Relationship between contrast enhancement and diagnostic accuracy with the liver-specific CT contrast medium FP 736-04 in an experimental model of liver metastases.
OBJECTIVE
The authors sought to establish the optimal level of liver enhancement at computed tomography (CT) with a hepatocyte-specific contrast medium in an experimental model of liver metastases.


METHODS
Anesthetized nude rats (n = 18) injected intraportally with cells from human colonic adenocarcinoma and Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 11) without metastases were used. A fractional intravenous infusion of contrast material was given in escalating doses up to a total of 4.0 mL per kilogram of body weight. Mean attenuation of the liver was calculated for each accumulated dose, and the overall detection rate was determined on a lesion-by-lesion basis. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were also established for each dose.


RESULTS
Liver metastases were diagnosed with increasing reliability for enhancement values of up to 30.0 HU +/- 5.2 (mean +/- standard deviation), which corresponded to a dose of 0.5 mL/kg.


CONCLUSIONS
In this model, optimal reliability in the diagnosis of liver metastases with CT was achieved at an enhancement value of approximately 30 HU.
Bergman
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Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Magnusson
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Sundin
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D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007459:Iodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D011923:Rats, Nude; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D003287:Contrast Media; C106557:FP 736-04; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D007459:Iodized Oil; D002784:Cholesterol