Value of liver computed tomography with iodixanol 270, 80 kVp and iterative reconstruction

To evaluate the image quality of hepatic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with dynamic contrast enhancement.

It uses iodixanol 270 mg/mL (Visipaque 270) and 80 kVp acquisitions reconstructed with sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE(®)) in comparison with a standard MDCT protocol. Fifty-three consecutive patients with known or suspected hepatocellular carcinoma underwent 55 CT examinations, with two different four-phase CT protocols. The first group of 30 patients underwent a standard 120 kVp acquisition after injection of Iohexol 350 mg/mL (Accupaque 350(®)) and reconstructed with filtered back projection. The second group of 25 patients underwent a dual-energy CT at 80-140 kVp with iodixanol 270. The 80 kVp component of the second group was reconstructed iteratively (SAFIRE(®)-Siemens). All hyperdense and hypodense hepatic lesions ≥ 5 mm were identified with both protocols. Aorta and portal vessels/liver parenchyma contrast to noise ratio (CNR) in arterial phase, hypervascular lesion/liver parenchyma CNR in arterial phase, hypodense lesion/liver parenchyma CNR in portal and late phase were calculated in both groups.

Aorta/liver and focal lesions altogether/liver CNR were higher for the second protocol (P = 0.0078 and 0.0346). Hypervascular lesions/liver CNR was not statistically different (P = 0.86). Hypodense lesion/liver CNR in the portal phase was significantly higher for the second group (P = 0.0107). Hypodense lesion/liver CNR in the late phase was the same for both groups (P = 0.9926).

MDCT imaging with 80 kVp with iterative reconstruction and iodixanol 270 yields equal or even better image quality.