Tomography最新文献

{"title":"Utility of Native T1 Mapping for the Evaluation of Myocardial Iron Overload in Patients with Thalassemia Major.","authors":"Antonio Matteo Amadu, Alessio Contena, Alberto Dessì, Leandra Piscopo, Emma Solinas, Davide Turilli, Salvatore Claudio Fanni, Mariano Scaglione, Salvatore Masala","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose</b>: This study aimed to assess the utility of native T1 mapping for the evaluation of myocardial iron overload in patients with Thalassemia Major. T1 was compared to T2*, which represents the gold standard for iron quantification in the heart and liver. <b>Methods</b>: Consecutive patients with Thalassemia Major who performed cardiac MRI at the University Hospital of Sassari between 2022 and 2024 were prospectively included. All patients underwent a 1.5 T MRI with the same scanner (Philips Ingenia). T2* and native T1 mapping (MOLLI) sequences were performed in all patients on a mid-ventricular single 8 mm short-axis slice of the left ventricle. A region of interest was manually drawn in the septal wall. A T2* value < 20 ms was considered indicative of significant myocardial iron overload. A normal lower limit value of 990 ms was adopted for native T1 mapping. <b>Results</b>: In total, 100 patients with Thalassemia Major were included (median age, 45 [range, 7-80] years; 55% were male). The median myocardial T2* value was 31.4 (range, 5.1-47) and median T1 was 941 ms (range, 557-1131). A total of 12 patients (12%) exhibited T2* values < 20 ms; the T1 values in these patients (median, 733.8 ms [range, 557-975]) were significantly lower compared to those with a T2* of 20 ms or greater (median, 961 ms [range, 820-1131]), <i>p</i> < 0.001. No patient with T2* < 20 ms had a T1 value greater than or equal to 990 ms. Among the 88 patients with T2* ≥ 20 ms, 56 (64%) had T1 < 990 ms (median, 939.2 ms [range, 820-986]). Using a T1 threshold of 990 ms, the sensitivity was 100%, but the specificity was only 36%. ROC analysis identified an optimal T1 value of 895.5 ms, corresponding to 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity. <b>Conclusions</b>: Native T1 mapping is highly sensitive for detecting myocardial iron overload in Thalassemia Major, but the standard 990 ms threshold generates many false-positive results. In our cohort, adopting an ROC-optimized threshold of 895.5 ms markedly improved specificity while preserving excellent sensitivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120626/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pericoronary Fat Attenuation Index and MRI-Derived Coronary Flow Reserve: A Comparative Study in Suspected Versus Known Coronary Artery Disease.","authors":"Ryoya Takizawa, Shingo Kato, Sho Kodama, Kazuki Fukui, Ryusuke Sekii, Naofumi Yasuda, Shungo Sawamura, Tae Iwasawa, Daisuke Utsunomiya","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The fat attenuation index (FAI) derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) is an emerging imaging biomarker of perivascular inflammation. Coronary flow reserve (CFR), assessed by phase-contrast (PC) cine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) of the coronary sinus, reflects coronary microvascular function. Although FAI has been linked to adverse outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD), its relationship with CFR across different CAD stages is not well defined.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively evaluated 241 patients (mean age 73.4 ± 10.8 years; 149 men [61.8%]) who underwent both coronary CTA and CMR (122 with known CAD and 119 with suspected CAD). FAI was measured in the proximal left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary (RCA) arteries. Impaired CFR was defined as <2.0. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with impaired CFR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Impaired CFR was observed in 38 of 122 patients (31.1%) with known CAD and 26 of 119 (21.8%) with suspected CAD. Higher LAD-FAI was associated with impaired CFR in both groups: OR 1.06 (95% CI 1.01-1.11; <i>p</i> = 0.018) in known CAD and OR 1.08 (95% CI 1.02-1.15; <i>p</i> = 0.017) in suspected CAD. Correlation analysis also demonstrated an inverse relationship between LAD-FAI and CFR (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and the strength of association was comparable between the two groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LAD-FAI was associated with impaired CFR in both suspected and known CAD, with comparable strength of association across the two groups. These findings indicate that perivascular inflammation, reflected by FAI, may relate to coronary microvascular dysfunction in different stages of CAD.