The use of intravenous contrast media (ICM) in hepatic computed tomography (CT) studies is subject to multiple factors that influence its administration. Regarding the patient, body weight and cardiac performance were the main factors that influence contrast enhancement [1]. Beyond those, there are other factors with influence on the ICM administration protocol, such as renal function, gender, age, venous access, and the patient's clinical status [1][2]. On the other hand, factors such as flow, scan delay time, and ICM concentration and volume contribute to the...

1. Data collection After appropriate authorization, a six-week prospective study conducted at a medium-sized hospital in the centre region of Portugal collected information on multiphase hepatic-CT examinations of adult patients. The patients’ confidentiality, as well as of all actors involved in health care, was ensured. The work took place under the initiative of continuous improvement of professional practice in the medical imaging department. A questionnaire was used to collect pertinent ICM injection protocol data and anthropometric measurements (body weight and body height). Also, relevant DICOM...

1. Sample This work evaluated a total of 33 hepatic-CT studies, 15 female (45 %) and 18 male (55 %) patients. Observed patient anthropometrics were 73.7 ± 16.1 kg to body weight (BW), 166.0 ± 9.1 cm to body height and 26.7 ± 5.5 to calculated body mass index (BMI). Patient aged between 30 and 90 years old (66.6 ± 13.9 years old) with the distribution presented in Fig. 2. 2. Injection protocol Injection protocol collected data showed that 3.0 mL/s was the most used...

In this work, shorter arterial delays (35 seconds) presented a better aortic arterial enhancement and a reduced portal vein and hepatic parenchyma arterial enhancement. Therefore, 35 seconds scan delay resulted in an early hepatic arterial phase standard [10]. Also, the patient's left side venous puncture reduced portal vein arterial enhancement. In this institution, early hepatic arterial delays were preferred, however late hepatic arterial phases should be considered in hypervascular lesions studies [5][10](achieved when 40 seconds delay was used). Regarding portal venous structures enhancement, minimal diagnostic...

Pereira, R. M.; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose [email protected] Gomes, A. D.; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose Couto, M. C.; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose Cardoso, R. M.; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose Neves, N. M. M.; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose Gaspar, R. C. M. C. R.; Coimbra/PT - nothing to disclose Santos, M.; Aveiro, Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose [email protected]

[1]K. T. Bae, “Principles of Contrast Medium Delivery and Scan Timing in MDCT,” in MDCT: From Protocols to Practice, M. K. Kalra, S. Saini, and G. D. Rubin, Eds. Milan: Springer-Verlag Italia, 2006, pp. 10–24. [2]Y. Yamashita et al., “Abdominal Helical CT: Evaluation of Optimal Doses of Intravenous Contrast Material—A Prospective Randomized Study,” Radiology, vol. 216, no. 3, pp. 718–723, Sep. 2000. [3]K. T. Bae, “Intravenous Contrast Medium Administration and Scan Timing at CT: Considerations and Approaches,” Radiology, vol. 256, no. 1, pp. 32–61, Jul....