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Time-Course Characterization of the Computed Tomography Contrast Enhancement of an Iodinated Blood-Pool Contrast Agent in Mice Using a Volumetric Flat-Panel Equipped Computed Tomography Scanner

2006; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 41; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/01.rli.0000197981.66537.48

1536-0210

Nancy L. Ford, Kevin C. Graham, A. C. Groom, Ian C. MacDonald, Ann F. Chambers, David W. Holdsworth,

Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications

The objective of this study was to determine the time-course of computed tomography (CT) contrast enhancement of an iodinated blood-pool contrast agent.Five C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized, imaged at baseline, and given an iodinated blood-pool contrast agent. Micro-CT scans were acquired at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after injection. The mean CT number was determined in a region of interest in 7 organs.The CT contrast enhancement was plotted as a function of time for each organ. We identified an imaging window immediately after injection suitable for visualizing the vascular system and a second imaging window at 24 hours for visualizing liver and spleen.A single injection of the blood-pool contrast agent can be used for dual-phase investigations of the vasculature (t = 0 hours) and liver (t = 24 hours), which can be applied to studies of liver tumors or disease.