GE Huaizhi,WU Aiqin,CHEN Jiuzun, et al. Application of low iodine concentration contrast agent combined with Z-dom and iDose4 technology in carotid CT angiography[J]. JOURNAL OF WEZHOU MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, 2020, 50(11): 901-905.
Abstract：Objective: To explore the value of low iodine contrast agent combined with Z-dom and iDose4 in carotid CT angiography (CTA) to reduce contrast agent and ionizing radiation damage.Methods: A total of 100 patients with CTA examination from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 2018 and September 2019 were randomly divided as the routine group (n=50), with routine scanning, 120 kV, 250 mAs, iohexol (350 mgI/mL) and filtered back projection (FBP) reconstruction, and the low-dose group (n=50), with 120 kV, Z-dom automatic tube current, iodixanol (270 mgI/mL) and iDose4 reconstruction.The iodine injection amount and radiation dose were compared between the two groups. Objective evaluation was performed on the upper edge of the aortic arch and the bifurcation of the carotid artery, followed by subjective evaluation of the images. Results: The amount of iodine injection in the low-dose group was (16.61±2.87)g,lower than that in the routine group (22.82±3.81)g (P<0.001). The tube current in the low-dose group was(149.22±70.49)mAs, lower than that in the routine group (250 mAs) (P<0.001). The CT dose index volume(CTDIvol), dose length product (DLP), and effective dose (ED) of the low-dose group were lower than those of routine group (P<0.001). Objective evaluation of two groups of images showed the CT value of blood vessels and background noise of the two levels in the low-dose group lower than the routine group, and the SNR and CNR of the initial level of the common carotid artery were higher than the routine group (P<0.001).The subjective evaluation showed no significant difference (t=-1.676, P=0.097) in the scores of the routine group (3.44±0.48)and the low-dose group (3.60±0.47), both images could meet the diagnostic needs. Conclusion: Low-iodine contrast agent combined with Z-dom and iDose4 technology can reduce the amount of iodine injection and ionizing radiation dose in carotid CT angiography. Its image quality is better than that of the conventional group, though both can meet the diagnostic needs.
