Contrast enhancement in electron beam tomography of the heart: comparison of a monomeric and a dimeric iodinated contrast agent in 59 patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study is to determine whether intravascular time-density course and visualization of the coronary arteries differ with use of a hyperosmolar monomeric versus an iso-osmolar dimeric contrast agent in electron beam tomography (EBT) of the heart.


METHODS
Fifty-nine patients underwent EBT of the coronary arteries using the monomeric ioversol or the dimeric iodixanol at the same concentration of 320 mg I/mL. Contrast volume was determined relative to body surface area and injected over 40 seconds. Intravascular time-density curves were created for quantitative analysis. For qualitative assessment, visualization of coronary arteries on axial scans and three-dimensional reconstructions was scored. Patients were matched for contrast flow, transit time, and mean pulse rate for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Ioversol produced a significantly greater increase in intravascular density for up to 30 seconds after injection (P < .01) compared with iodixanol. No difference between the two contrast media was seen in the qualitative assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Monomeric and dimeric contrast media differ in their time-density curves at coronary EBT, a reason for which is not apparent. Qualitative evaluation of coronary arteries is not affected by this difference.
Enzweiler
Christian N H
CN
Institut für Radiologie, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany. christian.enzweiler@charite.de
Höhn
Sebastian
S
Taupitz
Matthias
M
Lembcke
Alexander E
AE
Wiese
Till H
TH
Hamm
Bernd
B
Kivelitz
Dietmar E
DE
D019540:Area Under Curve; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; C044834:iodixanol; C054871:ioversol