therapy (ERT). We also address the limitations and pitfalls of automated CTP postprocessing that are specific to aSAH patients as compared to acute ischemic stroke (AIS).
... Pada penelitian sebelumnya yang dilakukan oleh Lee et al. (2007) bahwa artefak logam dapat dikurangi dengan mengoptimalkan parameter CT-scan seperti kVp, mAs, slice thickness, coliimation, dan rekonstruksi algoritma atau penggunaan kernel yang dilakukan sebelum pemeriksaan. Penelitian Hakim et al. (2017) menggunakan metode iMAR pada CT 128 slice Siemens untuk mengurangi artefak logam. Studi lain oleh Gjesteby et al. (2016) menggunakan MAR pada CT 128 slice GE juga dapat mengurangi artefak logam dan sebuah studi oleh Utaminingrum and Prijono (2007) menggunakan metode multistage adaptive wiener lebih baik dibandingkan dengan median dan average filter untuk mereduksi derau. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: One of the artifacts found on the CT scan is a metal artifact. Metal artifacts are caused by metal objects present in patients’ bodies. The file of metal artifacts can cover the organ that will be evaluated, and it can be inferred with the pixel value (CT number) assessment of the tissue around the metal. Purpose: To determine the effect of the band pass median filter and find the optimal filter to reduce metal artifacts on the head CT scan. Method: A total of 43 samples of patients’s files from head CT-scan without any contrast were reconstructed using four band pass median filters and obtained R1, R2, R5, and R10 filters. Two radiology specialists were assessed for the reduction of metal artifacts using the ImageJ application. Result: Four variations of the filter affected the reduction of metal artifacts because the band pass median filter maintained a point that was close to its neighboring points and points that were different from its neighboring points by replacing the value of the pixel with the median value of the grey level of neighboring pixels. The optimal filter recommendation is the R1 filter because it has the largest SNR value (16.9773) and the smallest RMSE value (8.57501) so that the result of the image is more informative and has a diagnostic value. Conclusion: The four filter variations were affected by reducing metal artifacts. Images with substantial SNR and fractional RMSE values produced an image that was more informative and still had diagnostic value.
Preprint
Image-based algorithmic software segmentation is an increasingly important topic in many medical fields. Algorithmic segmentation is used for medical three-dimensional visualization, diagnosis or treatment support, especially in complex medical cases. However, accessible medical databases are limited, and valid medical ground truth databases for the evaluation of algorithms are rare and usually comprise only a few images. Inaccuracy or invalidity of medical ground truth data and image-based artefacts also limit the creation of such databases, which is especially relevant for CT data sets of the maxillomandibular complex. This contribution provides a unique and accessible data set of the complete mandible, including 20 valid ground truth segmentation models originating from 10 CT scans from clinical practice without artefacts or faulty slices. From each CT scan, two 3D ground truth models were created by clinical experts through independent manual slice-by-slice segmentation, and the models were statistically compared to prove their validity. These data could be used to conduct serial image studies of the human mandible, evaluating segmentation algorithms and developing adequate image tools.
Article
Computed Tomography (CT) is essential for precise medical diagnostics, yet metal implants often induce disruptive image artifacts. Metal Artifact Reduction (MAR) algorithms have emerged to enhance CT image quality by mitigating these artifacts. This review emphasizes the significance of quantifying MAR algorithms, details common quantification metrics, and presents findings from diverse CT scanner studies. MAR techniques effectively reduce metal artifacts and enhance CT imaging. Metrics like noise levels, Contrast-to-Noise ratio (CNR), CT number accuracy, and Metal Artifact Index (MAI) quantify their efficacy. Varied CT scanner experiments with diverse metal implants display improved CT number accuracy, noise reduction, and artefact management through MAR algorithms. However, secondary artefacts and altered metal size accuracy are potential drawbacks that need attention. Deep Learning-based Reconstruction (DLR) is an expanding approach using AI for CT image reconstruction. DLR offers swift lower-dose CT image generation, retaining spatial resolution and diminishing radiation doses. Recent clinical deployments highlight DLR's potential