Dual-Energy CT of the Abdomen and Pelvis: Radiation Dose Considerations

Dual-energy CT offers several new applications and opportunities for routine clinical practice. Increasing utilization in the context of both routine practice and clinical research raises questions about expected radiation dose when compared with conventional single-energy exams. Despite initial concerns, advanced iterative reconstruction techniques and creation of virtual unenhanced images in multiphase acquisitions offer methods for dose reduction. Although dose varies across patients and scanners, modern dual-energy exams allow for comparable and potentially decreased radiation dose when compared with single-energy CT. In this review, we examine dual-energy radiation dose considerations with discussion of accepted ACR diagnostic reference levels.