Balancing act between quantitative and qualitative image quality between nonionic iodinated dimer and monomer at...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Contrast Media Research

Background:

• Computed tomography (CT) relies on iodinated contrast media (ICM) for enhanced visualization.
• Nonionic monomers and dimers are common ICM types, each with distinct properties.
• Assessing ICM impact on image quality and iodine quantification is crucial for diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of nonionic dimer (Iodixanol) versus monomer (Iohexol) on iodine quantification.
• To evaluate this impact across various vessel sizes using a vascular phantom.
• To analyze the effect of different ICM concentrations and CT parameters on image quality.

Main Methods:

• A vascular phantom with varying vessel diameters (9-21 mm) was utilized.
• Iohexol (monomer) and Iodixanol (dimer) were used at different concentrations (10-100%).
• Scans were performed using varied kVp, mAs, and reconstruction methods; image noise, CNR, and opacification were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Iodixanol (dimer) showed significantly higher opacification than Iohexol (monomer) at 80 and 140 kVp (p < 0.001).
• Image noise was lower with Iodixanol compared to Iohexol (p < 0.05).
• Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was significantly higher for Iodixanol (119.99 HU) versus Iohexol (107.09 HU) (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

• Nonionic dimer contrast media (Iodixanol) provides superior quantitative image quality in CT.
• Iodixanol results in lower image noise and higher CNR, enhancing diagnostic performance.
• The choice of ICM can significantly impact iodine quantification and overall image assessment in CT.