Study: Using Lower Volumes of Contrast Media Can Produce Reasonable-Quality CT Studies

A study published in the March-April edition of the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomographyconcluded that using a lower (15 mL) volume of intravenous contrast media can produce diagnostic-quality images for a wide range of indications, although the protocol did result in reduced vascular and soft-tissue enhancements.

Some patients in need of contrast-enhanced CT have conditions for which the use of iodinated contrast media is relatively contraindicated. In such scenarios, radiologists often must choose between using a standard volume of contrast medium (typically between 50 mL and 200 mL), which can compromise these patients’ safety, and not using contrast medium at all, which can result in poor image quality and missed diagnoses. In their report, Engelkemier et al. sought to determine whether using a lower volume of contrast—specifically 15 mL—would...