title: Optimal contrast application for cardiac 4-detector-row computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to determine the optimal contrast protocol for 4-detector-row computed tomography angiography of the heart.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups with 300 and 400 mg/mL iodine concentrations and 2.5 and 3.5 mL/s flow rates. Contrast density was measured in the left ventricular cavity and coronary arteries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low iodine concentration injected at slow flow rate (0.75 g iodine/s) resulted in acceptable contrast enhancement in only 53.8% of the patients. There was no significant difference between low contrast concentration injected at high flow rate and high contrast concentration injected at slow flow rate ( approximately 1 g iodine/s). High contrast concentration administered with high flow rates (1.4 g iodine/s) may result in an enhancement above 350 Hounsfield units (HU) and interfere with coronary calcifications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The injection of approximately 1 g iodine/s resulted in an optimal (250-300 HU) contrast enhancement for cardiac 4-detector-row computed tomography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Munich, Grosshadern, Germany. christoph.becker@ikra.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Christoph R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knez
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leber
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruening
authors.forename: U Joseph
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Schoepf
authors.forename: Maximilian F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007455:Iodine