Portal Venous Phase Images in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis:Effects of Contrast Agent Dose and Scanning Time

Objective To explore the effects of contrast agent dose and scanning time on portal venous phase image quality in patients with liver cirrhosis.Materials and Methods Sixty patients with liver cirrhosis were randomly divided into three groups:A,B and C,with 20 patients in each group.20 age-matched patients without liver cirrhosis were selected as control group.Iodine contrast agents were used with injection rate of 3.5 ml/s.The doses of contrast agent were 1.5 ml/kg in group A and control,2.5 ml/kg in group B and C.Scan delay time in group C was 70s,and 60s in the other groups.The CT values of portal vein,liver parenchyma and hepatic vein were measured.The image quality was scored with double-blind method.Results The CT values of portal vein,liver parenchyma and hepatic vein were(142.16±15.25)HU,(87.91± 11.16) HU and(121.09±16.78)HU in group A,(168.29±14.63)HU,(98.75±10.86)HU,(130.54±15.31)HU in group B,(151.42±11.96)HU,(93.43±11.48)HU,(136.92±17.53)HU in group C,and(187.73±9.45)HU,(109.20±5.79),(160.55±14.27)HU in control respectively.The CT value in group A was significantly lower than that in control group(P0.05).The CT values of portal vein in group B were significantly higher than that in group A and C(P0.05).The CT values of hepatic vein in group C were significantly higher than that in group A(P0.05).The image quality scores in group C were higher than that in group A and B(P0.05).Conclusion Contrast agent dose should be increased at multi-phase enhanced scanning in patients with cirrhosis,and portal venous phase should be appropriately delayed.