title: Intra-individual comparison of different contrast media concentrations (300 mg, 370 mg and 400 mg iodine) in MDCT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare intra-individual contrast enhancement in multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) using contrast media (CM) containing 300, 370 and 400 mg iodine per ml (mgI/ml).
  
  
  METHODS
  Six pigs underwent repeated chest MDCT using three different CM (iopromide 300, iopromide 370, iomeprol 400). An identical iodine delivery (IDR) rate of 1.5 gI/s and a constant total iodine dose of 300 mg/kg body weight were used. Dynamic CT were acquired at the level of the pulmonary artery, and the ascending and descending aorta. After the time enhancement curves were computed, the pulmonary and aortic peak enhancement, time to peak and plateau time above 300 HU were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra-individual peak contrast enhancement was significantly higher for the 300 mgI/ml contrast medium compared with the 370 and 400 mgI/ml media: pulmonary trunk 595 HU vs 516 HU (p = 0.0093) vs 472 HU (p = 0.0005), and aorta 505 HU vs 454 HU (p = 0.0008) vs 439 HU (p = 0.0001), respectively. Comparison of time to peaks showed no significant difference. Plateau times were significantly longer for the 300 mgI/ml than for the 370 and 400 mgI/ml CM at all anatomical sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given normalised IDR and total iodine burden, the use of CM with a standard concentration with 300 mg iodine/ml provides improved contrast enhancement compared with highly concentrated CM in the chest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. behrendt@rad.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Florian F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.forename: Hubertus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pietsch
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sieber
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plumhans
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seidensticker
authors.forename: Rolf W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Andreas H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mahnken
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001027:Aortography; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007455:Iodine