Establishment of injection protocol of test bolus for precise scan timing in canine abdominal multi-phase computed tomography

This study aimed to establish an injection protocol to determine the precise CT scan timing in canine abdominal multi-phase CT using the test bolus method. Three dynamic scans with different contrast injection parameters were performed using a crossover design in eight normal beagle dogs. A contrast material was administered at a fixed dose of 200 mg iodine/kg as a test bolus for dynamic scans 1 and 2, and 600 mg iodine/kg as a main bolus for dynamic scan 3. The contrast materials were administered with 1 ml/s in dynamic scan 1, and 3 ml/s in dynamic scan 2 and 3. The mean arrival time to the appearance of aortic enhancement in dynamic scan 3 was similar to that in dynamic scan 2, and different significantly to that in dynamic scan 1. The mean arrival time to the peak aortic and pancreatic parenchymal enhancement in dynamic scan 3 was similar to that in dynamic scan 1, and different significantly to that in dynamic scan 2. In multi-phase CT scan, a test bolus should be injected with the same injection duration of a main bolus, to obtain the precise arrival times to peak of arterial or pancreatic parenchymal enhancement.