High concentration (400 mgI/mL) versus low concentration (320 mgI/mL) iodinated contrast media in multi detector computed tomography of the liver: a randomized, single centre, non-inferiority study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare vascular and parenchymal contrast enhancement in multidetector computed tomography of the liver using two contrast media with different iodine concentration (Iodixanol 320 mgI/mL and Iomeprol 400 mgI/mL) and similar viscosity, using fixed total iodine volume (40 gI) and iodine delivery rate (1.6 gI/s).


METHODS
110 patients were prospectively randomized into two groups. Group A received 125 mL of Iodixanol 320 and group B 100 mL of Iomeprol 400. Attenuation values were measured at the level of the aorta, portal vein and liver parenchyma on unenhanced, arterial, portal and equilibrium phases. A non inferiority test was performed on the differences between the two groups. An independent reader evaluated image quality.


RESULTS
The equivalence of the two CM was demonstrated in all measurements. Higher, but not statistically significant, attenuation values were obtained with Iomeprol 400 in the aorta during the arterial phase (305.3 HU versus 288.4 HU; P=0.32) and with Iodixanol 320 in the liver parenchyma, during both portal (59.8 HU versus 65.5 HU; P=0.78) and equilibrium (40.4 HU versus 41.8 HU; P=0.55) phases.


CONCLUSIONS
Iodixanol 320 and Iomeprol 400 injected at the same iodine delivery rate (1.6 gI/s) and total iodine load (40 gI) did not provide statistically significant differences in liver parenchymal and vascular contrast enhancement.
Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, University of Rome SAPIENZA, Polo Pontino, I.C.O.T., Via Franco Faggiana 34, 04100 Latina, Italy. marco.rengo@gmail.com
Marco
M
Rengo
Damiano
D
Caruso
Carlo N
CN
De Cecco
Paola
P
Lucchesi
Davide
D
Bellini
Marco Maria
MM
Maceroni
Riccardo
R
Ferrari
Pasquale
P
Paolantonio
Franco
F
Iafrate
Iacopo
I
Carbone
Fabrizio
F
Vecchietti
Andrea
A
Laghi
D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D007455:Iodine