Aortoiliac Gadolinium-enhanced CT Angiography: Improved Results with a 16–Detector Row Scanner Compared with a Four–Detector Row Scanner

• Published in: Journal of vascular and interventional radiology Vol. 15; no. 9; pp. 947 - 954
• Main Authors: Wicky, Stephan, Greenfield, Alan, Fan, Chieh-Min, Geller, Stuart C., Hamberg, Leena M., Hoffmann, Udo, Waltman, Arthur C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2004
• Subjects: Aged; Angiography - instrumentation; Aorta, Abdominal - diagnostic imaging; Aortography - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Female; Gadolinium - pharmacology; Humans; Iliac Artery - diagnostic imaging; Male; Phantoms, Imaging; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation; AAA
• ISSN: 1051-0443; 1535-7732
• DOI: 10.1097/01.RVI.0000130381.73361.7A

To assess the level of vascular enhancement of gadolinium-enhanced aortoiliac computed tomographic (CT) angiography with a 16–detector row CT scanner and to compare it with the results of previous similar studies that used four–detector row CT units. Eleven gadolinium-enhanced CT angiograms were obtained in 10 consecutive patients with contraindication to iodinated contrast medium with use of a 16–detector row CT scanner. In the region of interest, attenuation measurements (in HU) were obtained from the proximal abdominal aorta to the common femoral arteries during unenhanced, gadolinium-enhanced, and delayed acquisitions. The results were compared to those in the 15 consecutive patients who most recently had similar examinations performed on a four–detector row CT unit. Phantom studies with diluted gadolinium were conducted to compare attenuation between CT units. On four–detector row CT, throughout the scan length, mean enhancement values were 53.8 HU ± 5.3 and 15.0 HU ± 2.6 for gadolinium-enhanced and delayed series, respectively. For the 16–detector row CT unit, they were 76.1 HU ± 3.4 and 21.3 HU ± 1.3, respectively. As a result of a shorter scan time and a more optimal start time, the 16–detector row CT unit provided significantly greater and more consistent enhancement throughout the scan length compared with the four–detector row CT unit ( P = .0106). Similar structures had significantly greater enhancement when 120 kV was applied instead of 140 kV ( P = .0495) The 16–detector row CT scanner improved gadolinium-enhanced CT angiography results compared with the four–detector row CT unit.