title: Prospectively ECG-triggered high-pitch 80 kVp coronary computed tomography angiography with 30 mL of 270 mg I/mL contrast material and iterative reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The smallest diagnostically appropriate amount of contrast medium should be used in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of prospectively ECG-triggered high-pitch CCTA using 30 mL of 270 mg I/mL contrast material, 80 kVp, and iterative reconstruction (IR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two consecutive patients underwent CCTA with a prospectively ECG-triggered high-pitch protocol. Forty-three patients were examined at 100 kVp with filtered back projection after 60 mL of 370 mg I/mL contrast material was administered. Another 39 patients were examined at 80 kVp with IR after 30 mL of 270 mg I/mL contrast material was administered. Subjective and objective image quality was evaluated for each patient. Radiation doses were estimated and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean attenuation, noise and signal-to-noise ratio in 80 kVp group were significantly lower than in 100 kVp group (all P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), although a trend towards a lower CNR in 80 kVp group was observed (P = 0.099). The subjective image quality between the two groups was not significantly different (P = 0.905). The effective dose and iodine load in 80 kVp group were reduced by 54% and 64%, respectively, when compared with 100 kVp group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prospectively ECG-triggered high-pitch CCTA at 80 kVp with 30 mL of 270 mg I/mL contrast material and IR is feasible for patients with BMI less than 25 kg/m(2) and reduces radiation dose and iodine load when compared with the standard CCTA protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Qmetrics Technologies, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Sheng Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Felix G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Meinel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Chang Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Qing Qing
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McQuiston
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Xue Man
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: U Joseph
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Schoepf
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Guang Ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China kevinzhlj@163.com.
authors.forename: Long Jiang
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Computed tomography (CT); angiography; contrast material; coronary artery disease; radiation dose