Purpose: To investigate the impact of saline bolus chaser in coronary angiography with a 16-row multislice CT (16-MSCT) scanner.
Materials and methods: 32 patients were divided in two groups for contrast material (cm) administration: group 1 (140 ml at 4 ml/s), and group 2 (100 ml at 4 ml/s followed by 40 ml of saline chaser at 4 ml/s). All patients underwent ECG-gated coronary angiography with a 16-MSCT scanner. The attenuation at the origin coronary vessels was assessed. Three regions of interest were drawn throughout the data-set: ascending aorta (ROI1); descending aorta (ROI2); pulmonary artery (ROI3). The attenuation in the superior vena cava was recorded (ROI4). The average attenuation and the slope were calculated in each ROI.
Results: The average attenuation in the coronary vessels was not significantly different in the two groups. The attenuation value in the superior vena cava was significantly inferior in group 2.
Conclusions: 16-row MSCT coronary angiography with bolus chaser allows optimal vessel enhancement with a lower dose of cm and a lower enhancement of the superior vena cava and the right heart.