A clinical evaluation of xenon enhancement for computed tomography.

Xenon increases the attenuation coefficients of tissues in which it dissolves and, therefore, enhances lipid-rich material. The authors evaluated xenon enhancement for computed tomography. Patients and normal subjects were given xenon in subanesthetic concentrations and were scanned in a large aperture CT scanner. Patients tolerated 30-50% inhaled xenon well. Cerebral tissues and lung were enhanced by this concentration of xenon. Xenon inhalation in subanesthetic concentrations will be a useful technique for characterizing abnormal lipid tissues and for estimating cerebral blood flow.