CT depiction of experimental liver tumors: contrast enhancement with hepatocyte-selective iodinated triglyceride versus conventional techniques.
OBJECTIVE
To compare findings at computed tomography (CT) enhanced with a hepatocyte-selective contrast agent (iodinated triglyceride) and/or iohexol and at CT during arterial portography (CTAP).


METHODS
Rabbit livers were directly inoculated with VX2 carcinoma. Results were compared for five helical CT examinations: unenhanced CT, iohexol-enhanced CT (600 mg iodine per kilogram of body weight [mg I/kg]), CTAP (with iohexol [600 mg I/kg]), triglyceride-enhanced CT (126 mg I/kg), and dual-contrast-enhanced CT (triglyceride plus iohexol [425 mg I/kg]). Attenuation of normal liver and tumor were compared with analysis of variance techniques and blinded reader evaluations.


RESULTS
Normal liver attenuation was greatest at CTAP (127.3 HU +/- 5.3 [mean +/- standard error of the mean]), followed by dual-contrast-enhanced CT (112.4 HU +/- 1.2), iohexol-enhanced CT (97.9 HU +/- 2.2), triglyceride-enhanced CT (82.3 HU +/- 1.1), and unenhanced CT (54.9 HU +/- 1.8). Liver-to-lesion attenuation difference at triglyceride-enhanced CT was significantly greater than at iohexol-enhanced CT (P < .05), and attenuation differences at dual-contrast-enhanced CT were comparable to those at CTAP. Tumors did not enhance at triglyceride-enhanced CT, which increased conspicuity. Sensitivity values for lesion detection at dual-contrast-enhanced CT were greater than those at iohexol-enhanced CT or at CTAP (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
At CT enhanced with triglyceride (especially when combined with iohexol), sensitivity values and liver-to-lesion attenuation differences were greater with lower iodine doses than with iohexol or at CTAP.
Lee
F T
FT
Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792-3252, USA.
Chosy
S G
SG
Naidu
S G
SG
Goldfarb
S
S
Weichert
J P
JP
Bakan
D A
DA
Kuhlman
J E
JE
Tambeaux
R H
RH
Sproat
I A
IA
D000818:Animals; D007455:Iodine; D007472:Iohexol; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011172:Portography; D011817:Rabbits; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014280:Triglycerides
D014280:Triglycerides; D007472:Iohexol; D007455:Iodine