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119742/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Double Boosting Strategy for Low-Iodine-Dose Dual-Source DECT Follow-Up CT After Intervention with Raw DICOM-Level Deep Learning Iodine Boosting and Low-keV Dual-Energy-Derived Images.","authors":"Tae Young Lee, Jong Hwa Lee, Hoonsub So, Ho Min Jang","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: We aim to evaluate whether digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM)-level deep learning-based iodine-boosting applied to dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) source DICOM improves image quality in low-iodine-dose abdominal DECT in adults undergoing post-procedure follow-up computed tomography (CT). <b>Methods</b>: This retrospective study included 43 adults (April-September 2025) who underwent dynamic dual-source DECT using a low-iodine protocol. Three CT reconstructions were compared: mixed images, conventional 50-keV virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs), and 50-keV VMIs generated after applying DICOM-based deep learning iodine-boosting/denoising to the tube-specific dual-energy source DICOM series prior to VMI/iodine-map reconstruction (deep learning-based reconstruction [DLR]-VMI). Iodine material density (IMD) images were compared between the conventional and DLR-processed datasets. Quantitative attenuation and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were assessed using paired and repeated-measures tests. Image quality was scored by two readers using a five-point Likert scale. <b>Results</b>: Attenuation varied across CT reconstructions for all regions of interest in both phases (all overall <i>p</i> < 0.001). Liver attenuation increased from 94.9 ± 22.0 Hounsfield units (HU) (VMI) to 114.5 ± 34.6 HU (DLR-VMI) during the arterial phase and from 127.6 ± 25.6 HU to 166.6 ± 39.9 HU during the portal venous phase (both <i>p</i> < 0.001). Liver SNR improved with DLR-VMI compared to VMI (arterial: 9.11 ± 3.62 vs. 6.06 ± 1.90; portal: 12.74 ± 3.56 vs. 7.90 ± 1.82; both <i>p</i> < 0.001). On IMD images, DLR increased HU-equivalent values and liver SNR (arterial: 5.20 ± 2.89 vs. 2.61 ± 1.39; portal: 9.22 ± 2.81 vs. 4.48 ± 1.28; both <i>p</i> < 0.001). Qualitatively, DLR-VMI yielded the highest overall image-quality scores for both reviewers in both phases (Reviewer 1, arterial/portal: 4 (4-5)/5 (4-5); Reviewer 2, arterial/portal: 4 (3-4)/4 (4-4)). DLR also improved the overall image quality of IMD images for both reviewers (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions</b>: Raw DICOM-level iodine-boosting DLR applied to dual-source DECT-source DICOM enabled enhanced image quality and improved quantitative and qualitative metrics in low-iodine-dose abdominal DECT.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute Traumatic Aortic Injury: What the Radiologist Needs to Know.","authors":"Kristina Ramirez-Garcia, Catalina Jaramillo, Emma Ferguson, Jason Au, Erika Odisio, Gustavo S Oderich, Daniel Ocazionez, Cihan Duran, Thanila Macedo","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute traumatic aortic injury (ATAI) is a rare but life-threatening consequence of blunt trauma that requires prompt diagnosis and accurate imaging assessment. This review presents an imaging-based approach to ATAI, with emphasis on computed tomography angiography (CTA) as the first-line modality for diagnosis, grading, treatment planning, and follow-up. CTA enables the detection of both direct and indirect signs while also allowing for the assessment of lesion severity, extent, and associated findings that may influence management. Familiarity with common mimics and anatomic variants improves diagnostic confidence and helps avoid false positive interpretations. Careful protocol optimization, including multiphasic acquisition, bolus timing, and postprocessing reconstructions, can further enhance image quality and diagnostic performance. Recognition of patient-related and technical CTA artifacts, along with strategies to reduce them, including the selective use of ECG-gated CTA, may further decrease diagnostic uncertainty. We also discuss the complementary roles of emerging CT technologies and magnetic resonance angiography in selected patients. Finally, we review current classification systems, imaging-guided management, post-treatment surveillance, and potential complications. Awareness of ATAI imaging findings, protocol optimization, and diagnostic pitfalls is essential for accurate interpretation and effective multidisciplinary care.