title: Patient body weight-tailored contrast medium injection protocol for the craniocervical vessels: a prospective computed tomography study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate body weight-tailored contrast medium (CM) administration for computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the craniocervical vessels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional review board approval was obtained, and all patients gave written informed consent. Sixty patients were consecutively assigned to one of three dose groups (20 patients per group) with CM doses of Visipaque 270® (iodixanol 270 mg/ml) tailored to body weight at doses of 1.5, 1.0, or 0.5 ml/kg. Region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of maximum enhancement (ME) was conducted, and signal-to-noise-ratios (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR) were calculated. Retrospective comparison was performed with three matched control groups examined with a standard CM dose (80 ml of Visipaque 270®). Image quality was rated by two neuroradiologists blinded to the CM dose used. Interrater reliability was calculated using kappa statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body weight/BMI and ME were inversely correlated in the three control groups receiving the standard dose (r = -0.544/-0.597/-0.542/r = -0.358/r = -0.424/r = -0.280). Compared to standard dose, 1.5 ml/kg produced higher ME, SNR, and CNR in the anterior circulation (p≤0.038), 1.0 ml/kg had higher ME in cervical and medium-sized cerebral arteries (p≤0.034), and 0.5 ml/kg had lower ME, SNR and CNR for medium-sized cerebral arteries (p≤0.049). ME, SNR, and CNR were the same for 1.5 ml/kg and 1.0 ml/kg (p≥0.24), and both had higher values compared to 0.5 ml/kg (p≤0.043/p≤0.028). In patients with BMI>25, 1.5 ml/kg and 1.0 ml/kg produced higher ME than standard dose (p<0.001/p = 0.008), but ME in patients with BMI>25 did not differ between group 1 and group 2 (p = 0.673). In patients with BMI≤25, 1.5 ml/kg and 1.0 ml/kg produced ME comparable to standard dose (p = 0.132/p = 0.403). Regardless of patient weight, 0.5 ml/kg yielded lower ME than standard dose (p = 0.019/0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Craniocervical CTA with a body weight-tailored CM dose of 1.0 ml/kg (270 mg iodine/ml) reduces iodine load in patients weighing <80 kg while producing ME similar to standard dose and improves ME in patients with BMI>25.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hegenscheid
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleck
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaw
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosten
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Sönke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009420:Nervous System / Q000098:blood supply*; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; C044834:iodixanol