Feasibility of low-volume injections of contrast material with a body weight-adapted iodine-dose protocol in 320-detector row coronary CT angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of low-volume injections of contrast material with a body weight-adapted iodine-dose protocol in computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) using a 320-detector row scanner.


METHODS
Ninety-eight patients who underwent CTCA in a single heartbeat with electrocardiogram-gating were divided into two groups, receiving 0.8 mL/kg of contrast material injected at a fixed duration of 12 seconds (A; n = 48) or 0.7 mL/kg of contrast material injected at a fixed duration of 10 seconds (B; n = 50); all patients then received 20 mL of saline. Contrast densities were assessed for the ascending aorta, left ventricle, right coronary artery (RCA), and left main coronary artery (LMA).


RESULTS
The mean flow rate was 4.00 + or - 0.56 mL/second in group A and 4.06 + or - 0.57 mL/second in group B (P = .51). There were no significant differences in the mean enhancement values of the ascending aorta, LMA and proximal RCA between the two groups. Also, there was no significant difference between the mean enhancement values at the three different levels of the RCA (proximal, middle, and distal segments) (group A; P = .27, group B; P = .07).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of 0.7 mL/kg of contrast material injected at a fixed duration of 10 seconds was feasible for CTCA using 320-detector row CT, with a sufficient and reliable contrast enhancement in the ascending aorta and coronary artery.
Tatsugami
Fuminari
F
Department of Radiology, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki City, Osaka 569-8686, Japan.
Matsuki
Mitsuru
M
Inada
Yuki
Y
Kanazawa
Shuji
S
Nakai
Go
G
Takeda
Yoshihiro
Y
Morita
Hideaki
H
Takada
Haruhiko
H
Ashida
Kenji
K
Yoshikawa
Shushi
S
Fukumura
Katsunori
K
Narumi
Yoshifumi
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001835:Body Weight; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; C057937:iomeprol; D007479:Iopamidol