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120022/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MRI-Based Evaluation of Lumbar Epidural Space Depth and Its Correlation with Anthropometric Factors in Saudi Adults.","authors":"Ilhaam Alsaati, Khaleel Alyahya, Mohammed Alharbi, Zuhal Y Hamd, Shaden Alhegail","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Epidural procedures benefit from a pre-procedural informed estimation of epidural depth, as anticipating the approximate distance can support safer needle placement and reduce technical difficulties during analgesia or anesthesia procedures. The influence of ethnicity has been established across different populations worldwide; however, there is a lack of Saudi-specific MRI data on epidural depth among the adult population. <b>Aim of this Study</b>: To measure the skin to epidural space distance (SED) at the lumbar interspaces L3-L4 and L4-L5 in the Saudi adult population using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to examine its correlations with age, sex, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). <b>Methods</b>: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, sagittal T1-weighted lumbar MRI images of the spine of 169 adult Saudi patients were studied. The age group ranged from 20 to 70 years, with an equal distribution of males and females. The skin to epidural space distance (SED) was measured at the L3-L4 and L4-L5 interspaces, and its correlations with age, sex, height, weight, and BMI were analyzed. <b>Results</b>: The average measurement of skin to epidural space distance (SED) was 59.08 mm in L3-L4, and 63.21 in L4-L5. BMI and weight showed strong positive correlations with SED across both levels. Female sex was associated with longer SED values at L4-L5. There was no significant correlation between SED and age or height of the patients. <b>Conclusions</b>: MRI-based assessment of SED revealed strong correlations with weight and BMI, but no correlation with height, age, and sex. These findings support the individualized estimation of epidural depth and needle length selection to enhance procedural safety and reduce complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120061/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Baseline Body Composition Characteristics and Overall Survival in Young Women with Breast Cancer: Matched Case-Control Study Nested Within a Cohort.","authors":"Aynur Aktas, Diptasree Mukherjee, Danielle Boselli, Brandon N VanderVeen, Lejla Hadzikadic-Gusic, Rebecca S Greiner, Michelle L Wallander, Declan Walsh, Kunal C Kadakia","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Young women with breast cancer (aged ≤ 40 years) have distinct prognostic characteristics, yet little is known about how modifiable body composition factors influence outcomes in this age group. This study examined whether CT-derived body composition measures could identify thresholds that predict overall survival (OS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a single-center, 10-year, matched case-control study nested within a cohort, utilizing retrospectively collected data. Using an institutional database (2009-2018) and the initial cohort of 112 patients, we performed a subset analysis of patients with stage I-III breast cancer at diagnosis who had available pretreatment CT scans to estimate associations with body composition metrics and OS. The final analytic dataset included 89 individuals (49 survivors and 40 deceased). CT scans at the L3 level were analyzed using Slice-O-Matic software to quantify visceral (VAT), subcutaneous (SAT), intermuscular (IMAT), total adipose tissue (TAT), skeletal muscle density (SMD), skeletal muscle gauge (SMG), and skeletal muscle index (SMI). Cox proportional hazard models determined optimal cutpoints for OS. Multivariable models included adjustments for disease stage and hormone receptor status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age was 35 (IQR, 32-38); 47% were White and 37% were Black. The majority (78%) were not Hispanic or Latina. Most (67%) were overweight/obese. Specific thresholds for IMAT index (>2.57), VAT (>31.38), and SMG (<2419.89) were associated with worse survival (all <i>p</i> < 0.05), while no cutpoints were identified for other variables.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings show that muscle fat infiltration and reduced muscle quality have important prognostic value in young women with breast cancer. Exploratory cutpoints derived from routine staging CT scans may help inform risk stratification and generate hypotheses for targeted nutritional or exercise interventions, but require validation in larger, independent cohorts before clinical application.