Feasibility of contrast material volume reduction in coronary artery imaging using 320-slice volume CT

• Published in: European radiology 2010-06, Vol.20 (6), p.1337-1343
• Main Authors: Hein, Patrick A., May, Juliane, Rogalla, Patrik, Butler, Craig, Hamm, Bernd, Lembcke, Alexander
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Body mass index; Cardiac; Contrast agents; Contrast Media - administration & dosage; Coronary Angiography - methods; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary vessels; Datasets; Diagnostic Radiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ejection fraction; Feasibility Studies; Female; Heart rate; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Iohexol - administration & dosage; Iohexol - analogs & derivatives; Male; Medical imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Patients; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sensors; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Ultrasound; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-009-1692-z

Objective To assess reduced volumes of contrast agent on image quality for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) by using single-beat cardiac imaging with 320-slice CT. Materials and methods Forty consecutive male patients (mean age: 55.8 years) undergoing CCTA with body weight ≤85 kg, heart rate ≤65 bpm, and ejection fraction ≥55% were included. Image acquisition protocol was standardized (120 kV, 400 mA, and prospective ECG-triggered single-beat nonspiral CCTA). Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups (G1: received 40 ml, G2: 50 ml, G3: 60 ml, G4: 70 ml). Groups were compared with respect to aortic attenuation, image noise, and image quality. Results CT values (mean ± standard deviation) in the aortic root were measured as 423 ± 38 HU in G1, and 471 ± 68, 463 ± 60, and 476 ± 78 HU in G2-4, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in attenuation among the groups ( P  > 0.068). All 40 CT datasets were rated diagnostic, and image noise and image quality were not statistically different among groups. Conclusion Using 320-slice volume CT, diagnostic image quality can be achieved with 40 ml of contrast material in CCTA in patients with normal body weight, cardiac function, and low heart rate.