Highly iodinated intravenous contrast material for PET/CT - a feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE
Intravenous contrast materials (CM) are of benefit in PET/CT imaging. However, CM may influence tracer quantification and may cause artifacts when using the CT data for PET attenuation correction. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of applying a highly concentrated CM (HCCM, 400 mg iodine/ml) in PET/CT in comparison to a lower concentrated CM (LCCM, 300 mg iodine/ml).


METHODS
In 60 whole-body FDG PET/CT scans (30 scans each with HCCM and LCCM), tracer uptake (maximal standardized uptake value - SUVmax) and CT attenuation (Hounsfield Units) were quantified at 16 positions in different vessels and parenchyma. The number of potential PET artifacts was documented. The Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon Test was performed for statistical assessment (p < 0.05).


RESULTS
HCCM did not cause a significant increase in the SUVmax (p > 0.05) or the number of PET artifacts (p = 0.69) while simultaneously significantly increasing CT attenuation (p = 0.002) as compared to LCCM in 11 / 16 positions.


CONCLUSIONS
The application of HCCM seems feasible in PET/CT and should be considered in future protocols.
Heusner
T A
TA
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Germany.
Kuehl
H
H
Veit-Haibach
P
P
Hahn
S
S
Boy
C
C
Forsting
M
M
Bockisch
A
A
Antoch
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*
C057937:iomeprol; D007479:Iopamidol