Time-Course Characterization of the Computed Tomography Contrast Enhancement of an Iodinated Blood-Pool Contrast Agent in Mice Using a Volumetric Flat-Panel Equipped Computed Tomography Scanner

Objective:The objective of this study was to determine the time-course of computed tomography (CT) contrast enhancement of an iodinated blood-pool contrast agent. Methods:Five C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized, imaged at baseline, and given an iodinated blood-pool contrast agent. Micro-CT scans were acquired at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after injection. The mean CT number was determined in a region of interest in 7 organs. Results:The CT contrast enhancement was plotted as a function of time for each organ. We identified an imaging window immediately after injection suitable for visualizing the vascular system and a second imaging window at 24 hours for visualizing liver and spleen. Conclusions:A single injection of the blood-pool contrast agent can be used for dual-phase investigations of the vasculature (t = 0 hours) and liver (t = 24 hours), which can be applied to studies of liver tumors or disease.

[1]  Dianna D Cody,et al.  In vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging in small-animal oncology models. , 2004, Molecular imaging.

[2]  David R Vera,et al.  A molecular CT blood pool contrast agent. , 2002, Academic radiology.

[3]  L. Hedlund,et al.  Micro-CT with respiratory and cardiac gating. , 2004, Medical physics.

[4]  R. Judd,et al.  Rapid measurements of diastolic intramyocardial vascular volume. , 1993, The American journal of physiology.

[5]  W. Heindel,et al.  Spiral CT angiography of the abdominal aorta. Comparison of iodixanol and ioversol. , 1999, Investigative radiology.

[6]  L. Feldkamp,et al.  Practical cone-beam algorithm , 1984 .

[7]  Maria Drangova,et al.  Prospective respiratory-gated micro-CT of free breathing rodents. , 2005, Medical physics.

[8]  Wolfhard Semmler,et al.  Volumetric computed tomography (VCT): a new technology for noninvasive, high-resolution monitoring of tumor angiogenesis , 2004, Nature Medicine.

[9]  F. Lee,et al.  Lipid-based blood-pool CT imaging of the liver. , 1998, Academic radiology.

[10]  E. Hoffman,et al.  Long-residence-time nano-scale liposomal iohexol for X-ray-based blood pool imaging. , 2003, Academic radiology.

[11]  Jicun Hu,et al.  Dynamic small animal lung imaging via a postacquisition respiratory gating technique using micro-cone beam computed tomography. , 2004, Academic radiology.

[12]  S. Herman.  Computed Tomography Contrast Enhancement Principles and the Use of High-Concentration Contrast Media , 2004, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[13]  B Nebiyou Bekele,et al.  Murine Lung Tumor Measurement Using Respiratory-Gated Micro-Computed Tomography , 2005, Investigative radiology.

[14]  Maximilian F Reiser,et al.  Optimal Contrast Application for Cardiac 4-Detector-Row Computed Tomography , 2003, Investigative radiology.

[15]  J. Boone,et al.  Small-animal X-ray dose from micro-CT. , 2004, Molecular imaging.

[16]  W. Brody,et al.  Radiographic Blood Pool Contrast Agents for Vascular and Tumor Imaging with Projection Radiography and Computed Tomography , 1982, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[17]  James A Bankson,et al.  Improved method of in vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging , 2004, Physics in medicine and biology.

[18]  E. Ritman.  Micro-computed tomography-current status and developments. , 2004, Annual review of biomedical engineering.

[19]  R. Counsell,et al.  Polyiodinated triglyceride lipid emulsions for use as hepatoselective contrast agents in CT: effects of physicochemical properties on biodistribution and imaging profiles. , 2000, Investigative radiology.

[20]  D. Holdsworth,et al.  Micro-CT in small animal and specimen imaging , 2002 .

[21]  M E Easterly,et al.  A review of high-resolution X-ray computed tomography and other imaging modalities for small animal research. , 2001, Lab animal.

[22]  V. Torchilin,et al.  CT visualization of blood pool in rats by using long-circulating, iodine-containing micelles. , 1999, Academic radiology.

[23]  F. Lee,et al.  Imaging Efficacy of a Hepatocyte-Selective Polyiodinated Triglyceride for Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography , 2001, American journal of therapeutics.

[24]  G Allan Johnson,et al.  4-D Micro-CT of the Mouse Heart , 2005, Molecular imaging.

[25]  D M Heisey,et al.  Combined hepatocyte-selective and blood-pool contrast agents for the CT detection of experimental liver tumors in rabbits. , 2000, Radiology.

[26]  Carlo Catalano,et al.  Computed Tomography Angiography: State-of-the-Art Imaging Using Multidetector-Row Technology , 2004, Journal of computer assisted tomography.