The photon-counting detector (PCD) is a new computed tomography detector technology (photon-counting computed tomography, PCCT) that provides substantial benefits for cardiac and coronary artery imaging. Compared with conventional CT, PCCT has multi-energy capability, increased spatial resolution and soft tissue contrast with near-null electronic noise, reduced radiation exposure, and optimization of the use of contrast agents. This new technology promises to overcome several limitations of traditional cardiac and coronary CT angiography (CCT/CCTA) including reduction in blooming artifacts in heavy calcified coronary plaques or beam-hardening artifacts in patients with coronary stents, and a more precise assessment of the degree of stenosis and plaque characteristic thanks to its better spatial resolution. Another potential application of PCCT is the use of a double-contrast agent to characterize myocardial tissue. In this current overview of the existing PCCT literature, we describe the strengths, limitations, recent applications, and promising developments of employing PCCT technology in CCT.

The widespread use of abdominal imaging techniques has increased the detection of solid renal masses over the past years. Imaging plays a crucial role in the management and surveillance and in determining which lesions need treatment. The “classical angiomyolipoma” is the only benign solid renal mass that can be characterized with confidence by imaging through the detection of a fat-containing lesion without calcifications. There is a large overlap of imaging features between benign and malignant renal masses that often makes difficult a correct characterization of these lesions. In this review, we discuss the imaging features of the main solid renal masses that may suggest a likely benign diagnosis.

Objectives:The aim of the study was to compare epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) characteristics assessed with coronary calcium score (CS) and CT coronary angiography (CTCA) image datasets.Methods:In 76 patients (mean age 59±13 years) who underwent CS and CTCA due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), EAT was quantified in terms of density (HU), thickness, and volume. The EAT volume was extracted with a semiautomatic software.Results:A moderate correlation was found between EAT density in CS and CTCA image datasets (-100±19HU vs. -70±24HU, p0.05, r=0.76). The EAT volume resulted 122±50 cm3 in CS and 86±40 cm3 in CTCA (Δ=30%, p<0.05, r=0.92). After adjustment for post-contrast EAT attenuation difference (Δ=30HU), the volume was 101±47 cm3 (Δ=17%, p<0.05, r=0.92). Based on EAT volume median values, no differences were found between groups with...