A Preliminary Study of Energy Spectrum CT on Showing Feeding Arteries of Gastrointestinal Tract Malignant Tumors with Low Concentration Contrast Medium / 中国医学影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

PurposeTo investigate the effects of the low concentration contrast medium combined with optimal single source spectral imaging on displaying feeding arteries of gastrointestinal tract malignant tumors.Materials and Methods Seventy-one patients of body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m2 with gastrointestinal tract malignant tumors were prospectively studied. All the cases were randomly divided into two groups: high concentration group (33 cases with high concentration contrast medium of 350 mgI/ml in routine scan) and low concentration group (38 cases with low concentration contrast medium of 270 mgI/ml in optimal single source spectral imaging). The optimal single source images were generated automatically. The subjective image scores, CT value of the tumor feeding arteries, image noise, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and CT dose index of volume (CTDIvol) of optimal single source spectral images in two groups were compared. Results The optimal single source of low concentration group were 51-60 keV. The subjective image score of low concentration group was higher than high concentration group (Z=-4.280,P0.05).Conclusion The low concentration contrast medium with optimal single source spectral imaging in patients with large BMI may improve CTA image quality of feeding arteries of gastrointestinal tract malignant tumors without increasing radiation dose.