HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schima, W. Articles by Vogl, T. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Schima, W. Articles by Vogl, T. J. Social Bookmarking                      What's this? Hotlight (NEW!) What's Hotlight?

Quadruple-Phase MDCT of the Liver in Patients with Suspected Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Effect of Contrast Material Flow Rate

¹ Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
² Department of Radiology, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Germany.
³ Unita Operativa di Radiologia, Universita La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
⁴ Servicio de Radiologia, Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain.
⁵ Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Muenchen, Germany.
⁶ Departamento de Radiologia, Centro Medico, Policlinico Vigo, Priegue, Spain.
⁷ Amersham Buchler GmbH & Co KG, Ismaning, Germany.
⁸ Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Milano, Italy.
⁹ Les Cliniques St. Joseph, Liege, Belgium.
¹⁰ CHU Hopital de Archet II, Nice, France.
¹¹ CHU Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.
¹² Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italy.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effect of contrast material flow rate (3 mL/sec vs 5 mL/sec) on the detection and visualization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with MDCT and the safety profile of iodixanol at different injection rates.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS. In a prospective, randomized multicenter trial, 97 patients (83 men and 14 women, with a mean age of 64 years) suspected of having HCC underwent quadruple-phase (double arterial, portal venous, delayed phase) 4-16-MDCT. Patients were randomized to receive iodixanol, 320 mg I/mL (1.5 mL/kg body weight), at a flow rate of 3 mL/sec (48 patients) or 5 mL/sec (49 patients). Qualitative (lesion detection, image quality) and quantitative (liver and aortic enhancement, tumor-liver contrast) analyses and safety assessment were performed.

RESULTS. Overall, 145 HCCs were detected in the 5 mL/sec group and 100 HCCs in the 3 mL/sec group (p < 0.05). More lesions equal to or less than 1 cm were detected at 5 mL/sec (33 vs 16 lesions). The late arterial phase showed significantly more lesions than the early, arterial phase (133 vs 100 and 96 vs 67 lesions, respectively, p < 0.0001). Hyperattenuating HCCs were better visualized in the late arterial phase at 5 mL/sec (excellent visualization: 54% vs 27%). Using a flow of 5 mL/sec did not increase the rate of patient discomfort or contrast media-related adverse events. Most discomfort in both groups was of mild intensity and there was no severe discomfort.

CONCLUSION. For detection of HCC with MDCT, a higher flow rate of 5 mL/sec is recommended. Visualization of hyperattenuating HCC is improved with no greater discomfort or adverse events.

Keywords: CT • MDCT • liver disease • contrast media

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Yanaga, K. Awai, T. Nakaura, T. Namimoto, S. Oda, Y. Funama, and Y. Yamashita Optimal Contrast Dose for Depiction of Hypervascular Hepatocellular Carcinoma at Dynamic CT Using 64-MDCT Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2008; 190(4): 1003 - 1009. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]