title: An evaluation of the use of oral contrast media in abdominopelvic CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of different oral contrast media (OCM) for abdominopelvic CT examinations performed for follow-up general oncological indications. The objectives were to establish anatomical image quality criteria for abdominopelvic CT; use these criteria to evaluate and compare image quality using positive OCM, neutral OCM and no OCM; and evaluate possible benefits for the medical imaging department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six adult patients attending a follow-up abdominopelvic CT for general oncological indications and who had a previous abdominopelvic CT with positive OCM (n = 46) were recruited and prospectively placed into either the water (n = 25) or no OCM (n = 21) group. Three radiologists performed absolute visual grading analysis (VGA) to assess image quality by grading the fulfilment of 24 anatomical image quality criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual grading characteristics (VGC) analysis of the data showed comparable image quality with regards to reproduction of abdominal structures, bowel discrimination, presence of artefacts, and visualization of the amount of intra-abdominal fat for the three OCM protocols.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All three OCM protocols provided similar image quality for follow-up abdominopelvic CT for general oncological indications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Positive oral contrast media are routinely used for abdominopelvic multidetector computed tomography • Experimental study comparing image quality using three different oral contrast materials • Three different oral contrast materials result in comparable CT image quality • Benefits for patients and medical imaging department.
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Department, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD, 2090, Malta, erica-lauren.buttigieg@gov.mt.
authors.forename: Erica Lauren
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Buttigieg
authors.forename: Karen Borg
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Grima
authors.forename: Kelvin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cortis
authors.forename: Sandro Galea
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zarb
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012372:ROC Curve; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol