Acquisition Phase

Phase Included

Scan Delay

Respiration Phase

Anatomical Coverage

Non Contrast

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Arterial Phase

Yes

Bolus triggered

Inspiration

Entire aortic vasculature

Venous Phase

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Delayed Phase

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Scan Comments: Dual energy is useful for post-processing applications such as bone removal and virtual non-contrast. Utilizing these processing techniques, it is possible to eliminate the non-contrast image acquisition phase when following up aortic stent placement. All scans are performed using the ALARA principle. 3D post-processing is performed with this protocol.

Technical Parameters

Parameters

kVp

100 / 140

Effective mAs

Use dose reduction software

Quality Reference mAs

250 / 193

Time (Rotation)

0.5 sec

Average Acquisition Time

10-15 sec

Collimation

32 x 0.6mm

Pitch Value

0.8

Scan Direction

Craniocaudal

Comments: Images are acquired using 100/140 kVp setting with a Sn filter. Dose reduction software is used to reduce patient dose. The pitch value should remain below 1.0 to reduce any artifacts during post-processing.

Reconstruction Parameters

Soft Tissue

Thin Data

Thin Data

Lung

Slice Thickness

 3 mm

0.75 mm

1.5 mm

3 mm

Reconstruction Spacing

 3 mm

0.5 mm

1 mm

3 mm

Reconstruction Algorithm

D30f

D20f

D30f

B80f

Window Width and Level

410/10

410/10

410/10

1600/-500

Reconstruction Comments: When generating mixed images, the DE composition is set to 0.8.

Reconstruction Parameters

Coronal

Sagittal

Slice Thickness

 3 mm

3 mm

Reconstruction Spacing

 3 mm

3 mm

Reconstruction Algorithm

B30f

B30f

Window Width and Level

410/10

410/10

Reconstruction Comments: When generating mixed images, the DE composition is set to 0.8.

Contrast Parameters

Parameters

Contrast Type

Non-ionic

Contrast Volume

120 mL

Saline Flush

N/A

Injection Rate

4-5 mL/sec

Oral Contrast

H2O

Contrast Volume

1000 mL

Comments: Bolus tracking is performed off the abdominal aorta using a 230 HU trigger setting.