Dual Energy Computed Tomography Applications for the Evaluation of the Spine.

Capturing the energy-dependent x-ray attenuation of different tissues, dual-energy computed tomography offers multiple benefits in the imaging of the spine, such as bone and iodinated contrast removal, monosodium urate imaging, and robust reduction of beam-hardening artifacts. The emerging new applications of this technique include bone marrow imaging in acute trauma and myeloinfiltrative disorders, improved bone density determination, and noninvasive assessment of spinal gout.