Correct iodinated contrast media (ICM) administration in multiphase hepatic CT studies is usually essential in the hepatic lesions identification and characterization [1], namely, concerning the administered ICM dose optimization [2] and the injection duration [3], but also other factors such as patient age [4], ICM volume and concentration, patient weight [5] and other body size measures [6]. Those factors imply the injection protocol definition according to the study objectives and patient conditions, which may promote the use of individualized protocols allowing to reduce the ICM...

A one-month prospective study, conducted at a hospital in the centre region of Portugal, collected information on bolus tracking supported multiphase hepatic CT studies of adult patients. The work, performed after appropriate authorization, ensured patients and health professional’s data confidentiality. This study collected data on patients’ anthropometric measurements, ICM injection protocol information and also, on relevant DICOM metadata and dose report. 1. Patient population This study enrolled 38 patients, 84 % males and 16% females, aged between 33 and 84 years old (63.8±12.6 years-old). Fig....

1. Injection protocol and monitor phase analysis The injected ICM volume averaged 94.7 ± 10.6 mL, which resulted in an administered ICM dose of 530.7 ± 79.4 mg I/kg BW. ICM dose showed a strong statistically significant negative correlation with BMI (r = -.657, n = 38, p

Bolus tracking arterial and portal venous delays optimization seemed to result in a constant aortic, portal vein and hepatic parenchyma enhancement since no variation was observed in structures enhancement when those delays were analysed. Early arterial acquisitions could be performed with 5- or 6-seconds DD, however, the aortic enhancement peak occurred with 7-seconds or higher DD. 10-seconds and 14-seconds DD held a better portal vein enhancement, expected on later arterial acquisitions. Procedures standardization was required to decrease the variability of different parameters, namely the optimization...

M. C. Couto; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose A. D. Gomes; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose R. C. M. C. R. Gaspar; Coimbra/PT - nothing to disclose R. M. S. C. Pereira; Aveiro/PT - nothing to disclose M. A. Santos; Arazede/PT - nothing to disclose N. M. F. Campos; Coimbra/PT - nothing to disclose M. Santos; Aveiro, AVEIRO/PT - nothing to disclose

[1] A. Furuta, K. Ito, T. Fujita, S. Koike, A. Shimizu, and N. Matsunaga, “Hepatic Enhancement in Multiphasic Contrast-Enhanced MDCT: Comparison of High- and Low-Iodine-Concentration Contrast Medium in Same Patients with Chronic Liver Disease,” Am. J. Roentgenol., vol. 183, no. 1, pp. 157–162, Jul. 2004 [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]Y. Tsuge et al., “Abdominal vascular and visceral parenchymal contrast enhancement in...