A Study on Pancreatic Fat Measurement Utilizing Three Material Decomposition Function of Dual-Energy CT

We conducted a study on pancreatic fat disorders and the quantified value of pancreatic fat utilizing the three material decomposition function of dual-energy CT. First, a phantom study was performed to examine the correlation between fat concentrations. Fat fraction, virtual non-contrast(VNC), and CT number were measured using fat phantoms with varying concentrations. Subsequently, the patient study from November 2022 to November 2023 included an experimental group with fat-related diseases and a control group without. Fat fraction, VNC, CT number, and iodine density were measured by placing regions of interest in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas. In the phantom study, there was a correlation observed among the measured fat fraction, VNC, and CT number values, with a level of significance.(P<0.05) As a result of independent t-tests conducted in the patient study revealed differences in fat fraction, VNC, and CT number across all regions of the pancreas,(P<0.05) while iodine density didn’t demonstrate any difference.(P>0.05) Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under curve of fat fraction was the highest in all pancreatic head. Dual-energy CT's three material decomposition function allows accurate measurement of the fat fraction at the pancreatic head. This can aid in diagnosing diseases related to pancreatic fat infiltration.