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120557/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiographic Evaluation of Spinopelvic Sagittal Alignment Anatomy in Juvenile and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients.","authors":"Ozden Bedre Duygu, Figen Govsa, Anil Murat Ozturk, Gokhan Gokmen","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Background and Objectives</i>: The association between spinal and pelvic alignment significantly impacts sagittal balance in adults. This study, that is retrospective, aims to investigate sagittal alignment anatomy of the pelvis and spine in juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS) and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We evaluated nine sagittal parameters from lateral radiographs of 100 JIS and AIS patients, including thoracic kyphosis (TKA), lumbar lordosis (LLA), pelvic tilt (PTA), pelvic incidence (PIA), spinosacral (SSA), sacral slope (SSLA), C7 tilt angles (C7-TA), sagittal vertical axis length (SVAL), and odontoid process hip axis angle (OPHAA) using the ImageJ program. Participants were classified based on their coronal curve group. Analysis of variance compared parameters between curve groups, and Pearson coefficients assessed the relationship between all parameters (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>Results</i>: Female participants had an average age of 13.4, and male participants had an average age of 13.0. Female participants had an average scoliosis degree of 19.3, while male participants had 15.2. PIA, PTA, SSLA, and SSA values were significantly higher in women participants than in men participants (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Additionally, PIA, PTA, SSLA, SSA, and OPHAA values were significantly lower in participants with a lower scoliosis degree (<i>p</i> < 0.05). We observed a moderately positive association between LLA and TKA, PIA, SSA, and C7-TA. There was also a moderate positive association between spinopelvic alignment parameters and the degree of scoliosis in participants. <i>Conclusions</i>: Easily measured values such as PIA, PTA, SSLA, SSA, and OPHAA may be related to severity of vertebral column deformities in patients, making them valuable for monitoring scoliosis patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120322/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anatomical Variations in Major Abdominal Aortic Branches and Sex-Related Differences: A Large-Scale Analysis of 1174 Patients.","authors":"Oguzhan Tokur, Koray Bingol","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aims to evaluate the prevalence, spectrum, and coexistence of anatomical variations in the major branches of the abdominal aorta using Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) angiography, with a specific emphasis on analyzing sex-related differences in a large-scale cohort.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1174 patients (63.8% male, 36.2% female; mean age 60.54) who underwent abdominal CT angiography between January 2023 and June 2024. Images were acquired using a 128-slice MDCT scanner and reconstructed for detailed vascular assessment. Statistical comparisons between genders were performed using Chi-square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests, with <i>p</i> < 0.05 considered significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The celiac trunk (93.3%), superior mesenteric artery (SMA) (97.1%), and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) (98.5%) predominantly showed classical patterns. However, significant sex-related differences were identified. Females exhibited significantly higher rates of classical patterns for the celiac trunk (96.2% vs. 91.7%), IMA (99.1% vs. 98.1%), right hepatic artery (RHA) (91.5% vs. 82.6%), and left hepatic artery (LHA) (95.8% vs. 85.4%). Conversely, males showed a higher prevalence of complex variations, including replaced/accessory hepatic arteries and the absence of the common hepatic artery. The number of right and left renal arteries was similar between sexes and did not show a significant difference, while horseshoe kidney was detected only in males.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Abdominal vascular structures adhere to classical anatomy more frequently in females, while males exhibit greater morphological variability. These findings emphasize the necessity of gender-specific preoperative vascular mapping to optimize surgical outcomes and reduce morbidity.