Motoo Nakagawa1, Masaki Hara, Yuta Shibamoto. 1. Department of Radiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan. lmloltlolol@gmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The optimal conditions for abdominal contrast-enhanced (CE) CT, especially with respect to depiction of the hepatic veins (HVs), have not been well studied in small children. OBJECTIVE: We compared the depiction of the HVs in small children using scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s and a power injector. The degree of contrast enhancement of the HVs according to body weight was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 CT studies in 31 children ages 2 days to 3 years 4 months (median 12 months) with a body weight less than 15 kg were prospectively evaluated. Nonionic contrast medium (300 mgI/ml) at a dose of 2 ml/kg and an injection rate calculated as (body weight in kilograms x 0.1) ml/s was injected through a 24-gauge intravenous catheter. Scan delay time was randomly chosen at 50 s or 60 s (25 times each). Subjective assessment of HV depiction was performed and the difference in CT number between the HV and hepatic parenchyma (HV-HP value) was calculated. RESULTS: In all cases, subjective assessment of HV depiction was good and the HV-HP value was greater than 20 HU. The mean+/-SD HV-HP value was 47.7+/-13.2 HU. There were no differences in the mean HV-HP values between scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s (P=0.58). CONCLUSION: For small children, this protocol for pediatric abdominal CECT resulted in good depiction of the HVs with no difference between scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s.
BACKGROUND: The optimal conditions for abdominal contrast-enhanced (CE) CT, especially with respect to depiction of the hepatic veins (HVs), have not been well studied in small children. OBJECTIVE: We compared the depiction of the HVs in small children using scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s and a power injector. The degree of contrast enhancement of the HVs according to body weight was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 CT studies in 31 children ages 2 days to 3 years 4 months (median 12 months) with a body weight less than 15 kg were prospectively evaluated. Nonionic contrast medium (300 mgI/ml) at a dose of 2 ml/kg and an injection rate calculated as (body weight in kilograms x 0.1) ml/s was injected through a 24-gauge intravenous catheter. Scan delay time was randomly chosen at 50 s or 60 s (25 times each). Subjective assessment of HV depiction was performed and the difference in CT number between the HV and hepatic parenchyma (HV-HP value) was calculated. RESULTS: In all cases, subjective assessment of HV depiction was good and the HV-HP value was greater than 20 HU. The mean+/-SD HV-HP value was 47.7+/-13.2 HU. There were no differences in the mean HV-HP values between scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s (P=0.58). CONCLUSION: For small children, this protocol for pediatric abdominal CECT resulted in good depiction of the HVs with no difference between scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s.