Comparison of different iodine concentration contrast media in perfusion computed tomography of the brain: is high iodine concentration useful?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate maximum enhancement and visual map quality in cerebral perfusion computed tomography (PCT) with variation of iodine concentration of contrast media (CM).


METHODS
Two groups of 45 patients each, underwent PCT with either 370 mg iodine/mL (30 mL; 6 mL/s) or 300 mg iodine/mL (40 mL; 8 mL/s) CM, respectively, and similar total iodine dose. Parenchymal and vascular enhancement as well as contrast-to-noise ratio of superior sagittal sinus was measured on PCT source images. PCT maps were rated visually with dichotomized scale for diagnostic quality.


RESULTS
Enhancement and contrast-to-noise ratio of the superior sagittal sinus was significantly higher for the 370 mg iodine/mL protocol (P < 0.0002 and P < 0.007), whereas parenchymal enhancement was not significantly different. Diagnostic quality of PCT maps did not differ between both protocols (P < 0.557).


CONCLUSIONS
PCT using 370 mg iodine/mL CM can be reliably performed with reduced injection rate and less total volume enabling smaller diameter of intravenous canula compared with 300 mg iodine/mL CM.
Kloska
Stephan P
SP
Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany. kloska@uni-muenster.de
Fischer
Tobias
T
Nabavi
Darius G
DG
Wessling
Johannes
J
Dittrich
Ralf
R
Fischbach
Roman
R
Seidensticker
Peter
P
Ringelstein
E Bernd
EB
Heindel
Walter
W
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014783:Viscosity
D003287:Contrast Media; D007455:Iodine