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119597/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Potential of Artificial Bone Scintigraphy from Early-Phase Bone Scintigraphy Using Unpaired Image-to-Image Translation in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Single-Center Prospective Study.","authors":"Yong-Jin Park, Il-Hyun Kim, Young-Sil An, Joon-Kee Yoon, Su Jin Lee","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives</b>: The objective of this study is to investigate the clinical potential of generating artificial bone scintigraphy (aBS), defined here as a deep learning-generated bone scintigraphy image that simulates delayed-phase bone scintigraphy (dBS) characteristics, from early-phase bone scintigraphy (eBS) obtained with a short waiting time using an unpaired image-to-image translation method in patients with breast cancer (BC). <b>Methods</b>: In this single-center prospective study involving 245 patients with BC (195 for training and 50 for testing), eBS and dBS were performed. Using the contrastive unpaired translation (CUT) model, we trained with anterior and posterior images of the eBS and dBS from the training group. We then generated aBS images targeting dBS by inputting eBS from the test group for both anterior and posterior views. We conducted quantitative, qualitative, and visual assessments to evaluate aBS. <b>Results</b>: The points of the anterior and posterior images of aBS on the qualitative four-point and five-point rating scales were significantly higher than those of eBS (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Three nuclear medicine physicians performed visual assessments, demonstrating consistent findings on the presence of bone metastases in both aBS and dBS. Their visual evaluations indicated that the bone-to-soft tissue contrast in aBS was superior to that in eBS. The quantitative metrics of aBS were superior to those of eBS. However, aBS was inferior to the targeted dBS in terms of qualitative and visual assessments. <b>Conclusions</b>: The aBS generated through CUT was superior to eBS in quantitative, qualitative, and visual assessments and preserved lesion-related information comparable to dBS. Although these findings do not support replacement of dBS for definitive diagnosis, they support the feasibility of aBS as an assistive delayed-phase-like image generation approach from earlier-acquired bone scintigraphy.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119574/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Standardized Images and Evaluation Metrics for Tomography.","authors":"Anna Frixou, Theodoros Leontiou, Efstathios Stiliaris, Costas N Papanicolas","doi":"10.3390/tomography12040049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography12040049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Modern tomographic reconstruction methods-including physics-informed and AI-based approaches-can produce very high fidelity images. In this regime, widely used global image quality metrics often approach saturation, making it harder to distinguish residual differences between methods and identify remaining performance gaps. This study introduces a physically grounded and standardized evaluation framework designed to retain sensitivity beyond conventional global metrics and support both comparison and systematic improvement in tomographic reconstruction methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The proposed framework defines standardized reference images-\"Source\", \"Detector\", \"Ideal\", and \"Realistic\"-using Monte Carlo simulations, with the Ideal Image serving as a physically grounded benchmark. Reconstruction performance is evaluated using pixel-wise difference and χ2 maps, Region-of-Interest analysis, intensity (gray-value) histogram comparisons, and the Structure and Contrast Index (SCI), computed on difference maps. Demonstrations use simulated SPECT data reconstructed with ART, MLEM, and RISE-1.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across case studies, SCI and χ2-based diagnostics reveal structured residuals and localized deficiencies not evident from global similarity metrics such as SSIM or NMSE. Comparative analyses show that methods with similar global scores can exhibit distinct residual structures and region-specific performance variations, while improved agreement in the sinogram domain does not necessarily translate into improved image fidelity. Histogram-based diagnostics provide complementary information on intensity redistribution not captured by pixel-domain summaries.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The framework provides a reproducible, physically meaningful, and sensitive approach for evaluating tomographic reconstruction performance in the high-fidelity regime. By combining standardized reference images with multi-domain and multi-metric analysis, it enables robust benchmarking and supports physically consistent interpretation of reconstruction quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":51330,"journal":{"name":"Tomography","volume":"12 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}