Cerebral CT angiography using a reduced dose of contrast material at high iodine concentration in combination with a saline flush

Computed tomography pulmonary angiography using a 20% reduction in contrast medium dose delivered in a multiphasic injection

AIM

To evaluate the feasibility of reducing the dose of iodinated contrast agent in computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA).

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-seven patients clinically suspected of having pulmonary embolism underwent spiral CTPA, out of whom fifty-seven received 75 mL and the remaining seventy a lower dose of 60 mL of contrast agent. Both doses were administered in a multiphasic injection. A minimum opacification threshold of 250 Hounsfield units (HU) in the main pulmonary artery is used for assessing the technical adequacy of the scans.

RESULTS

Mean opacification was found to be positively correlated to patient age (Pearson’s correlation 0.4255, P < 0.0001) and independent of gender (male:female, 425.6 vs 450.4, P = 0.34). When age is accounted for, the study and control groups did not differ significantly in their mean opacification in the main (436.8 vs 437.9, P = 0.48), left (416.6 vs 419.8, P = 0.45) or the right pulmonary arteries (417.3 vs 423.5, P = 0.40). The number of sub-optimally opacified scans (the mean opacification in the main pulmonary artery < 250 HU) did not differ significantly between the study and control groups (7 vs 10).

CONCLUSION

A lower dose of iodine contrast at 60 mL can be feasibly used in CTPA without resulting in a higher number of sub-optimally opacified scans.

Shaped-bolus protocol reduces contrast medium volume in abdominal CT while maintaining image quality

AIM

To prospectively assess whether bolus shaping to exponentially decrease the contrast medium injection rate leads to alteration in image validity or renal function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this prospective study, patients alternatively received 100 ml contrast medium versus 75 ml via bolus shaping. Image quality was assessed via measurement of attenuation values in the aorta, liver, and spleen and also blinded subjective assessment of image sharpness, low contrast detectability, image noise, and overall quality. Renal function was assessed by change in creatinine levels up to 72 hours post-contrast medium administration.

RESULTS

Of 190 abdominal computed tomography (CT) studies performed in the 3-month period, 98 received the 75 ml dose. There was no significant difference in renal function or objective image quality with a significant improvement in image sharpness in the 100 ml group.

CONCLUSIONS

By using bolus-shaping software, it is possible to maintain objective image quality while reducing the contrast medium load to the patient. This has significant implications regarding clinical practice in decreasing cost and risks associated with iodinated contrast media.

Carotid and cerebral CT angiography using low volume of iodinated contrast material and low tube voltage

PURPOSE

To evaluate image quality of carotid computed tomography angiography (CTA) using a low voltage (80kV) and low amount of iodinated contrast material.

MATERIALS-METHODS

A total of 101 patients referred for carotid CTA were randomly assigned to receive a specific protocol. In group A patients received intravenous administration of contrast material at a dose of 1mL/kg and CTA examinations were performed at 100kV. In group B, patients received intravenous administration of contrast material at a dose of 0.5mL/kg and CTA examinations were performed at 80kV. The same nonionic iodinated contrast material containing 370mg of iodine per mL was used in both groups. Attenuation values were measured from the center of specific arterial segments using regions of interest. Attenuation values above 300HU were accepted as significant. Institutional review board approval was obtained.

RESULTS

A total of 50 patients were included in group A (38 men, 12 women; mean age, 63.56 years±13.18 [SD]) and 51 patients in group B (33 men, 18 women; mean age, 59.60 years±16.63 [SD]). A total of 1615 arterial segments (1515 common carotid artery-middle cerebral artery and 101 aortic arches) were analyzed. Venous contamination was not observed in either group. The mean attenuation values of all arterial segments in both groups were greater than 300HU. Mean arterial attenuation value in group B (499.22HU±97.25 [SD]) was significantly greater than in group A (374.36HU±73.79 [SD]) (P<0.01). Hemodynamically significant stenosis (grade III stenosis or >70%) was detected in 2 segments in group A and in 3 segments in group B, while grade IV stenosis (occlusion) was detected in 2 segments in group B. Distal common carotid artery dissection was detected in 1 patient and aortic dissection was detected in 1 patient in group B. Total dose-length product (DLP) value was significantly greater in group A (225.74mGy·cm±21.80 [SD]) than in group B (116.60mGy·cm±21.22 [SD]) (P<0.01). The mean tube current was similar in group A (2013.11mAs±195.92 [SD]) and in group B (2096.64 mAs±309.03 [SD]) (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Carotid and cerebral CTA examinations using 128-section CT can be successfully obtained using an imaging protocol that combines low voltage and 50% reduction in the volume of iodinated contrast material. This provides good image quality with low radiation dose.

