Optimization of cardiac MSCT contrast injection protocols: dependency of the main bolus contrast density on test bolus parameters and patients' body weight.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the correlation of test bolus (TB) curve parameters with main bolus (MB) contrast density for cardiac 16-slice computed tomography, and to correlate observed enhancement with patient body weight.


METHODS
Sixty patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease were included in a prospective double-blind study. Contrast material containing 300 mg iodine/mL (Iomeprol 300; Imeron 300, Bracco Imaging SpA, Milan, Italy) and 400 mg iodine/mL (Iomeprol 400; Imeron 400) was injected at a rate of 1 g of iodine/second. Contrast densities (Hounsfield units) of the MB were determined in the left cardiac system. The peak density (PD) of maximum attenuation and the area under the curve (AUC) of the TB curve were calculated for each patient. The dependency of MB contrast attenuation on these parameters and on patient body weight was evaluated.


RESULTS
Positive correlations (r = 0.52 and r = 0.56, respectively; P < .0001) were obtained between the PD and AUC of the TB curve with the mean density of the MB. Stronger correlations (r = 0.63 and r = 0.64, respectively; P < .0001) between PD and AUC of the TB curve and MB attenuation were found when patient body weight was included in the analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Strong correlation of the PD and AUC of the TB curve with the mean density of the MB is observed when patient body weight is considered. Contrast injection protocols may be optimized, and variations of MB contrast density in the left ventricle and main coronary arteries reduced, by taking these TB parameters and the weight of the patient into account.
Rist
Carsten
C
Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospitals - Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. carsten.rist@med.uni-meunchen.de
Becker
Christoph R
CR
Kirchin
Miles A
MA
Johnson
Thorsten R
TR
Busch
Stefanie
S
Bae
Kyongtae Ty
KT
Leber
Alexander W
AW
Reiser
Maximilian F
MF
Nikolaou
Konstantin
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001835:Body Weight; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media