Abdominal CT: a radiologist-driven adjustment of the dose of iodinated contrast agent approaches a calculation per lean body weight

European Radiology Experimental

Table 2 Mean contrast agent dose administered in 201 patients of the study population

Item	Value^a	CoV
Amount of injected CA (g)	32 ± 5	16%
Dose of CA per TBW (gI/kg)	0.46 ± 0.06	13%
Dose of CA per TBW (gI/kg) according to BMI^b
Underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)	0.56 ± 0.08	14%
Normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m²)	0.48 ± 0.05	10%
Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²)	0.44 ± 0.04	9%
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)	0.41 ± 0.04	10%
Dose of CA per LBW (gI/kg)	0.63 ± 0.09	14%
Dose of CA per LBW (gI/kg) according to BMI^c
Underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)	0.68 ± 0.11	16%
Normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m²)	0.62 ± 0.08	13%
Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²)	0.62 ± 0.08	13%
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)	0.65 ± 0.11	17%
Liver contrast enhancement (HU)^d	43 ± 9	21%
Liver contrast enhancement (HU) according to BMI^e
Underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)	51 ± 18	35%
Normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m²)	44 ± 8	18%
Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²)	42 ± 9	18%
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)	40 ± 6	15%

^aData represent mean ± standard deviation
^bThis trend showed a significant negative association (p < 0.001)
^cThe comparison was not statistically significant (p ≥ 0.065)
^dCalculated as the difference between the computed tomography (CT) value measured in the venous phase and that measured before contrast agent injection
^eThis trend showed a significant negative association (p = 0.004)
BMI body mass index, CA contrast agent, CoV coefficient of variation, gI grams of iodine, HU Hounsfield units, LBW lean bodyweight, TBW total bodyweight