CT pulmonary angiography using a reduced volume of high-concentration iodinated contrast medium and multiphasic injection to achieve dose reduction

AIM

To evaluate whether a reduced volume of a higher-concentration iodinated contrast medium delivered with a multiphasic injection could be used in computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to achieve a reduction in dose without adversely affecting image quality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The CTPA images were retrospectively evaluated of 69 patients who received 100 ml of 300 mg iodine/ml ioversol, injected at constant rate of 5 ml/s and 70 patients who received 75 ml of 350 mg iodine/ml ioversol contrast medium delivered using a multiphasic injection protocol (starting at 5 ml/s and reducing exponentially). The degree of opacification in the proximal pulmonary arteries was measured in Hounsfield units.

RESULTS

The groups did not differ in terms of age, sex distribution, or weight. The mean iodine dose was lower in the 75 ml of 350 mg iodine/ml group (26.25 versus 29.5 g, p < 0.0001). Mean opacification did not differ significantly between the 75 ml of 350 mg iodine/ml and 100 ml of 300 mg iodine/ml groups in the main pulmonary artery (365 versus 331, p = 0.055) although it was significantly higher in the 75 ml group in the right (352 versus 315, p = 0.024) and left pulmonary arteries (347 versus 312, p = 0.028). Opacification correlated positively with age and negatively with weight (p < 0.001) and when these effects had been accounted for, the differences in opacification were not statistically significant in the main (p = 0.23), right (p = 0.11), or left pulmonary arteries (p = 0.13). The number of suboptimally opacified studies (opacification of less than 250 HU in main pulmonary artery) did not differ between the groups (12 versus 13, p = 0.83).

CONCLUSION

A reduction in iodine dose can be achieved without adversely affecting pulmonary arterial enhancement in CTPA by administering a smaller volume of high-concentration contrast medium using a multiphasic injection protocol.

Cerebral CT angiography using a small volume of concentrated contrast material with a test injection method: optimal scan delay for quantitative and qualitative performance

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal scan delay quantitatively and qualitatively in cerebral CT angiography (CTA) with a test injection method at the circle of Willis (cW).

METHODS

66 consecutive patients suspected of having unruptured intracranial aneurysms underwent CTA using 40 ml of 370 mg iodine ml(-1) contrast material (CM). After the time until CM arrival at the cW (T(cW)) was calculated, scan delay was divided into three groups according to T(cW) and scan duration (SD) between the second cervical vertebra and cW as follows: [(T(cW)+6)-SD] in 21 patients (Group A); [(T(cW)+8)-SD] in 23 patients (Group B); and [(T(cW)+10)-SD] in 22 patients (Group C). Arterial and venous attenuation in the intracranial vessels was measured. Mean attenuation values were compared quantitatively. The arterial enhancement and venous overlap at the cW and above the cW were qualitatively compared among the three groups.

RESULTS

Mean arterial attenuation in Groups B and C was significantly higher than that in Group A. Mean venous attenuation in Group C was significantly higher than those in Groups A and B. Arterial enhancement above the cW showed a significant difference between Groups A and C, and at the cW between Groups A and B, and Groups A and C. There was a significant difference in venous overlap among the three groups, except for that at the cW between Groups B and C.

CONCLUSIONS

Setting scan delay as [(T(cW)+8)-SD] s can produce the best performance both quantitatively and qualitatively.