Optimal delay for triple-phase hepatic computed tomography using a bolus-tracking technique in cats

• Published in: Animal diseases 2022-04, Vol.2 (1), p.1-9, Article 7
• Main Authors: Li, Bin, Ren, Mingli, Abouelfetouh, Mahmoud M., Guo, Panpan, Ding, Ming Xing, Yang, Diqi, Wu, Yanqing, Ding, Yi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Bolus-tracking; Feline; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Infectious Diseases; Liver; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Original Article; Triple-phase; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science
• ISSN: 2731-0442; 2731-0442
• DOI: 10.1186/s44149-022-00038-8

The objective of this study was to provide the characteristics of hepatic computed tomography images and optimize their transition delay with a bolus-tracking technique for triple-phase hepatic computed tomography in cats. Dynamic triple-phase computed tomography was performed in nine healthy cats. The upper third of the liver was dynamically scanned every 0.5 s for 40 s. The time density curves of the aorta and hepatic parenchyma mean enhancement were analyzed. Triple-phase hepatic computed tomography was performed three times with a bolus trigger of 200 Hounsfield units of aortic enhancement. The transition delays of the arterial, portal, and hepatic parenchymal phases were respectively 0, 5 and 60 s in the first scan; 2, 7 and 62 s in the second scan; and 4, 9 and 64 s in the third scan. All computed tomography images were evaluated by a certificated radiologist. The arterial vessels and their main branches were well enhanced at a 2 s transition delay. The contrast of the portal vein to the liver parenchyma was most obvious at a 7 s transition delay. The mean enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma peaked at a 62 s transition delay, whereas the degree of enhancement of the hepatic vasculature decreased. In this study, the recommended transition delays for the arterial, portal, and hepatic parenchymal phases were 2 s, 7 s and 62 s, respectively, after triggering at 200 Hounsfield units of aortic enhancement. This information may be helpful in diagnosing feline liver diseases and provides a key reference for the clinical implementation of CT.