in generating low-noise, texture-rich images and superior artefact reduction. Moreover, DLR techniques exhibit promise in addressing beam-hardening artefacts. While MAR algorithms have revolutionized CT imaging, DLR techniques are emerging as potential alternatives. Current DLR implementations like TrueFidelity and AiCE demonstrate promising outcomes. However, challenges in implementation and machine learning model reliability require further exploration. In conclusion, MAR algorithms enhance CT imaging quality by rectifying artifacts near metal implants, while DLR methods offer a promising path for radiation dose reduction and image refinement. Combining both approaches might pave the way for future CT imaging advancements. Keywords: Computed Tomography, Metal artifact Reduction algorithm, Deep Learning Reconstruction, image quality
Article
The single-energy metal artifact reduction (SEMAR) algorithm effectively reduces metal artifacts in computed tomography (CT). The study aimed to evaluate the effect of the occlusal plane angle on metal artifacts caused by dental implants and zirconia upper structures, and the effectiveness of SEMAR for CT prognostic evaluation. Part of a bovine rib was used as the mandibular implant phantom. First, the phantom immersed in a water tank was scanned using CT to obtain the control image under certain conditions. Subsequently, three titanium implant bodies were implanted in a straight line into the phantom, and a zirconia superstructure was attached. CT scans were performed. The CT-reconstructed images were obtained with and without SEMAR processing. Twelve regions of interest (ROIs) were set at the same site on each sagittal image, and the CT values were measured at all the ROIs. The CT values of the ROIs in the control images and those of the ROIs with and without SEMAR were compared. The variations in the occlusal plane angle during CT imaging negligibly affected the number of regions in which metal artifacts appeared. SEMAR improved the CT value of the trabecular bone, which was affected by metal artifacts. This study showed that the occlusal plane angle occasionally did not affect the area of metal artifacts caused by dental implants or zirconia upper structures. Other results indicate that SEMAR is effective for accurately evaluating the alveolar bone around the implant body by reducing metal artifacts.
Chapter
Oral cancer is one of the universally prevalent cancer type, and squamous cell carcinomas account for more than 90%. Fundamental knowledge such as the epidemiology and etiology of the oral cancer, imaging anatomy of oral cavity, and AJCC/UICC (American Joint Committee of Cancer/International Union Against Cancer) TNM classification is needed for image interpretation. The new concept of depth of invasion in T classification and extra-nodal extension in N classification is added from AJCC/UICC 8th edition. These items will be described earlier in this chapter.
Article
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Purpose: To compare and combine dual-energy based and iterative metal artefact reduction on hip prosthesis and dental implants in CT. Material and methods: A total of 46 patients (women:50%,mean age:63±15years) with dental implants or hip prostheses (n = 30/20) were included and examined with a second-generation Dual Source Scanner. 120kV equivalent mixed-images were derived from reconstructions of the 100/Sn140kV source images using no metal artefact reduction (NOMAR) and iterative metal artefact reduction (IMAR). We then generated monoenergetic extrapolations at 130keV from source images without IMAR (DEMAR) or from source images with IMAR, (IMAR+DEMAR). The degree of metal artefact was quantified for NOMAR, IMAR, DEMAR and IMAR+DEMAR using a Fourier-based method and subjectively rated on a five point Likert scale by two independent readers. Results: In subjects with hip prosthesis, DEMAR and IMAR resulted in significantly reduced artefacts compared to standard reconstructions (33% vs. 56%; for DEMAR and IMAR; respectively, p<0.005), but the degree of artefact reduction was significantly higher for IMAR (all p<0.005). In contrast, in subjects with dental implants only IMAR showed a significant reduction of artefacts whereas DEMAR did not (71%, vs. 8% p<0.01 and p = 0.1; respectively). Furthermore, the combination of IMAR with DEMAR resulted in additionally reduced artefacts (Hip prosthesis: 47%, dental implants 18%; both p<0.0001). Conclusion: IMAR allows for significantly higher reduction of metal artefacts caused by hip prostheses and dental implants, compared to a dual energy based method. The combination of DE-source images with IMAR and subsequent monoenergetic extrapolation provides an incremental benefit compared to both single methods.
