CTsaturatie

CT saturatie refers to the CT number or Hounsfield Unit (HU) value assigned to a specific tissue or material within a computed tomography (CT) scan. CT numbers are a quantitative measure of how much a particular tissue attenuates X-rays, which is influenced by its density and composition. Water is defined as 0 HU, air as -1000 HU, and dense bone can be over +1000 HU. Different tissues have characteristic CT saturations. For example, fat typically has a CT saturation of around -100 HU, muscle is around +50 HU, and blood is around +60 HU. These values are crucial for image interpretation and analysis. Radiologists use CT saturations to differentiate between various tissues, identify abnormalities like tumors or fluid collections, and assess the severity of conditions. In some advanced applications, precise CT saturation measurements can be used for quantitative analysis, such as estimating bone mineral density or characterizing the composition of lesions. The accuracy of CT saturations can be influenced by factors like the CT scanner's calibration, beam hardening artifacts, and the presence of contrast agents.