Diagnostic performance and radiation dose estimates in follow-up imaging of endovascular aneurysm repair using dual-energy computed tomography protocol: a narrative review

Purpose: This review aims to evaluate diagnostic performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in follow-up examinations after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and its radiation dose estimates compared to the standard triphasic protocol. Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted. Articles were screened against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A narrative review of the literature was performed. A summary statistic table of the calculated mean effective dose, percentages in dose reduction and diagnostic performance of DECT were pooled. Results: Data from the DECT acquisitions suggested a 98-100% overall accuracy for detecting type I and II endoleaks. The effective dose delivered in the DECT protocol was approximately 61% lower than that delivered to patients by the standard triphasic protocol. Conclusion: A DECT protocol can replace the standard triphasic protocol in follow-up imaging after EVAR for detecting type I and II endoleaks. This acquisition protocol also significantly reduces the effective dose to the patients