Article
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Metal artifacts from dental fillings and other devices degrade image quality and may compromise the detection and evaluation of lesions in the oral cavity and oropharynx by CT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of iterative metal artifact reduction on CT of the oral cavity and oropharynx. Data from 50 consecutive patients with metal artifacts from dental hardware were reconstructed with standard filtered back-projection, linear interpolation metal artifact reduction (LIMAR), and iterative metal artifact reduction. The image quality of sections that contained metal was analyzed for the severity of artifacts and diagnostic value. A total of 455 sections (mean ± standard deviation, 9.1 ± 4.1 sections per patient) contained metal and were evaluated with each reconstruction method. Sections without metal were not affected by the algorithms and demonstrated image quality identical to each other. Of these sections, 38% were considered nondiagnostic with filtered back-projection, 31% with LIMAR, and only 7% with iterative metal artifact reduction. Thirty-three percent of the sections had poor image quality with filtered back-projection, 46% with LIMAR, and 10% with iterative metal artifact reduction. Thirteen percent of the sections with filtered back-projection, 17% with LIMAR, and 22% with iterative metal artifact reduction were of moderate image quality, 16% of the sections with filtered back-projection, 5% with LIMAR, and 30% with iterative metal artifact reduction were of good image quality, and 1% of the sections with LIMAR and 31% with iterative metal artifact reduction were of excellent image quality. Iterative metal artifact reduction yields the highest image quality in comparison with filtered back-projection and linear interpolation metal artifact reduction in patients with metal hardware in the head and neck area. © 2015 American Society of Neuroradiology.
Article
Purpose: While modern clinical CT scanners under normal circumstances produce high quality images, severe artifacts degrade the image quality and the diagnostic value if metal prostheses or other metal objects are present in the field of measurement. Standard methods for metal artifact reduction (MAR) replace those parts of the projection data that are affected by metal (the so-called metal trace or metal shadow) by interpolation. However, while sinogram interpolation methods efficiently remove metal artifacts, new artifacts are often introduced, as interpolation cannot completely recover the information from the metal trace. The purpose of this work is to introduce a generalized normalization technique for MAR, allowing for efficient reduction of metal artifacts while adding almost no new ones. The method presented is compared to a standard MAR method, as well as MAR using simple length normalization. Methods: In the first step, metal is segmented in the image domain by thresholding. A 3D forward projection identifies the metal trace in the original projections. Before interpolation, the projections are normalized based on a 3D forward projection of a prior image. This prior image is obtained, for example, by a multithreshold segmentation of the initial image. The original rawdata are divided by the projection data of the prior image and, after interpolation, denormalized again. Simulations and measurements are performed to compare normalized metal artifact reduction (NMAR) to standard MAR with linear interpolation and MAR based on simple length normalization. Results: Promising results for clinical spiral cone-beam data are presented in this work. Included are patients with hip prostheses, dental fillings, and spine fixation, which were scanned at pitch values ranging from 0.9 to 3.2. Image quality is improved considerably, particularly for metal implants within bone structures or in their proximity. The improvements are evaluated by comparing profiles through images and sinograms for the different methods and by inspecting ROIs. NMAR outperforms both other methods in all cases. It reduces metal artifacts to a minimum, even close to metal regions. Even for patients with dental fillings, which cause most severe artifacts, satisfactory results are obtained with NMAR. In contrast to other methods, NMAR prevents the usual blurring of structures close to metal implants if the metal artifacts are moderate. Conclusions: NMAR clearly outperforms the other methods for both moderate and severe artifacts. The proposed method reliably reduces metal artifacts from simulated as well as from clinical CT data. Computationally efficient and inexpensive compared to iterative methods, NMAR can be used as an additional step in any conventional sinogram inpainting-based MAR method.
Article
Gelenkprothesen und andere orthopädische Implantate werden bei vielen Patienten mit muskuloskelettalen Erkrankungen eingesetzt. Während diese Operationen häufig ein gutes klinisches Ergebnis zeigen, sind im Verlauf bei vielen Patienten radiologische Untersuchungen notwendig. Orthopädische Implantate führen jedoch in der MRT und der CT zu starken Metallartefakten. Dieser Artikel stellt mehrere grundlegende Methoden sowie fortgeschrittene Techniken zur Reduktion dieser Artefakte für MRT und CT vor, um eine diagnostische Untersuchung bei Patienten mit Metallimplantaten zu ermöglichen. MRT und CT werden so zu wichtigen und zuverlässigen Modalitäten, um Patienten mit Gelenkprothesen und orthopädischen Implantaten zu untersuchen.
Article
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare iterative metal artifact reduction (iMAR), a new single-energy metal artifact reduction technique, with filtered back projection (FBP) in terms of attenuation values, qualitative image quality, and streak artifacts near shoulder and hip arthroplasties and observer ability with these techniques to detect pathologic lesions near an arthroplasty in a phantom model. Materials and methods: Preoperative and postoperative CT scans of 40 shoulder and 21 hip arthroplasties were reviewed. All postoperative scans were obtained using the same technique (140 kVp, 300 quality reference mAs, 128 × 0.6 mm detector collimation) on one of three CT scanners and reconstructed with FBP and iMAR. The attenuation differences in bones and soft tissues between preoperative and postoperative scans at the same location were compared; image quality and streak artifact for both reconstructions were qualitatively graded by two blinded readers. Observer ability and confidence to detect lesions near an arthroplasty in a phantom model were graded. Results: For both readers, iMAR had more accurate attenuation values (p < 0.001), qualitatively better image quality (p < 0.001), and less streak artifact (p < 0.001) in all locations near arthroplasties compared with FBP. Both readers detected more lesions (p ≤ 0.04) with higher confidence (p ≤ 0.01) with iMAR than with FBP in the phantom model. Conclusion: The iMAR technique provided more accurate attenuation values, better image quality, and less streak artifact near hip and shoulder arthroplasties than FBP; iMAR also increased observer ability and confidence to detect pathologic lesions near arthroplasties in a phantom model.
Article
Background: Metal artifacts often impair diagnostic accuracy in computed tomography (CT) imaging. Therefore, effective and workflow implemented metal artifact reduction algorithms are crucial to gain higher diagnostic image quality in patients with metallic hardware. Purpose: To assess the clinical performance of a novel iterative metal artifact reduction (iMAR) algorithm for CT in patients with dental fillings. Material and methods: Thirty consecutive patients scheduled for CT imaging and dental fillings were included in the analysis. All patients underwent CT imaging using a second generation dual-source CT scanner (120 kV single-energy; 100/Sn140 kV in dual-energy, 219 mAs, gantry rotation time 0.28-1/s, collimation 0.6 mm) as part of their clinical work-up. Post-processing included standard kernel (B49) and an iterative MAR algorithm. Image quality and diagnostic value were assessed qualitatively (Likert scale) and quantitatively (HU ± SD) by two reviewers independently. Results: All 30 patients were included in the analysis, with equal reconstruction times for iMAR and standard reconstruction (17 s ± 0.5 vs. 19 s ± 0.5; P > 0.05). Visual image quality was significantly higher for iMAR as compared with standard reconstruction (3.8 ± 0.5 vs. 2.6 ± 0.5; P < 0.0001, respectively) and showed improved evaluation of adjacent anatomical structures. Similarly, HU-based measurements of degree of artifacts were significantly lower in the iMAR reconstructions as compared with the standard reconstruction (0.9 ± 1.6 vs. -20 ± 47; P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: The tested iterative, raw-data based reconstruction MAR algorithm allows for a significant reduction of metal artifacts and improved evaluation of adjacent anatomical structures in the head and neck area in patients with dental hardware.
Article
Purpose: Metal artifact reduction (MAR) produces images with improved quality potentially leading to confident and reliable clinical diagnosis and therapy planning. In this work, the authors evaluate the performance of five MAR techniques for the assessment of computed tomography images of patients with hip prostheses. Methods: Five MAR algorithms were evaluated using simulation and clinical studies. The algorithms included one-dimensional linear interpolation (LI) of the corrupted projection bins in the sinogram, two-dimensional interpolation (2D), a normalized metal artifact reduction (NMAR) technique, a metal deletion technique, and a maximum a posteriori completion (MAPC) approach. The algorithms were applied to ten simulated datasets as well as 30 clinical studies of patients with metallic hip implants. Qualitative evaluations were performed by two blinded experienced radiologists who ranked overall artifact severity and pelvic organ recognition for each algorithm by assigning scores from zero to five (zero indicating totally obscured organs with no structures identifiable and five indicating recognition with high confidence). Results: Simulation studies revealed that 2D, NMAR, and MAPC techniques performed almost equally well in all regions. LI falls behind the other approaches in terms of reducing dark streaking artifacts as well as preserving unaffected regions (p < 0.05). Visual assessment of clinical datasets revealed the superiority of NMAR and MAPC in the evaluated pelvic organs and in terms of overall image quality. Conclusions: Overall, all methods, except LI, performed equally well in artifact-free regions. Considering both clinical and simulation studies, 2D, NMAR, and MAPC seem to outperform the other techniques.
