Improved CT-detection of acute bowel ischemia using frequency selective non-linear image blending

BackgroundComputed tomography (CT) as a fast and reliable diagnostic technique is the imaging modality of choice for acute bowel ischemia. However, diagnostic is often difficult mainly due to low attenuation differences between ischemic and perfused segments.PurposeTo compare the diagnostic efficacy of a new post-processing tool based on frequency selective non-linear blending with that of conventional linear contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) image blending for the detection of bowel ischemia.Material and MethodsTwenty-seven consecutive patients (19 women; mean age = 73.7 years, age range = 50–94 years) with acute bowel ischemia were scanned using multidetector CT (120 kV; 100–200 mAs). Pre-contrast and portal venous scans (65–70 s delay) were acquired. All patients underwent surgery for acute bowel ischemia and intraoperative diagnosis as well as histologic evaluation of explanted bowel segments was considered “gold standard.” First, two radiologists read the conventional CECT images in which linear blending w...