Manabu Takamura MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Hiromitsu Onishi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yutaka Inoue, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

K Harada MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Naoki Mihara MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Takamichi Murakami MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hironobu Nakamura MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The aim of study is to determine the optimal timing of arterial phase imaging for detection of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma by 16 channel- multidetector-row helical CT.

One hundred three patients with 203 hypervascular hepatocellular carcinomas (10 to 70 mm in diameter; mean, 18.9mm) underwent double arterial phase imaging of the whole liver using a multidetector-row helical computed tomography. All patients were randomly divided into two groups. The early arterial and late arterial phase scanning was started with the aortic arrival times plus 10 seconds, plus 20 seconds in group A or pulse 15 seconds, pulse 25 seconds in group B. The aortic arrival time was determined by test bolus injection. The amount of 1.7ml/kg (370mgI/ml of nonionic contrast medium) was injected intravenously during 25 seconds in all patients. The upper limitation of the amount of contrast medium was 100ml. The tumor-to-liver contrast (TLC) was measured.

The TLC was 25.1±16.0 and 50.4±20.7 (mean ± SD) during the early arterial phase and the late arterial in group A. The TLC was 34.5±19.4 and 43.0±22.7 during the early arterial phase and late arterial in group B. The TLC was significantly (P <.01) higher during the late arterial phase (+20 seconds) in group A than the early arterial phase (+10 seconds) in group A and early (+15 seconds) and late arterial phase (+25 seconds) in group B.

To detect hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma using single arterial phase the optimal arterial phase scanning was started with the aortic arrival times plus 20 seconds.

Takamura, M, Onishi, H, Inoue, Y, Harada, K, Mihara, N, Murakami, T, Nakamura, H, et al, , Evaluation of Optimal Timing of Arterial Phase Imaging for the Detection of Hypervascular Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Multi-Detector Row Helical CT.  Radiological Society of North America 2004 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2004 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2004/4416489.html