Somatom emotion 6

All patients underwent a comprehensive examination to clarify the extent and stage of the tumor according to current international standards and recommendations for the diagnosis of malignancies. For this purpose, endoscopic diagnostics (fiber optic bronchoscopy, fiber optic laryngoscopy) and radiological imaging (spiral computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) were used, as well as the mandatory morphological verification of tumors by biopsied material.
Radiological imaging was performed on a Siemens Magnetron Essenza 1.5 T magnetic resonance tomograph and Siemens Somatom Emotion 6 computer tomograph (Heusenstamm, Germany). Endoscopic diagnostic methods were implemented using two devices: an OLYMPUS EVIS EXERA II Series 180 endoscopic tower using Olympus bronchoscopes (diameter 4.8 mm) (Tokyo, Japan) and a Karl Storz TELE PACK endoscopic video unit using a rigid tele-laryngoscope (diameter 5.8 mm, angle of view 70°) and a fiber optic rhino-pharyngo-laryngoscope (diameter 3.5 mm) (Tuttlingen, Germany).
Ultrasonic examination of lymph nodes of the neck and abdominal organs was carried out on an Aloka SSD 5500 system using a linear sensor with a frequency of 10 MHz and a convex sensor with a frequency of 3.5 MHz, using polypositional scanning in grayscale (B-mode) and color Doppler mapping (CDM) in real time (Tokyo, Japan).

QCT scans of the implanted and intact specimens, as well as of the two selected femoral stems were conducted using a clinical computed tomography (CT) scanner (64-slice) (Siemens Somatom Emotion 6, Siemens AG, Germany). 3D images were reconstructed with a voxel size of approximately 0.17 × 0.17 × 0.6 mm³. Trabecular and cortical bone were segmented from the CT scans based on gray-scale transition values using in-house written code [22 (link)]. Furthermore, 3D models of the two prostheses were also created after segmentation of the implant in the implant scan images.

Chest CT was performed using a 6-row multi-detector row CT machine (SOMATOM Emotion 6; Siemens, Tokyo, Japan) set at the parameters typically used at the facility (130 kVp, effective current 95 mAs, 2-mm collimation × 6, pitch of 1.4). Based on measurements of the dosimetry phantom (diameter 32 cm, length 35 cm) under automatic exposure control by dose-modulation software (Software CARE Dose4D; Siemens, Tokyo, Japan), the radiation exposure of each subject was estimated to be less than 2.8 mSv. Two types of axial images (5-mm thickness/5-mm interval and 2.5-mm thickness/1.5-mm interval, respectively) were obtained and reconstructed before being reviewed on the picture archiving and communication system monitor by 2 radiologists with 23 and 19 years of experience, respectively, who were blind to the chest X-ray results. Positive CT criteria were based on the report by Im et al. [10] (link). A positive chest CT result was indicated if one or more of the following evaluation criteria was observed: 1) consolidation, 2) cavitation, 3) clusters of non-calcified nodules ≤4 mm in diameter associated with dilated or thickened peripheral airway walls, 4) non-calcified nodules >4 mm in diameter with adjacent small nodules, and/or 5) widespread distribution of small nodules 1–4 mm in diameter. The presence or absence of lymphadenopathy or pleural effusion was also recorded.

All patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT with an iodine contrast injection of high concentration (300 mg I/mL, Iomeron 300, Bracco, Italy), a 90–130 mL volume (based on patient weight), and a 3–4 mL/s flow rate. The contrast-enhanced scan was triggered by 150 HU density in the abdominal aorta (at the level of the celiac axis) and the portal venous phase was acquired with a 60 s delay (standard protocol). Both the single portal venous phase and the venous phase of a multi-phase CT were included. The CT scans were acquired using three different CT scanners (Siemens SOMATOM Emotion 6, Siemens SOMATOM Sensation Cardiac 64 and Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash—Siemens Healthcare, Berlin, Germany) with different acquisition parameters: tube voltage between 100 and 130 kVp, variable values between 0.61 and 0.98 mm for pixel spacing and between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm for slice thickness; five different values for the reconstruction kernel (B31s, B40s, B20f, B30f, Br32f). The DICOM header of images was analyzed to retrieve the acquisition and reconstruction parameters for a subsequent reproducibility analysis of radiomic features.

Unenhanced chest CT scans were performed using a six-row multidetector CT scanner (SOMATOM Emotion 6; Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) with the following parameters: tube voltage, 130 kVp; effective current, 95mA; collimation, 6 x 2 mm, helical pitch, 1.4; field of view, 38 cm; matrix size, 512 x 512. A 1.0-mm thick slice with a 1.0-mm slice increment was reconstructed before analysis. Scanning was performed in the supine position at full inspiration. All patients underwent CT scan within 4 days after symptom onset for symptomatic patients, early to intermediate phase for radiologic manifestations of COVID-19 [14 (link)].
CT image analysis data was performed as per the previously published reports for the patients included in this study [13 (link)]. Evaluation included the following parameters [15 (link)]: the presence or absence of pure ground-glass opacity (GGO), crazy-paving pattern (GGO with inter- or intralobular septal thickening), consolidation, findings compatible with organizing pneumonia (i.e., consolidation with volume loss, subpleural curvilinear lines, and/or reversed halo sign) [16 (link)], and vascular enlargement inside the opacities. The number of affected lobes and anterior or posterior predominance was also recorded.