[Improvement of the Contrast Effects of Blood Vessels by Taking Internally Effervescent Agents in Abdominal Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography].

PURPOSE

In preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the stomach, an effervescent agent is taken internally to stretch the wall of the stomach to allow evaluation of tumor depth. However, there are no reports on the effects of the effervescent agent on the contrast effects of arteries, veins, portal veins, and hepatic veins. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of an effervescent agent on the contrast effects of blood vessels in abdominal contrast-enhanced CT.

METHODS

The subjects were 60 preoperative gastric or pancreatic CT patients who underwent contrast-enhanced CT either with or without the effervescent agent. CT attenuations of the vessels were measured.

RESULTS

CT attenuations of the left gastric artery, left gastroepiploic artery, right gastroepiploic artery, left gastric vein, left gastroepiploic vein, right gastroepiploic vein, portal vein, and hepatic vein were significantly higher (p<0.01) when the effervescent agent was taken.

CONCLUSION

In abdominal contrast-enhancement CT, CT attenuations of the left gastric artery, left gastroepiploic artery, right gastroepiploic artery, left gastric vein, left gastroepiploic vein, right gastroepiploic vein, portal vein, and hepatic vein were found to be higher when the patient was administered the effervescent agent.