None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this research is to determine the way to obtain the best possible images of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis with Computed Tomography (CT) that delivers the lowest amount of radiation to patients. We will be comparing the standard way we take images to a new protocol (protocol means the way the images are taken). The standard CT protocol of the chest, abdomen and pelvis is done in two steps, the chest and abdomen is scanned followed by the lower part of the abdomen and the pelvis. This results in a part of the abdomen being scanned twice. The new protocol that we would like to test takes all the images in one step, from the chest to the pelvis with no overlap. This is why the amount of radiation used can be reduced. The image quality of your CT using the new protocol will be compared to the image quality of the CT which was done with the standard protocol. If the image quality of this research protocol is deemed optimal, it may be adopted as the standard way of performing CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
Interventions
Contrast enhanced CT of the chest/abdomen/pelvis is acquired by using single bolus (80ml at 3 ml/sec) contrast injection with the chest segment imaged in arterial phase while the abdomen/pelvis segment is imaged in the portal venous phase. The area in the lower chest and in the upper abdomen is imaged in both segments resulting in extra unnecessary radiation dose to the patient.
This method is the standard practice of performing a CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
The aim of this study is to
Contrast enhanced CT of the chest/abdomen/pelvis is acquired by using single bolus (80ml at 3 ml/sec) contrast injection with the chest segment imaged in arterial phase while the abdomen/pelvis segment is imaged in the portal venous phase. The area in the lower chest and in the upper abdomen is imaged in both segments resulting in extra unnecessary radiation dose to the patient. This method is the standard practice of performing a CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. The aim of this study is to change the imaging protocol for CT chest/abdomen/pelvis so that the radiation dose is reduced and to assess the image quality compared to the current imaging protocol. Our study protocol involves one continuous scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis with a pause after imaging the chest as described below. It is achieved by administering the contrast in two doses, 65 ml for the first injection and 15ml for the second injection, in total 80 ml. The first injection is for the chest and the second for the abdomen and pelvis. There is a 13 second pause between the two injections and both are injected at 2.5 ml/sec. The lower chest and upper abdomen is therefore not imaged twice, as in the standard practice, reducing the radiation dose to the patient. Our study protocol takes approximately 3 minutes to acquire the images, which is about twice as long as the standard practice.
Sponsors
The Alfred
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Diagnosis
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1) Referred oncology patients undergoing staging contrast enhanced CT chest/abdomen/pelvis who have had previous CT chest/abdomen/pelvis imaging performed within 1 year. 2) Only adult patients (age >/= 18) will be imaged using the proposed protocol. 3) Only outpatients will be included in the study. 4) Signed informed consent form.
Exclusion criteria
1. Oncology patients referred for non-enhanced CT chest/abdomen/pelvis for any reason and including contrast allergy and renal failure. 2. Severe heart failure (this can impair adequate tissue contrast enhancement). 3. Extensive progression of cancer in the period between the two scans. This could prevent direct comparison image quality of the two scans. 4. Pregnancy. 5. Inability to sign own consent (intellectual or mental impairment).
Outcome results
None listed