Assessment of Intervertebral Lumbar Disk Herniation: Accuracy of Dual-Energy CT Compared to MRI.

ABSTRACT: Background: Lumbar disk herniation is a common cause of low back pain and radiculopathy, significantly impacting patients' life quality and functional capacity. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) remains the gold standard for its assessment due to its superior soft tissue contrast and multiplanar imaging capabilities. However, recent advances in spectral computed tomography (CT), particularly dual-energy CT (DECT), have introduced new diagnostic opportunities, offering improved soft tissue characterization. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of DECT in detecting and grading lumbar disk herniations using dedicated color-coded fat maps. Materials and Methods: A total of 205 intervertebral levels from 41 consecutive patients with lumbar symptoms were prospect

SUBMITTER: Ocello G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12524339 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature