Saini S, Bhatia A, Bansal A, Saxena AK, Sodhi KS. Dual-energy computed tomography in children: Technique and clinical applications. World J Clin Pediatr 2025; 14(4): 108823 [DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v14.i4.108823]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Kushaljit Singh Sodhi, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Radio Diagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh 160012, India. sodhiks@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 9, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 31, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics
ISSN
2219-2808
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Saini S, Bhatia A, Bansal A, Saxena AK, Sodhi KS. Dual-energy computed tomography in children: Technique and clinical applications. World J Clin Pediatr 2025; 14(4): 108823 [DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v14.i4.108823]
Shubham Saini, Anmol Bhatia, Aarushi Bansal, Akshay Kumar Saxena, Kushaljit Singh Sodhi, Department of Radio Diagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India
Co-first authors: Shubham Saini and Anmol Bhatia.
Author contributions: Saini S, Bhatia A, and Bansal A prepared the figures; Saini S and Bhatia A performed the majority of the writing; Saxena AK provided inputs for writing the paper; Sodhi KS designed the outline, coordinated the writing of the paper, and revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content; All authors approved the version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Kushaljit Singh Sodhi, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Radio Diagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh 160012, India. sodhiks@gmail.com
Received: April 24, 2025 Revised: May 21, 2025 Accepted: August 25, 2025 Published online: December 9, 2025 Processing time: 191 Days and 0.6 Hours
Abstract
Dual-energy CT (DECT) is an advancement in CT technology that allows for the acquisition of images at two different energy levels. Two main post-processing tools, which form the backbone of DECT, include material decomposition and virtual monoenergetic images. Material decomposition helps in the generation of virtual nonenhanced, iodine, pulmonary lung blood volume, lung vessel, automated bone removal, and renal stone characterization images. DECT offers a broad spectrum of clinical applications in pediatric imaging, including vascular, neurological, thoracic, abdominal, skeletal, and oncologic assessments. Additionally, it contributes to shorter scan times and enables the use of lower contrast media volumes while maintaining diagnostic image quality. This technique provides unique qualitative and quantitative information about the composition of the tissue, allowing differentiation of materials, including iodinated contrast agents. The radiation dose of DECT is equivalent to or lower than that of a single-energy CT, adding to the advantages of DECT, especially in children who are more sensitive to the harmful effects of radiation. In this minireview we outlined the basic principles of the DECT technique and its post-processing techniques with emphasis on clinical applications in pediatric imaging.
Core Tip: Dual-energy CT has a wide range of applications in vascular, brain, chest, abdomen, skeletal, and oncological imaging in children. Concerns have always been raised about the potential risks of ionizing radiation in the pediatric population from CT scans. Amongst the recent advancements in CT technology, dual-energy CT stands out because of its ability to provide enhanced diagnostic information, reduce radiation doses, and facilitate faster scans, making it a highly promising imaging investigation in children.
