Keywords:
CT, Contrast agents, Liver, Contrast agent-intravenous, Diagnostic procedure, Drugs / Reactions, Prospective, Observational, Performed at one institution
Authors:
M. C. Couto1, A. D. Gomes1, R. C. M. C. R. Gaspar2, M. A. SANTOS3, R. M. S. C. Pereira1, N. M. F. Campos2, M. Santos1; 1Aveiro/PT, 2Coimbra/PT, 3ARAZEDE/PT
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2020/C-15341
Purpose
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 dose without impact in the image quality and hepatic parenchyma enhancement [7]. The use of different delay optimization tools, such as bolus tracking, contributes to this customization [8].
The purpose of this study was to analyse the variability of procedures in bolus tracking supported multiphase hepatic CT studies, and its repercussions on the aortic, portal vein and hepatic parenchyma enhancement in arterial and portal venous phases. It also analysed the contribution of the bolus tracking system into the total dose exposure.