DECT and rED are primarily used in calculating radiotherapy dose and treatment planning [7]. DECT is effective for differentiating benign and malignant tumors in hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, and cervical cancer [10, 12, 18, 25, 26]. In brain tumors, ED may correlate with tumor histology, glioma grading, and recurrence [2, 6, 13]. However, several quantitative studies have been conducted on this aspect. When used only for cerebral infarctions, Noguchi et al. reported that X-map, a novel imaging technique in DECT, could visualize ischemic lesions [15]. In this study, we emphasized and visualized HGG lesions using ED images, such as Gd-enhanced MRI (Figs. 1 and 2). This is the first study to visualize and emphasize brain tumor-like enhanced images without contrast medium. Our data showed that the high ED area of the HGG correlated with the Gd enhancement area on the image. Although a difference existed in the range of correlation among the raters, including radiological technician, experienced neurosurgeons, all measurements from each of the three raters showed significant results. In various evaluations from different positions and experiences, the ICC for the HEDA/GDA ratio was 0.75 (value of over 0.7 means OK in IRR). Our results indicate that ED images obtained with DECT without a contrast medium may be capable of drawing images, such as GdT1 in HGG.
MR images are effective for deciding tumor invasion area and using contrast medium emphasizes more. However, MRI cannot be performed for certain reasons, such as the presence of pacemaker, shunt system, and body metal and art, and conditions such as claustrophobia. Furthermore, the use of gadolinium in patients with allergy, asthma, and renal dysfunction remains a challenge. In this study, ED image without contrast medium resembled Gd-enhanced image on HGG. HGG patients in whom enhanced MRI cannot be conducted, due to the above-mentioned reasons, ED image may be useful. Furthermore, CT is inexpensive and requires a shorter examination time than does MRI. Contrast medium imaging emphasizes vessels, high blood volume, and disruption of the blood–brain barrier, whereas ED imaging emphasizes high ED tissues. Our Gd-enhanced sample and high ED area showed high cell density and malignancy (Fig. 2g and h), and the rED in the tumor area was higher than that in the CLWM in this study. Both contrast medium and ED images indirectly reveal the presence of tumor cells, and abnormal emphasis in the brain may predict the presence of high malignancy and density of tumor cells. Some studies have reported that ED and rED can predict glioma malignancy [2, 6]. Based on our results, both area and quantitative analyses of the ED-emphasized area on ED images may show high-density areas in HGG with the same Gd enhancement on MRI as the gold standard for HGG.
In the quantitative analysis of rEDs, the maximum rED showed the biggest difference (Fig. 4a, c, and e). HGG includes strong tumor heterogeneity through a homogeneously enhanced mass, and ED may reflect tumor heterogeneity. By contrast, cell heterogeneity is rare in normal brains, and the presence of heterogeneity in ED images may indicate high malignancy. Our results demonstrated the usefulness of using the ED on CT in HGG with only an evident mass. A cut-off value of 1.031 of the maximum rED distinguishes high density of tumor cells from normal brain.
Typical HGG and glioblastoma often exhibit ring enhancement, with several contents such as abnormal vessels, necrosis, inflammatory cells, and tumor cells are noted in this area. We presume that high ED implies high cell density; however, thin membrane of the ring enhancement indicates abnormal vessel and not high cell density. Furthermore, the inside of the ring enhancement is almost necrosis. We excluded the ring-enhanced shape due to risk of uncertain measurement of ED, and only 10 cases with noticeably enhanced mass were included. However, as several HGGs exhibit ring enhancement, ED images of all HGG shapes should be included in future studies. Furthermore, our study presents results from only one shape with noticeable mass, from among the several types of HGG shape. ED tends to be higher near the bone because of CT; however, the underlying mechanism of this type of occurrence in HGG remains unclear. Thus, elucidation of this aspect and the pathological evidence needs to be clarified. It is challenging to visualize all shapes of HGG, including cysts and ring enhancements. In future studies, additional cases may make our results more applicable to HGGs with various shapes.