Cost reduction in abdominal CT by weight-adjusted dose

Aim: To analyze the influence of contrast dose adjusted by weight vs. fixed contrast dose in the attenuation and cost of abdominal computed tomography (CT). Materials and methods: A randomised, consecutive, parallel group study was conducted in 151 patients (74 men and 77 women, age range 22-67 years), studied with the same CT helical protocol. A dose at 1.75 ml/kg was administered in 101 patient: while 50 patients had a fixed dose of 120 ml of same non-ionic contrast material (320 mg/ml). Mean enhancements were measured at right hepatic lobe, superior abdominal aorta and inferior cava vein. Statistical analysis was weight-strati fled (<60, 61-70, 71-80 and >81 kg). Results: Aortic attenuation was significantly superior (p<0.05) in the dose adjusted by weight group than in the fixed dose group. Patients who weighed >61 kg in dose-adjusted group, presented higher hepatic attenuation, being statistically significant in those >81 kg (p < 0.01). In dose-adjusted group, there was a savings of (sic)4.1 per patient in patients weighing <80 kg. In patients weighing >80 kg, there was an over cost of (sic)10.7 per patient. Conclusions: An injection volume of 1.75 ml/kg offers an optimal diagnostic quality with a global savings of (sic)1.34 per patient. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.