Introducción:
La energía dual en la tomografía computarizada es una tecnología cada vez más disponible. Sus herramientas y aplicaciones se han descrito por lo menos en los últimos 10 años y uno de los campos más estudiados y de mayor utilidad es sin duda el oncológico. La capacidad de obtener distintos conjuntos de datos con base en materiales específicos (imágenes en densidad de yodo, simples virtuales, monoenergéticas), en la misma adquisición, representa una mayor información sobre una lesión y su comportamiento. Dicha información tiene un efecto no sólo en el diagnóstico sino también en la evaluación de la respuesta posterior al tratamiento.

Objetivos:
Ilustrar la aplicación de las herramientas espectrales en el diagnóstico y seguimiento (posterior al tratamiento locorregional) de pacientes con carcinoma hepatocelular (CHC), además de explicar y ejemplificar el uso de cada una de ellas.

Conclusión:
Los estudios con TCED proporcionan mayor información que puede utilizarse de forma personalizada y ser un auxiliar durante la interpretación, sin incrementar la dosis de radiación y la de medio de contraste o incluso con una dosis menor. Es importante conocer las herramientas que esta tecnología ofrece para obtener ventaja de ellas en el diagnóstico y seguimiento de pacientes oncológicos.

Palabras Clave:
Tomografía dual. Espectral. Carcinoma hepatocelular.

Introduction:
Dual energy computed tomography is a current technology increasingly available. Its tools and applications have been described at least in the past ten years and one of the most investigated fields is oncology.The capability of obtaining different material-specific datasets (iodine map, virtual unenhanced, and mono- chromatic images) in the same acquisition provides more information about a lesion and its behavior. Such information has an impact not only for diagnosis but also in the evaluation response after treatment.

Objective:
Illustrate how the use of spectral CT tools improves the diagnosis and follow up after loco regional treatment in HCC patients. Explain and exemplify the uses of each one of them.

Conclusion:
Spectral CT studies provide more information that can be used in a personalized manner, been an auxiliary tool during interpretation, without increasing radiation dose and contrast material volume or even decreasing them. We must get more involved in the use of this technology in order to take advantage of all the tools it offers for diagnostic and response evaluation in oncology patients.

Key words:
Dual-energy tomography. Spectral. Hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction:
Dual energy computed tomography is a current technology increasingly available. Its tools and applications have been described at least in the past ten years and one of the most investigated fields is oncology.The capability of obtaining different material-specific datasets (iodine map, virtual unenhanced, and mono- chromatic images) in the same acquisition provides more information about a lesion and its behavior. Such information has an impact not only for diagnosis but also in the evaluation response after treatment.

Objective:
Illustrate how the use of spectral CT tools improves the diagnosis and follow up after loco regional treatment in HCC patients. Explain and exemplify the uses of each one of them.

Conclusion:
Spectral CT studies provide more information that can be used in a personalized manner, been an auxiliary tool during interpretation, without increasing radiation dose and contrast material volume or even decreasing them. We must get more involved in the use of this technology in order to take advantage of all the tools it offers for diagnostic and response evaluation in oncology patients.

Key words:
Dual-energy tomography. Spectral. Hepatocellular carcinoma.