Article
Background: Artifacts from metallic implants can hinder image interpretation in computed tomography (CT). Image quality can be improved using metal artifact reduction (MAR) techniques. Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a MAR algorithm on image quality of CT examinations in comparison to filtered back projection (FBP) in patients with hip prostheses. Material and methods: Twenty-two patients with 25 hip prostheses who underwent clinical abdominopelvic CT on a 64-row CT were included in this retrospective study. Axial images were reconstructed with FBP and five increasing MAR levels (M30-34). Objective artifact strength (OAS) (SIart-SInorm) was assessed by region of interest (ROI) measurements in position of the strongest artifact (SIart) and in an osseous structure without artifact (SInorm) (in Hounsfield units [HU]). Two independent readers evaluated subjective image quality regarding metallic hardware, delineation of bone, adjacent muscle, and pelvic organs on a 5-point scale (1, non-diagnostic; 5, excellent image quality). Artifacts in the near field, far field, and newly induced artifacts due to the MAR technique were analyzed. Results: OAS values were: M34: 243.8 ± 155.4 HU; M33: 294.3 ± 197.8 HU; M32: 340.5 ± 210.1 HU; M31: 393.6 ± 225.2 HU; M30: 446.8 ± 224.2 HU and FBP: 528.9 ± 227.7 HU. OAS values were significantly lower for M32-34 compared to FBP (P < 0.01). For overall subjective image quality, results were: FBP, 2.0 ± 0.2; M30, 2.3 ± 0.8; M31, 2.6 ± 0.5; M32, 3.0 ± 0.6; M33, 3.5 ± 0.6; and M34, 3.8 ± 0.4 (P < 0.001 for M30-M34 vs. FBP, respectively). Increasing MAR levels resulted in new artifacts in 17% of reconstructions. Conclusion: The investigated MAR algorithm led to a significant reduction of artifacts from metallic hip implants. The highest MAR level provided the least severe artifacts and the best overall image quality.
Article
Metal artifacts often appear in the images of computed tomography (CT) imaging. In the case of lumbar spine CT images, artifacts disturb the images of critical organs. These artifacts can affect the diagnosis, treatment, and follow up care of the patient. One approach to metal artifact reduction is the sinogram completion method. A mixed-variable thresholding (MixVT) technique to identify the suitable metal sinogram is proposed. This technique consists of four steps: 1) identify the metal objects in the image by using k-mean clustering with the soft cluster assignment, 2) transform the image by separating it into two sinograms, one of which is the sinogram of the metal object, with the surrounding tissue shown in the second sinogram. The boundary of the metal sinogram is then found by the MixVT technique, 3) estimate the new value of the missing data in the metal sinogram by linear interpolation from the surrounding tissue sinogram, 4) reconstruct a modified sinogram by using filtered back-projection and complete the image by adding back the image of the metal object into the reconstructed image to form the complete image. The quantitative and clinical image quality evaluation of our proposed technique demonstrated a significant improvement in image clarity and detail, which enhances the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment.
Article
Metal-related artifacts from spine instrumentation can obscure relevant anatomy and pathology. We evaluated the ability of CT images reconstructed with and without iterative metal artifact reduction to visualize critical anatomic structures in postoperative spines and assessed the potential for implementation into clinical practice. We archived CT projection data in patients with instrumented spinal fusion. CT images were reconstructed by using weighted filtered back-projection and iterative metal artifact reduction. Two neuroradiologists evaluated images in the region of spinal hardware and assigned a score for the visualization of critical anatomic structures by using soft-tissue and bone windows (critical structures totally obscured, n = 0; anatomic recognition with high diagnostic confidence, n = 5). Using bone windows, we measured the length of the most pronounced linear artifacts. For each patient, neuroradiologists made recommendations regarding the optimal use of iterative metal artifact reduction and its impact on diagnostic confidence. Sixty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria. Visualization of critical soft-tissue anatomic structures was significantly improved by using iterative metal artifact reduction compared with weighted filtered back-projection (median, 1 ± 1.5 versus 3 ± 1.3, P < .001), with improvement in the worst visualized anatomic structure in 88% (60/68) of patients. There was not significant improvement in visualization of critical osseous structures. Linear metal artifacts were reduced from 29 to 11 mm (P < .001). In 87% of patients, neuroradiologists recommended reconstructing iterative metal artifact reduction images instead of weighted filtered back-projection images, with definite improvement in diagnostic confidence in 32% (22/68). Iterative metal artifact reduction improves visualization of critical soft-tissue structures in patients with spinal hardware. Routine generation of these images in addition to routine weighted filtered back-projection is recommended. © 2015 American Society of Neuroradiology.