286
Abdomen
Hints
• You could repeat the same protocol simply by click-
ing the chronicle with the right mouse button for
“repeat“. E.g. when both non-contrast and contrast
studies are required.
• Do not administer oral contrast medium, as this
impairs the editing of MIP/SSD/VRT images. Use
water instead if necessary.
• Water, rather than positive oral contrast agents
should be used. Give the last cup 200 ml just prior to
positioning the patient. To ensure adequate filling of
the duodenal loop, lay the patient on the right side
for 5 minutes before performing the topogram.
• A pre-contrast examination is usually performed
only if no CT scans were previously acquired, to
exclude calculi in the common bile duct and to visu-
alize possible lesions in the liver. Furthermore, this
also ensures exact positioning for the CTA spiral.
• For pancreatic studies, the arterial phase acquisition
can be acquired later with a start delay of 40–50 sec.
It may be necessary to use a thinner collimation of
3mm.