Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice

Objectives: to determine (1) a target Hounsfield unit (HU) for portal venous phase iodinated contrast media enhanced abdominal CT scans, (2) an equation for a personalized total contrast agent volume, and (3) the best/most appropriate time between injection and plateau/peak in HU enhancement. Materi...

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Main Authors: Walter Coudyzer, Lesley Cockmartin, Bram Miseur, Tim Busselot, Didier Bielen, Dirk Vanbeckevoort, Raymond Oyen, Hilde Bosmans
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology
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Online Access:https://account.jbsr.be/index.php/up-j-jbsr/article/view/3906
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author Walter Coudyzer
Lesley Cockmartin
Bram Miseur
Tim Busselot
Didier Bielen
Dirk Vanbeckevoort
Raymond Oyen
Hilde Bosmans
author_facet Walter Coudyzer
Lesley Cockmartin
Bram Miseur
Tim Busselot
Didier Bielen
Dirk Vanbeckevoort
Raymond Oyen
Hilde Bosmans
author_sort Walter Coudyzer
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: to determine (1) a target Hounsfield unit (HU) for portal venous phase iodinated contrast media enhanced abdominal CT scans, (2) an equation for a personalized total contrast agent volume, and (3) the best/most appropriate time between injection and plateau/peak in HU enhancement. Material and methods: from an original dataset of 5,000 cases, a weight representative subset of 370 cases was sampled for detailed HU measurements. An additional 90 cases were used for visual grading to define the minimal HU required for diagnostic quality, which led to the proposed target HU. This study uses the fact that in a first approach, the injected contrast agent volume and HU correlate linearly. Based on the injected contrast agent volumes and HU measurements in the patient scans, it was then calculated which (ideal) volume would have reached the target value. The ideal volumes and patient data (weight, height, heart rate, age, and gender) were correlated by means of a regression analysis, to determine a new patient-specific contrast volume calculation equation. The best scan delay time was derived from the start of the injection to the HU enhancement plateau/peak evaluated from manually triggered venous phase scans. Results: The target HU value was 125. This can be achieved with a personalized contrast agent volume (ml), equal to − 108.5 + ∗ weight(kg) + 0.40 ∗ heart rate(bpm) + 0.61 ∗ height(cm). The time delay between injection and HU plateau/peak was found to be, on average, 102 s. Conclusion: this study proposes a comprehensive protocol for contrast enhanced venous phase scans, including a target HU, a personalized contrast volume, and a scan delay.
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series Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology
spelling doaj-art-1f0738b5e0d5464f9bc66571efaab4aa2025-08-20T03:24:56ZengUbiquity PressJournal of the Belgian Society of Radiology2514-82812025-06-011091212110.5334/jbsr.39063902Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with PracticeWalter Coudyzer0Lesley Cockmartin1Bram Miseur2Tim Busselot3Didier Bielen4Dirk Vanbeckevoort5Raymond Oyen6Hilde Bosmans7Department of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 LeuvenObjectives: to determine (1) a target Hounsfield unit (HU) for portal venous phase iodinated contrast media enhanced abdominal CT scans, (2) an equation for a personalized total contrast agent volume, and (3) the best/most appropriate time between injection and plateau/peak in HU enhancement. Material and methods: from an original dataset of 5,000 cases, a weight representative subset of 370 cases was sampled for detailed HU measurements. An additional 90 cases were used for visual grading to define the minimal HU required for diagnostic quality, which led to the proposed target HU. This study uses the fact that in a first approach, the injected contrast agent volume and HU correlate linearly. Based on the injected contrast agent volumes and HU measurements in the patient scans, it was then calculated which (ideal) volume would have reached the target value. The ideal volumes and patient data (weight, height, heart rate, age, and gender) were correlated by means of a regression analysis, to determine a new patient-specific contrast volume calculation equation. The best scan delay time was derived from the start of the injection to the HU enhancement plateau/peak evaluated from manually triggered venous phase scans. Results: The target HU value was 125. This can be achieved with a personalized contrast agent volume (ml), equal to − 108.5 + ∗ weight(kg) + 0.40 ∗ heart rate(bpm) + 0.61 ∗ height(cm). The time delay between injection and HU plateau/peak was found to be, on average, 102 s. Conclusion: this study proposes a comprehensive protocol for contrast enhanced venous phase scans, including a target HU, a personalized contrast volume, and a scan delay.https://account.jbsr.be/index.php/up-j-jbsr/article/view/3906abdominal ct examinationspatient tailored contrast injectionsiodinated contrast agentscontrast agent scan delayscontrast volume calculationhu target values
spellingShingle Walter Coudyzer
Lesley Cockmartin
Bram Miseur
Tim Busselot
Didier Bielen
Dirk Vanbeckevoort
Raymond Oyen
Hilde Bosmans
Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology
abdominal ct examinations
patient tailored contrast injections
iodinated contrast agents
contrast agent scan delays
contrast volume calculation
hu target values
title Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
title_full Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
title_fullStr Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
title_full_unstemmed Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
title_short Personalized Contrast Agent Volumes in Abdominal CT: Bridging Theory with Practice
title_sort personalized contrast agent volumes in abdominal ct bridging theory with practice
topic abdominal ct examinations
patient tailored contrast injections
iodinated contrast agents
contrast agent scan delays
contrast volume calculation
hu target values
url https://account.jbsr.be/index.php/up-j-jbsr/article/view/3906
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AT timbusselot personalizedcontrastagentvolumesinabdominalctbridgingtheorywithpractice
AT didierbielen personalizedcontrastagentvolumesinabdominalctbridgingtheorywithpractice
AT dirkvanbeckevoort personalizedcontrastagentvolumesinabdominalctbridgingtheorywithpractice
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