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Enhancement of anatomical structures and detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes: comparison of two different contrast material doses

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine if a 20 % reduction in the contrast material dose is acceptable in the CT evaluation of patients with head and neck malignancy.

Materials and methods

Sixty consecutive patients (mean age 67 years) with head and neck malignancy underwent contrast-enhanced CT according to two different protocols: protocol A (80 mL of contrast material administered at an injection rate of 1.5 mL/s) and protocol B (100 mL at 1.9 mL/s). The enhancement of anatomical structures and detectability of metastatic nodes were compared between the two protocols. Pathologic analysis of the surgical resection served as the reference standard.

Results

CT numbers of the anatomical structures were not significantly different between the two protocols. Mean sensitivity (64 and 77 % for protocols A and B, respectively), specificity (78 and 84 %), and accuracy (74 and 83 %) tended to be higher for protocol B than for A, but no significant difference was found.

Conclusion

Reducing the contrast material dose by 20 % did not significantly impair the enhancement of anatomical structures or the detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes. Radiologists should therefore consider reducing the contrast material dose used in head and neck CT.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a Grant for Scientific Research Expenses for Health, Labor, and Welfare Programs; the Foundation for the Promotion of Cancer Research; and Research on Cancer Prevention and Health Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Gifu Central Hospital, 3-25 Kawabe, Gifu, 501-1198, Japan

    Haruo Watanabe

  2. Department of Radiology, Gifu University Hospital, Gifu, Japan

    Haruo Watanabe, Masayuki Kanematsu, Hiroki Kato, Satoshi Goshima, Hiroshi Kondo, Hiroshi Kawada & Yoshifumi Noda

  3. Radiology Services, Gifu University Hospital, Gifu, Japan

    Masayuki Kanematsu & Toshiharu Miyoshi

  4. Department of Radiology, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan

    Toshihisa Kojima

  5. Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tsukiji, Japan

    Noriyuki Moriyama

Authors
  1. Haruo Watanabe
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  2. Masayuki Kanematsu
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  3. Hiroki Kato
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  4. Toshihisa Kojima
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  5. Toshiharu Miyoshi
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  7. Hiroshi Kondo
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  8. Hiroshi Kawada
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  9. Yoshifumi Noda
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  10. Noriyuki Moriyama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haruo Watanabe.

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Watanabe, H., Kanematsu, M., Kato, H. et al. Enhancement of anatomical structures and detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes: comparison of two different contrast material doses. Jpn J Radiol 30, 846–851 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-012-0135-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-012-0135-y

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